GREEK (Titans,

Olympians, Zeus’
GREEK (Titans, Olympians, Zeus’ wives and children, demi-gods)

wives and children,

demi-gods)
1. Oceanus: Titan God of the Sea & Water

-The eldest of the Titans, Oceanus was married to

his sister Thetis. Together the two produced over
6000 spirits of the oceans and streams, known as
the Oceanids. In fact, Oceanus and Thetis were far
too fertile, and their union began to cause floods so
they divorced to stop all the damage they were
causing. He gave over his realm to Poseidon after
the rise of the Olympians, but Zeus allowed him to
continue to live as a simple god of the ocean.The
River Okeanos, source of all freshwater on earth,
was named after the primordial Titan god
OKEANOS (Oceanus).
2. Thetis: Titan Goddess of Fresh Water

-When Cronus became paranoid and his wife,

Rhea, wished to protect her children, she
brought Hera to her sister Thetis who raised
her as her daughter. Later, as a favor to Hera,
Thetis punished Callisto and Arcas, a lover
and child of Zeus, by forbidding their
constellations from touching the sea. They
were forced to continuously circle the sky
without rest. We know those constellations
as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, or the big and
little dippers. The original source of pure
water that sustains the world was worshipped
by the Titan goddess TETHYS.
3.hyperion: Titan God of Light & Observation
-Hyperion was the Titan god of light, wisdom,
and vigilance. He married his sister Thea, and they
gave birth to Helios, the sun, Selene, the moon, and
Eos, the dawn. Hyperion and three of his other
brothers, Coeus, Crius, and Iapetus, formed the four
pillars that separated and held the heavens above one
another. According to one of the more horrifying
Greek traditions, the same four pillars pinned their
father down while Cronus castrated Uranus with his
sickle. Titan Hyperion was in charge of overseeing
celestial light and was the parent of all other lights in
the skies. He was a god of vigilance, a supporter of
the cosmos, and the one responsible for establishing
the daily rhythms.
4. Thea: Titan Goddess of the Sun & Light

-Greek goddess of light Theia, or “Thea” as the

feminine form of “Theos,” is a deity of light.
Theia is also known as ‘Euryphaessa, which can
be translated as wide (eury) and dazzling
(phaessa) (phaes). Theia is a goddess of great
beauty who represents the shine seen in rich
metals like gold and silver as well as vivid stones.
Thea, the goddess of light, was also a ravishing
beauty, perhaps the loveliest of the six Titan
daughters. She was the goddess of light, and
therefore the perfect match for her brother,
Hyperion. She also imbued gold, silver, and
precious gems with their radiant shine, and spoke
through an oracle at Phthiotis in Thessaly.
5. Coeus: Titan God of the Oracles, Wisdom, and Foresight

-Coeus was the keeper of the

pillar of the north. He was the Titan
god of intellect, and married his
sister Phoebe. Their children, Asteria
and Leto, were foundational figures
in later mythology. Both daughters
were pursued by Zeus. Asteria turned
into a quail and drowned herself in
the Aegean Sea, but Leto bore Zeus
two children, the twins Apollo and
Artemis who became powerful
Olympians.
 
6. Phoebe: Titan Goddess of Prophecy & Intellect

-The Titan goddess of sharp mind

was PHOIBE (Phoebe). Phoebe
was the grandmother of Apollo
and Artemis, the twins’ were
sometimes called Phoebus and
Phoebe as alternative names.
Phoebe also had some
association with the moon, as did
Artemis. Her most integral power
was that of prophecy, and she
was heavily associated with the
famous Oracle at Delphi, later
connected to Apollo.
7. Crius: Titan God of Constellations
- Crius (or Krios) married his half-sister,
Eurybia, who was not one of the
original twelve Titans but the daughter
of Gaea from her second husband,
Pontus. They produced three children,
Astraios, the god of dusk, Pallas, god of
Warcraft, and Perses, the god of
destruction. Crius fought with the
Olympians during the Titans’ overthrow,
and as a result, he was imprisoned in
Tartarus.Crius, often referred to as
Krios, the Ram, or the Ram of Aries,
and was a Titan deity of celestial
constellations and a Pillar of the South
Pole.
8. Mnemosyne: Titan Goddess of Memory

- Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory

and the voice of the hidden Trophonios
Oracle in Boetia, did not wed one of her
brothers but nonetheless contributed to
the upbringing of the subsequent
generation of deities. She slept with Zeus
for nine consecutive days, and as a result,
gave birth to the nine muses; Calliope,
Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomeni,
Polymnia, Ourania, Terpsichore and
Thalia whose roles were to give artists
and philosophers inspiration for creation.
9. Iapetus: Titan God of Mortal Life or God of Death
-The Titan Iapetus was the
god of craftsmanship or 
mortality, varying between
sources. He married one of his
Oceanid nieces, Clymene, and
they produced four sons, Atlas,
Prometheus,Epimetheus,and
Menoetius. These four sons were
the ancestors of the first humans,
and each passed a certain
detrimental quality onto
humanity; brash courage,
scheming, stupidity, and
violence, respectively.
10. Themis: Titan Goddess of Law, Order, and Justice

