Search over 1.4 million articles by over 600 experts
  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Ancient / Classical History

More from About.com

Browse Topics A-Z

"12 Olympians"

By N.S. Gill, About.com

Definition: There were twelve Olympians, or rather twelve thrones on Mt. Olympus for the Olympian deities to sit, but you may run across fourteen different names for the Olympian gods and goddesses. Hestia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Hades are variable. The remaining ten are: Apollo, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Poseidon, and Zeus, among the gods; Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, and Hera, among the goddesses.

Also Known As: The Roman versions of the Greek names are: Apollo, Mars, Mercury, Vulcan, Neptune, and Jupiter, among the canonical males; Venus, Minerva, Diana, and Juno, among the canonical females. The alternates are Vesta, Ceres, Bacchus, and Pluto.

Alternate Spellings: Hephaestus' name is sometimes spelled Hephaistos or Hephestus.

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Ancient / Classical History
  4. Myth / Beliefs
  5. Greek Mythology & Heroes
  6. Greek Gods
  7. 12 Olympians

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.