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12 main gods. Mount Olympus in Greece: myths, history and excursions

The main gods in Ancient Hellas were those that belonged to the younger generation of celestials. Once it took power over the world from the older generation, personifying the main universal forces and elements (see about this in the article Origin of the Gods Ancient Greece). The gods of the older generation are usually called titans. Having defeated the titans, the younger gods, led by Zeus, settled on Mount Olympus. The ancient Greeks honored 12 Olympian gods. Their list usually included Zeus, Hera, Athena, Hephaestus, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Ares, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes, Hestia. Hades is also close to the Olympian gods, but he does not live on Olympus, but in his underworld.

- main deity ancient Greek mythology, the king of all other gods, the personification of the boundless sky, the lord of lightning. In Roman religions Jupiter corresponded to it.

Poseidon - the god of the seas, among the ancient Greeks - the second deity in importance after Zeus. like olithe creation of a changeable and stormy water element Poseidon was closely associated with earthquakes and volcanic activity. In Roman mythology, he was identified with Neptune.

Hades - the lord of the gloomy underground kingdom of the dead, inhabited by the incorporeal shadows of the dead and terrible demonic creatures. Hades (Hades), Zeus and Poseidon made up the triad of the most powerful gods of Ancient Hellas. As ruler of the depths of the earth, Hades was also associated with agricultural cults, with whom his wife, Persephone, was closely associated. The Romans called it Pluto.

Hera - the sister and wife of Zeus, the main female goddess of the Greeks. The patroness of marriage and conjugal love. Jealous Hera severely punishes the violation of marriage bonds. The Romans corresponded to Juno.

Apollo - originally the god of sunlight, whose cult then received a wider meaning and connection with the ideas of spiritual purity, artistic beauty, medical healing, retribution for sins. Like a patron creative activity considered the head of the nine muses, as a healer - the father of the god of doctors Asclepius. The image of Apollo among the ancient Greeks was formed under the strong influence of Eastern cults (the Asia Minor god Apelun) and carried refined, aristocratic features. Apollo was also called Phoebus. Under the same names, he was revered in Ancient Rome

Artemis - sister of Apollo, virgin goddess of forests and hunting. Like the cult of Apollo, the veneration of Artemis was brought to Greece from the East (the Asia Minor goddess Rtemis). Artemis' close association with forests comes from her ancient function patroness of vegetation and fertility in general. The virginity of Artemis also contains a dull echo of the ideas of birth and sexual relations. In ancient Rome, she was revered in the person of the goddess Diana.

Athena is the goddess of spiritual harmony and wisdom. She was considered the inventor and patroness of most of the sciences, arts, spiritual pursuits, agriculture, and crafts. With the blessing of Pallas Athena, cities are being built and state life is going on. The image of Athena as a defender of the fortress walls, a warrior, a goddess who, at her very birth, came out of the head of her father, Zeus, armed, is closely connected with the patronage functions of cities and the state. Among the Romans, Athena corresponded to the goddess Minerva.

Hermes is the oldest greek god roads and field boundaries, all boundaries separating one from the other. Due to his primordial connection with the roads, Hermes was later revered as a messenger of the gods with wings on his heels, the patron of travel, merchants and trade. His cult was also associated with ideas about resourcefulness, cunning, subtle mental activity (skillful differentiation of concepts), knowledge of foreign languages. The Romans have Mercury.

Ares is the wild god of war and battle. In ancient Rome, Mars.

Aphrodite is the ancient Greek goddess of sensual love and beauty. Her type is very close to the Semitic-Egyptian veneration of the productive forces of nature in the form of Astarte (Ishtar) and Isis. The famous legend about Aphrodite and Adonis was inspired by the most ancient oriental myths about Ishtar and Tammuz, Isis and Osiris. The ancient Romans identified with Venus.

Eros - the son of Aphrodite, a divine boy with a quiver and a bow. At the request of his mother, he shoots well-aimed arrows that kindle incurable love in the hearts of people and gods. In Rome - Cupid.

Hymen Companion of Aphrodite, god of marriage. According to his name, wedding hymns were also called hymens in ancient Greece.

Hephaestus - a god whose cult in the era of hoary antiquity was associated with volcanic activity - fire and roar. Later, thanks to the same properties, Hephaestus became the patron of all crafts associated with fire: blacksmithing, pottery, etc. In Rome, the god Vulcan corresponded to him.

