1. THE 12 OLYMPIANS!

2. ZEUS King of the gods, god of thunderstorms and hospitality
Killed own father (Kronos) and took power
Married to Hera (wife and sister)
Loves pretty girls who are not his wife (!)

3. HERA
Queen of the gods, goddess of marriage
Married to Zeus
Peacock is her bird
Constantly takes revenge on the girls Zeus fancies

4. God of the sea, earthquakes and horses
POSEIDON
God of the sea, earthquakes and horses
Brother of Zeus and Hera
Symbol is the trident

5. DEMETER Goddess of the harvest
Daughter Persephone taken into Underworld by Hades for 6 months of the year (autumn and winter) – sad until Persephone returns

6. ATHENA Born from Zeus’ head in full battle gear Symbol is the owl
Very clever, especially at war tactics
Often depicted wearing helmet and holding spear

7. APOLLO
- God of the sun, poetry, music, civilisation, prophecy, healing, plague…and yet more!
Brother of Artemis (son of Zeus)
Major show-off
Symbol is the lyre

8. ARTEMIS - Goddess of the moon, hunting, archery, chastity
Sister of Apollo
Daughter of Zeus
Loves being outdoors but woe betide you if you spy on her taking a bath!
Symbol is the bow

9. ARES - God of war - Bloodthirsty, enjoys killing
Always depicted wearing armour
Aphrodite’s lover
Son of Zeus and Hera
ARES

10. APHRODITE - Goddess of love and beauty
According to Hesiod (Greek poet), she was born from the foam created by Kronos’ testicles when they dropped into Gaea (Earth)’s ocean
Mother of Eros
Wife of Hephaestus
Lover of many…!

11. HEPHAESTUS God of blacksmiths, craftsmen, fire and volcanoes
Husband of Aphrodite
Son of Zeus and Hera – his mum threw him off Mount Olympus because he was physically disabled in his legs

12. HERMES Messenger of the gods and transports souls to the underworld
God of money, travellers and thieves
Symbols are winged sandals, traveller’s cap and staff
Son of Zeus

13. DIONYSUS God of theatre, wine, drunkenness and partying
Mortal followers were called Maenads – frenzied women clothed in animal skins, who enjoyed drinking, dancing and killing animals with their bare hands
Son of Zeus
Symbols are the grapevine, leopard skin and a thyrsus (Bacchic wand which causes wine to spring from earth upon contact)