Greco-Roman Gods Flashcards
Learn to recognize the entire family tree of ancient Greek gods, muses, and nymphs, and understand their influence and their relationships.
What were the Primordial Deities?
original gods from which all other gods and entities descend
- e.g. Chaos, Ouranos, Nyx, Gaia, Eros
- they include the protogenoi, the First Born, who descended from Chaos
- they are often associated with basic concepts, such as love, or with the underworld or the mystery of fertility
Who were the Titans?
powerful deities who ascended during the mythical Golden Age
- e.g. Oceanus, Tethys, Hyperion, Theia, Phoebe, Rhea, Eos, Helios, Atlas, Prometheus
- ruled by Kronos and Rhea
- Kronos was overthrown by his son, Zeus, which led to the rule of the more well-known Olympians
- fought the Olympians, the younger generation of gods, but were defeated and imprisoned in the depths of the earth (Tartarus)
Who were the Olympians?
the Greeks’ main deities, who comprise the main gods cast in Homer’s epics and later Greek plays
- e.g. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia (Hestia later gave up her position as an Olympian to Dionysus)
- lived atop Mt. Olympus
- twelve of them, though conflicting lists emerge from different historical sources
Who were the Chthonic Deities?
gods of the underworld, death, and the bowels of the earth
- e.g. Hades, Persephone, Tartarus, Charon
- often appeased by animal sacrifices distinct from the rites of Olympian cults
Describe the following place in the context of Greek mythology:
Underworld
realm beneath the earth filled with dead souls
- includes Tartarus, five rivers, and Cerberus, a three-headed hound
- Hades’ domain
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Kronos
god of time
- Roman name: Saturn
- leader of the Titans
- son of Gaia and Ouranos (Uranus)
- overthrew Ouranos and prophesied to be overthrown by his own son, Zeus
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Zeus
god of sky/thunder
- Roman name: Jupiter
- ruler of all Olympian gods
- married to Hera
- brother of Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Poseidon
god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses
- Roman name: Neptune
- married to Amphitrite
- brother of Zeus, Hades, Hera, et al.
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Hades
god of the underworld
- Roman name: Pluto
- brother of Zeus and Poseidon
- married to Persephone
- wields the helm of darkness, which grants invisibility
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Hera
goddess of women and marriage
- Roman name: Juno
- Zeus’ wife, mother of the gods
- jealous and bitter towards Zeus’ other lovers
- despised Heracles (Hercules)
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Athena
goddess of wisdom,
peace, and strategy
- Roman name: Minerva
- wise daughter of Zeus
- has an owl, helmet, shield, lance
- born out of Zeus’ forehead
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Apollo
god of music, light, archery
- Roman names: Apollo, Phoebus
- widely worshipped son of Zeus
- holds a bow and arrow
- had many male and female lovers
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Artemis
goddess of hunting, virginity, and the moon
- Roman name: Diana
- twin sister of Apollo; also had a bow and arrow
- took a vow of chastity
- known for hunting with hounds, stags, a chariot, and nymphs
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Aphrodite
goddess of love and
beauty
- Roman name: Venus
- born of Ouranos’ (Uranus’) severed genitals, rose from the sea foam
- married to Hephaestus; had affairs with Ares, Adonis, Hermes
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Hermes
god of messaging and
travel
- Roman name: Mercury
- messenger of the gods
- wore a winged cap and winged sandals
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Ares
god of war
- Roman name: Mars
- violent god, wore a shield and helmet
- son of Zeus and Hera
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Dionysus
god of wine
- Roman name: Bacchus
- son of Zeus and Semele
- effeminite god
- born of Persephone, killed by Hera, reborn through Semele
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Helios
sun god
- Roman name: Sol
- brother of goddesses Selene (the moon) and Eos (the dawn)
- rode in a chariot across the sky
- all-seeing god
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Hephaestus
god of blacksmithing
- Roman name: Vulcan
- blacksmith of the gods, wields a hammer, anvil, and tongs
- very ugly
- married to Aphrodite despite his ugliness
- forged Helios’ chariot and Hermes’ sandals and cap
Describe the following figure from Greco-Roman mythology:
Hestia
goddess of hearth,
home, family
- Roman name: Vesta
- one of the three great goddesses along with Demeter and Hera
- daughter of Rhea and Kronos
Which figures from Greek mythology are described below?
original gods from which all other gods and entities descend
- e.g. Chaos, Ouranos, Nyx, Gaia, Eros
- they include the protogenoi, the First Born, who descended from Chaos
- they are often associated with basic concepts, such as love, or with the underworld or the mystery of fertility
The Primordial Deities
Which figures from Greek mythology are described below?
powerful deities who ascended during the mythical Golden Age
- e.g. Oceanus, Tethys, Hyperion, Theia, Phoebe, Rhea, Eos, Helios, Atlas, Prometheus
- ruled by Kronos and Rhea
- Kronos was overthrown by his son, Zeus, which led to the rule of the more well-known Olympians
- fought the Olympians, the younger generation of gods, but were defeated and imprisoned in the depths of the earth (Tartarus)
The Titans
Which figures from Greek mythology are described below?
the Greeks’ main deities, who comprise the main gods cast in Homer’s epics and later Greek plays
- e.g. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia
- lived atop Mt. Olympus
- twelve of them, though conflicting lists emerge from different historical sources
The Olympians
Which figures from Greek mythology are described below?
gods of the underworld, death, and the bowels of the earth
- e.g. Hades, Persephone, Tartarus, Charon
- often appeased by animal sacrifices distinct from the rites of Olympian cults
The Chthonic Deities