Demeter - in Ancient Greece personified the productive force of nature, but not wild, as Artemis once did, but “ordered”, “civilized”, the one that manifests itself in regular rhythms. Demeter was considered the goddess of agriculture, who rules the annual natural cycle of renewal and decay. She also led the circle human life- from birth to death. This last aspect of the cult of Demeter was the content of the Eleusinian mysteries.

Persephone Daughter of Demeter, kidnapped by the god Hades. The inconsolable mother, after a long search, found Persephone in the underworld. Hades, who made her his wife, agreed that she would spend part of the year on earth with her mother, and the other with him in the bowels of the earth. Persephone was the personification of the grain, which, being "dead" sown in the ground, then "comes to life" and comes out of it into the light.

Hestia - patron goddess of the hearth, family and community ties. Altars to Hestia stood in every ancient Greek house and in the main public building of the city, all citizens of which were considered one big family.

Dionysus - the god of winemaking and those violent natural forces that bring a person to insane delight. Dionysus was not one of the 12 "Olympic" gods of Ancient Greece. His orgiastic cult was borrowed comparatively late from Asia Minor. The popular veneration of Dionysus was opposed to the aristocratic service of Apollo. From frenzied dances and songs at the feasts of Dionysus later came the ancient Greek tragedy and comedy.

The twelve gods were the main gods worshiped by the ancient Greeks. According to legend, they lived on the top of Mount Olympus, among them were 6 men and 6 women.

Hestia: patroness of family happiness, protector of virgins, the only goddess who got along with all the gods. She was the eldest daughter and first child of Kronos and Rhea, therefore she was introduced to the rank of the main great Goddesses.

Aphrodite: when Aphrodite emerged from the sea she became synonymous with female beauty in antiquity, was the goddess of love and beauty. Gods and mortals, they were all captivated by the beauty of Aphrodite. During her marriage to Hephaestus, she had an affair with Ares.

Athena: goddess of justice, wisdom, strategy, war. The Parthenon in Athens is the most famous temple dedicated to her. Athena was the favorite daughter of Zeus, born from his head. Goddess symbols - owl, aegis, olive, snake.

Artemis: was the goddess of wildlife and hunting, patronized pregnant women and women in childbirth especially in rural areas, the twin sister of Apollo. Symbols of Artemis animals and plants, weapons, goat, deer, snake, Bay leaf, palm, sword, quiver, spear and others.

Artemis

Goddess of forests and hunting, sister of Apollo. The patroness of vegetation and fertility. The virginity of the goddess is closely related to the idea of birth and sexual relations.

In addition to the 12 main Olympic gods, among the Greek celestials there were many no less significant and authoritative names.

God of winemaking and all natural forces that make a person happy.

Morpheus. Everyone was in his arms. Greek god of dreams, son of Hypnos, the god of sleep. Morpheus knew how to take any form, accurately copy the voice and appear to people in dreams.

The son of Aphrodite and concurrently the god of love. A cute boy with a quiver and a bow accurately throws arrows at people, which kindle indestructible love in the hearts of gods and people. In Rome, Amur corresponded to him.

Persephone. Daughter of Demeter, kidnapped by Hades, who dragged her to his underworld and made her his wife. She spends part of the year upstairs with her mother, the rest of the time she lives underground. Persephone personified the seed that is sown in the ground and comes to life at the time when it comes to light.

The patroness of the hearth, family and sacrificial fire.

Pan. Greek god of forests, patron of shepherds and flocks. Presented with goat legs, horns and a beard with a flute in his hands.

Goddess of victory and constant companion of Zeus. The divine symbol of success and a happy outcome is always depicted in a pose of rapid movement or with wings. Nika takes part in all musical competitions, military enterprises and religious celebrations.

And that is not all Greek names gods:

Asclepius is the Greek god of healing.
Proteus is the son of Poseidon, a sea deity. He had the gift to predict the future and change appearance.
Triton - the son of Poseidon, brought news from the depths of the sea, blowing into the shell. Depicted as a mixture of horse, fish and man.
Eirene - the goddess of peace, stands at the Olympian throne of Zeus.
Dike is the patroness of truth, a goddess who does not tolerate deceit.
Tyukhe is the goddess of good luck and a successful event.
Plutos is the ancient Greek god of wealth.
Enyo is the goddess of furious war, causing rage in the fighters, bringing confusion into the battle.
Phobos and Deimos are the sons and companions of Ares, the god of war.

