The Olympians were the inter-related top gods and goddesses of Greek mythology -- the powerful, philandering king and his justly jealous sister-wife-queen, their kids and siblings.
Many of the gods and goddesses are active in human lives, but not all are. Some deities appear on one gods' list, but not on others. This list shows the main gods and goddesses. Use the hyperlinks to find useful details presented on their individual pages in an almost at-a-glance format. This page provides the links to these individual pages, but also tells you enough about each god or goddess to distinguish among them, so you can pick which ones you want to learn more about.
Aphrodite
CC Flickr User thisisbossi
Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty. The greatest beauty among the immortals was married to the lame blacksmith god, Hephaestus. Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea foam, but in other accounts, Zeus is her father.
Apollo
PD Flickr User "T" altered art
Apollo was the brother of Artemis (both children of Zeus), the god of music, poetry, prophecy, and plague. In late classical antiquity, he became the sun god.
Artemis
Clipart.com
Artemis is the sister of Apollo. She was a virgin hunter goddess who became associated with the moon.
Athena
CC Flickr User thisisbossi
Athena was the goddess of wisdom. She was also a goddess of warfare, especially strategy, for which reason she is helmeted. She was born from the head of her father Zeus.
Demeter
Thomas Keightley's 1852 The Mythology of Ancient Greece and Italy: for the Use of Schools.
Demeter was the goddess of the grain and the mother of Persephone, the maiden whom the king of the Underworld abducted. She is associated with the seasons and mystery cults.
Dionysus
Dionysus was twice born, once from Zeus' thigh. He was the god of wine and mad revelry.
Hades
Keightley's Mythology, 1852.
Hades was one of the big three brother gods, along with Zeus and Poseidon. His dominion was the Underworld. He abducted the maiden Persephone, daughter of his sister Demeter, to be his bride.
Hephaestus
Keightley's Mythology, 1852.
Hephaestus, son of the goddess Hera, was the lame blacksmith god, who worked in a forge, but was married to Aphrodite.