Mount Olympus (modern Greek pronunciation: "Olymbos") is the highest mountain in Greece. It is located in the continental part of the country, in the northeast of the historical region of Thessaly.

Geographical position

In ancient times, the mountain range served as a natural border between Greece proper and Macedonia, an area located north of Greek Thessaly. Despite the fact that Macedonia was considered a “barbarian country” by the ancient Greeks, it was largely influenced by the culture and religion of ancient Greece. This is confirmed by the sanctuary erected at the northern foot of Mount Olympus - the "City of Zeus", Dion.

Olympus, strictly speaking, is not a single mountain, but is a mountain range, from the outside looking like a heap of rocky peaks. Even the ancient poet Homer endowed him with such an epithet as "multi-peak". The array consists of three main peaks - Mitikas("Nose"), Stephanie("Throne") and scolio(“Top”), with a height of 2,905 to 2,917 m. All these peaks surround a deep abyss-bowl, called a “cauldron”, that is, a “cauldron”.

In the mythology of the ancient Greeks, the hill served as the abode of the highest gods, headed by Zeus. The inhabitants of the mountain were part of the pantheon of higher deities, and were a common object of worship for the inhabitants of all states (nomes and kingdoms) of the classical period ancient Greece. By the name of the mountain, these gods were called "Olympians". Total number there were 12 of them, and all of them were relatives of the supreme deity,. Either they were his brothers and sisters, like Hera or Demeter, or his descendants - Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, etc. In a word - "mafia" i.e. a family.

Symbols of power in ancient mythology

It was "inhabited" by the gods already in ancient times, from the moment the Greeks moved from traditional local beliefs to the formation of a single divine pantheon. However, echoes of the distant before the Olympic era remained in the "classical" mythology as patron deities of local geographical objects: fields, rivers, mountains, valleys. The goat-footed god Pan, satyrs, various nymphs - naiads, dryads, oreads, are descendants of the most ancient deities revered by the first inhabitants of the country.

Also among the most ancient objects of worship should be attributed to the titans. According to ancient mythology, they represented the second generation of gods, led by the father of Zeus - the great Kronos (in Greek - "Time"), who devoured his children. The Titans were defeated by the new gods in a brutal battle dubbed the Titanomachy. After defeating the old deities, they were thrown into the underground Tartarus. The new deities chose the highest mountain range of the country, Olympus, as their place of residence.

Why was this mountain range chosen as a habitat? The answer to this question is obvious - it is the highest mountain known at that time to the Greeks. This, as it were, emphasizes the supreme position of the god-ruler Zeus in relation to other mythological creatures of Greece. Also, the definition here plays the role of another aspect related to the ideas of the ancient Greeks about the universe. According to their beliefs, the upper vaults of heaven - "empires" where the heavenly bodies are located are filled with fiery matter. Therefore, living directly in heaven would not be very comfortable even for immortal deities.

In mythology, it is built up with palaces invisible to the human eye, in which the Olympian gods live. These divine palaces were built by a tribe of one-eyed Cyclops giants on the orders of the Thunderer. In gratitude, the Thunderer freed them from underground captivity, allowing them to leave the gloomy Tartarus and settle in remote corners of the earth. Decorations for the divine halls were forged by the son of Zeus, the underground blacksmith Hephaestus.

Peak dwellers

According to Homer, the sun always shines on the divine Olympus and a light warm breeze blows. While in its earthly incarnation the mountain is often shrouded in clouds and covered with sparkling snows, hurricane winds blow on its top. The entrance to the mountain was guarded lower deities- spirits of gorges and rocks. Any mortal who wished to climb the sacred mountain, according to the beliefs of the ancient Greeks, was punished for such audacity. Moreover, divine wrath fell not only on the disturber of the peace of the Olympians, but also on his entire family, including descendants.

Palace of the supreme ruler. Zeus, and his wife-sister Hera was turned by windows and an entrance to south side, a facade to the most significant city-states of ancient Greece - Athens, Mycenae, Sparta, Thebes. Such an arrangement of the palace once again emphasized the God-chosenness of the Greek people in relation to the surrounding barbarian tribes. At Stephanie's Peak was the throne of the head, as evidenced by ancient name this peak - "Tron".

The main population of Olympus consisted of 12 gods, constituting the highest religious pantheon, recognized by the inhabitants of all states of ancient Greece. This pantheon, for the most part, included relatives of the supreme ruler - Zeus. In this you can also find remnants of the ancient tribal system. He acts not only as a king, but also as an elder of the Kronid clan (children of Kronos), who defeated the hostile clan of the titans - the Uranids (children of Kronos). ancient god Uranus).

At the same time, some Olympian gods did not live directly on it. These are the two younger brothers of Zeus - the king of the underworld of the dead, the gloomy Hades, and the lord of the sea depths - Poseidon. According to some myths, the permanent residence of the blacksmith god Hephaestus was also not Olympus, but underground workshops, where he forged lightning for the Thunderer, armor and weapons for the gods and semi-divine heroes day and night.

But, nevertheless, Hades, Poseidon, and Hephaestus were not ordered to go to Olympus - they could come there at any time for an audience with Zeus, or at feasts regularly arranged by the inhabitants of the sacred mountain. Therefore, these three characters are not unreasonably related to the Olympians.

A few more characters of myths and legends

The list of other celestials who lived on the mountain is as follows:

Sisters of Zeus, daughters of the overthrown Kronos:

Hera is the sister, and concurrently the wife of the Thunderer, the patroness of the family.
Demeter - helps farmers, giving fertility to the earth.
Hestia is the guardian of the hearth.

Children of Zeus:

Athena is a warrior goddess who patronizes crafts and sciences.
Aphrodite is the standard of beauty, the patroness of pure and high love.
Hermes is the chief of trade and deceit, travelers and merchants.
Apollo is the god of sunlight, a lover of various arts and soothsayers.
Ares is the god of war, with his squire companions Phobos ("fear") and Deinos ("horror") reigning over the battlefield.
Artemis is an eternally young goddess-huntress, the patroness of the animal world.
Dionysus is a winemaker who gives intoxicating fun. The patron saint of the plant world.
Persephone is the queen of the dead, the wife of Hades. Part of the time lives in the underworld, the other part - on Olympus.
Hymen is the god of marriage.

In addition to the above-mentioned relative gods of Zeus, according to legend, Helios, the deity of the Sun, also lived on the mountain. Being a titan by origin, he, for his loyalty to Zeus, was accepted into the pantheon of the Olympian gods, and rested in his halls on Olympus at night, between dusk and dawn.

Also, in addition to the celestials, the sacred mountain was inhabited by other mythological creatures, primarily satellites and helpers of the main deities. They acted as servants and messengers, conveying the will of the gods to people, as well as performing other tasks. For example, after his death, Hercules was taken to Olympus, and the legendary musician Orpheus delighted the ears of feasting guests on his cithara.

Olympus is a mountain range in Greece, which was revered as the abode of the ancient Greek gods. The maximum height of the mountain is 2917 meters. Olympus is a sacred mountain. According to ancient Greek mythology, they live here the gods of Olympus or Olympians. Zeus is considered the main god on Olympus.

Due to the fact that, as we have already discussed in, Greek mythology is quite similar to Slavic, since it comes from the Indo-European culture common to us, it is worth continuing to consider various aspects of ancient Greek paganism in order to better understand our own paganism. It is also worth noting that the gods that inhabit the Greek Mount Olympus are most likely part of the beliefs that arose at a time when a certain part of the Indo-Europeans settled these lands and transferred the ancient Indo-European beliefs to the area in which they settled. This is evidenced by the beliefs of other peoples, who also inhabited the high peaks with a host of supreme gods. In Ancient Russia, such a belief was not preserved, apparently because most of central Russia is plains. Most likely, the gods inhabiting the sacred mountains from Indo-European mythology, among the Slavs became gods that live in heaven.

According to ancient Greek mythology, the gods of Olympus are the third generation of gods. The first generation of gods were: Nikta (Night), Erebus (Darkness), Eros (Love). The second generation of gods were the children of Nikta and Erebus: Ether, Hemera, Hypnos, Thanatos, Kera, Moira, Mom, Nemesis, Eris, Erinyes and Ata; from Ether and Hemera came Gaia and Uranus; from Gaia came such gods as: Tartarus, Pontus, Keto, Nereus, Tamant, Phorky, Eurybia, as well as titans, titanides and hekatoncheirs (hundred-armed fifty-headed giants). All these gods, as well as their descendants, are very interesting from the point of view of mythology and faith, but we will focus only on children of the titan Kronos and the titanide Rhea.

Kronos and Rhea, as mentioned above, are the gods of the second generation. There were 12 titans and titanides in total. All of them are sons and daughters of Uranus and Gaia. Six sons-titans of Uranus and Gaia (Hyperion, Iapetus, Kay, Krios, Kronos and Ocean) and six daughters-titanides (Mnemosyne, Rhea, Teia, Tethys, Phoebe and Themis) entered into marriage with each other and gave birth to a new, third generation of gods . It is worth here to move away from the line of narration and note that the gods cannot be humanized and everything can be taken literally. Marriages between gods who are conditional brothers and sisters cannot be understood as a forbidden relationship between relatives. In simple words, the gods, to beget sons and daughters, do not have sex. This can be understood as a connection of certain elements, as a result of which a new element is generated, or a connection of certain energy or other entities, but in fact, all these assumptions are unlikely to have a real basis, since the essence of the divine is hardly accessible to human understanding.

The most interesting for us from the point of view of ancient Greek mythology are the children of the titan Kronos and the titanides Rhea. It was their children, who were called Kronids, who became the first gods of Olympus. Six gods, descendants of Kronos and Rhea: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades (not the god of Olympus), Demeter and Hestia. Next, we will consider these gods in more detail. Also, the descendants of Zeus became Olympians ( chief god Olympus): Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, Apollo and Artemis. There are 12 gods of Olympus in total.

So, what kind of gods lived on the sacred Mount Olympus?

Zeus — supreme god Olympus. In ancient Greek mythology, he is the god of the sky, thunder and lightning. In Roman mythology, Zeus was identified with Jupiter. AT Slavic mythology Zeus is similar to the god Perun, who is also the god of thunder and lightning, the ruler of the sky. In Norse mythology, Zeus is also identified with one of the highest gods - Thor. Interestingly, the attributes of Zeus in ancient Greek representations were a shield and a double-sided ax. The ax is also an attribute of Perun and Thor (mjolnir). Researchers suggest that the ax attribute appeared in this god in connection with one of his divine duties - a lightning bolter that splits trees in half, as if the god of thunder struck from above with an ax. In ancient Greece, Zeus was not only the father of the gods, but also the father of all people.

Hera- the most powerful goddess on Olympus. She is the wife of Zeus. Hera is the patroness of marriages and women in childbirth. It is difficult to say which of the Slavic goddesses Hera can be identical with, since in her functions she is similar to both Makosh (the supreme goddess, patroness of marriages and women in childbirth), and the woman in labor Lada. It is interesting that Hera with a human face began to be depicted in relatively late times, however, even after that she was often depicted according to ancient customs - with a horse's head. In the same way, the ancient Slavs Makosh and Lada depicted in the form of deer, elk or horses.

Poseidon- one of the most revered gods of Olympus. He is the patron saint of the seas, fishermen and sailors. After the gods defeated the titans, Poseidon got into the possession of the water element. Poseidon's wife is Amphitrite, a Nereid, daughter of the sea god Nereus and Dorida. The son of Poseidon and Amphitrite is Triton. Extremely meager evidence of the existence of a sea god among the Slavs has come down to us. It is only known that in Novgorod lands they called him the Lizard.

Demeter- the goddess of Olympus, the ancient Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture, birth and prosperity. In ancient Greece, she was the most revered goddess, since the harvest depended on her favor, and therefore the life of the ancient Greeks. It is believed that the cult of Demeter is an Indo-European or even pre-Indo-European cult of the mother goddess. The Mother Goddess or Great Mother in the Indo-European era was Mother Earth. In our Slavic paganism, Demeter is certainly the identical Slavic goddess Makoshi.

The daughter of Demeter is Persephone. Persephone is a complete correspondence to the Slavic goddess Morana. Persephone, despite the fact that she was the daughter of the revered Olympic goddess, is not involved in the gods of Olympus. Persephone is the goddess of the underworld of the dead, so she is not present on Olympus.

For the same reason, Hades (the son of Kronos and Rhea) is not included among the gods of Olympus. Hades is the god of the underworld of the dead. In Slavic mythology, it corresponds to Chernobog.

Another goddess of Olympus is Hestia. Goddess of the home. It represents purity, family happiness and peace. Hestia was the patroness of not only the hearth, but also the patroness of the eternal fire, which should never go out. AT ancient world eternal flame was present different peoples, including the Greeks and Slavs. The eternal flame was maintained in honor of the gods and the souls of the dead people. As a phenomenon of eternal memory, the eternal flame has survived to this day.

Athena- goddess of war Daughter of Zeus and the goddess of wisdom Metis. Athena inherited strength from her father, Zeus, and wisdom from her mother. She was depicted in armor and with a spear in her hands. In addition to her warlike trait, Athena is the goddess of wisdom and justice. According to legend, Athena gave the ancient Greeks the olive (olive tree). For this reason, famous warriors, heroes and winners of sports games and competitions have always been awarded with an olive wreath.

Another god of war, also living on Olympus, is considered Ares. Son of Zeus and Hera. Athena and Ares are slightly opposite gods. If Athena is a fair goddess who advocates war for the sake of truth, then Ares patronizes war for the sake of war or even insidious war. His companions are the goddess of discord Eris and the bloodthirsty goddess Enyo. The horses of Ares are named: Flame, Noise, Horror and Shine.

Aphrodite- Goddess of beauty and love. Daughter of Zeus and Dione. One of the twelve Olympian gods, that is, one of the most revered deities in the ancient Greek pantheon. In Rome, this goddess was called Venus. And in our time, Venus is the image of beauty and love. Born from the foam of sea waters. Aphrodite is also considered the goddess of spring, the birth of life and fertility. The love power of this goddess is considered so strong that not only people, but also gods obey her. Aphrodite's husband was Hephaestus. Children of Aphrodite - Harmony and Eros.

Hephaestus- blacksmith god, patron of blacksmithing. Son of Zeus and Hera. In Slavic mythology, Hephaestus is compared with the god Svarog, who is also a blacksmith god who bound the Earth and taught people how to work metal. In addition to being the god of blacksmithing, Hephaestus was also the god of fire. In Roman mythology, Hephaestus was called Vulcan. His forge is located in a mountain that breathes fire, that is, in an active volcano.

Hermes- the god of trade, eloquence, wealth, profit. It is considered the messenger of the gods, an intermediary between the gods and people. Hermes was also represented as the patron of all travelers. As an intermediary between heaven and earth, Hephaestus is also considered the guide of the souls of the dead to another world. Travelers, merchants, wise men, poets, and even thieves called for help and protection from this god. Hermes has always been considered a cunning and rogue. In early childhood, he stole cows from Apollo, as well as a scepter from Zeus, a trident from Poseidon, tongs and Hephaestus, a belt from Aphrodite, arrows and a bow from Apollo, a sword from Ares. Hermes is the son of Zeus and the mountain nymph Maya. In his divine characteristics, Hermes is very similar to Slavic god Veles, who is also represented as the patron of wealth and trade, an intermediary between people and gods, a conductor of souls.

Apollo- Ancient Greek god, one of the Olympians. Apollo was also called Phoebus. Apollo is the god of light, the personification of the Sun. In addition, he is the patron of the arts, especially music and singing, the god of healing. In Slavic mythology, Apollo is very similar to Dazhdbog - the patron of sunlight, the god-giver of light, heat, vital energy. The god Apollo was born from the union of Zeus (Perun) and Leto (Lada). The twin sister of Apollo is the goddess Artemis.

Artemis Goddess of beauty, youth and fertility. Protector of hunting. Goddess of the Moon. The Moon (Artemis) and the Sun (Apollo) are twin brother and sister. The cult of Artemis was widespread throughout ancient Greece. Ephesus had a temple dedicated to Artemis. In this temple there was a statue of the many-breasted patroness of childbearing. In Slavic mythology, Artemis is compared with the daughter of Lada, the patroness of spring, beauty and youth - the goddess Lelei.