-Themis, a Titan goddess, stood for

morality, natural law, and order. She
became the second wife of Zeus,
helped him hold power over the other
gods and all the earth. She created the
divine laws that even superseded the
authority of the gods themselves. She
manifested in multiple different
forms, and mothered the Fates and the
Hours. Themis was the main Titan
goddess of the oracle at Delphi, but
she was so fond of Apollo that she
eventually offered the Oracle to him.
11. Cronus: Titan Ruler of the Universe -The youngest Titan, Cronus, overthrew Uranus to
become ruler. He swallowed his children as soon as
they were born out of fear that he would suffer a
similar fate and in an effort to quell any uprisings
against his own authority. Although he was the
youngest son of Gaea and Uranus, Cronus was also
the strongest of the Greek Titans. For a brief time,
earth enjoyed a Golden Age under his rule. The vices
had not yet been invented, and the earth was in total
peace and harmony. Yet Cronus did not release his
brothers as he had promised, and soon his mother
grew angry with him and began to plot his downfall.
Cronus learned of a prophecy which stated that, as
Cronus had dethroned his father, so one of his
children would dethrone him. He therefore took all
of his children from his sister and wife, Rhea, as
soon as they were born, and swallowed them.
12. Rheia: Titan Goddess of Fertility -The Titanis (Titaness) mother of the gods
and the goddess of feminine fertility,
maternity, and generation was known as
RHEIA (Rhea). Cronus was secure and
happy, thinking he had subverted the
threat, but Rhea was understandably
upset. As the goddess responsible for the
flow of Cronus’s kingdom, she was well-
placed to interrupt that flow. When she
learned she was expecting again, she
asked her mother for advice. Gaea helped
Rhea conceal her new born baby, and
Rhea swaddled a stone in baby clothes
and gave the stone to Cronus to swallow.
Cronus was fooled, but Gaea and Rhea
carefully concealed little Zeus in a small
cave on the island of Crete
THE OLYMPIANS
First, we have to explore exactly what we mean by "Olympian gods." Mount Olympus is a real
mountain in the north of Greece. Gradually, it became associated less and less with an actual mountain and
more with an imaginary place high above the earth. According to the ancient Greeks, the gate to Olympus
was made of clouds and it was guarded by four goddesses, the Seasons. Each god had his or her own
dwelling place, but Olympus was home base.
There were up to 14 gods considered Olympian gods. Seven of them were Zeus and his siblings, and
seven others were children of Zeus. Sometimes only 12 will be listed. The Greeks and Romans shared
mythology, so you will find two names for most gods.
The primary gods venerated by Ancient Greeks in Greek mythology were the Olympians. The twelve
Olympians were Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus,
Hermes, and either Dionysus or Hestia. As a result, even though Hades and Persephone were occasionally
included in the Olympians since they lived on Mount Olympus, where their name, Olympian, derives
from, they should be omitted because they were considered underworld dwellers.
As the Titanomachy, or Great War between the Olympians and the Titans, came to a close, the
Twelve Olympians took control of the world and deposed the Titans.
 ZEUS

-King of the gods and ruler of 

Mount Olympus; god of the sky, lightning, thunder,
law, order and justice. The youngest child of the
Titans Cronus and Rhea. Brother and husband of
Hera and brother of Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and
Hestia. He had many affairs with goddesses and
mortals, such as his sister Demeter, the Titan Leto,
mortals Leda and Alcmene, and more.
Zeus was the king of the hill. His symbols
were the thunderbolts, or lightning bolts made for
him by the Cyclopes (his uncles); the eagle; and the
scepter, or rod, oak tree, bull, and scales.
 HADES

-Hades, or Pluto, was the god of the

underworld and of the dead. He was called
the same names by the Romans, but they
also sometimes called him Dis or Dis Pater.
Haides was depicted as a dark-bearded,
regal god. He was depicted as either
Aidoneus, enthroned in the underworld,
holding a bird-tipped sceptre, or as Plouton
(Pluton), the giver of wealth, pouring
fertility from a cornucopia. The Romans
named him Dis, or Pluto, the Latin form of
his Greek title Plouton, "the Lord of
Riches."
 POSEIDON

-Poseidon, or Neptune, as the Romans called

him. He was Zeus’s brother, and he was the
god of the sea and also earthquakes. God of
the seas, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquake
sand horses. The middle son of Cronus and
Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Married to
the Nereid Amphitrite; although, as with
many of the male Greek gods, he had many
lovers. His symbols include the horse, bull,
dolphin, and trident.
 HERA
-She sits on the right side of Zeus and is his wife.
Of course, she’s his sister, too, but that’s the way
it was on Olympus. Hera’s Roman name is Juno,
and she is the queen of the gods. She is the
guardian of marriage and was well-loved by the
Greeks; it’s kind of sad that she’s the goddess of
marriage but her own marriage was so bad.
Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage,
women, childbirth and family. The youngest
daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Sister and wife of
Zeus. Being the goddess of marriage, she
frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus' lover
sand their children. Her symbols include the
peacock, cuckoo, and cow.
 ATHENA
-Athena, or Minerva, the daughter who
sprang fully formed from the head of
Zeus after a major headache. She is the
goddess of wisdom and war and also
the protector and namesake of the city
of Athens. Goddess of wisdom,
handicraft, and warfare. The daughter
of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis, she
rose from her father's head fully grown
and influx battle armour. Her symbols
include the owl and the olive tree.
 APOLLO

-Apollo was a twin. His Roman name was

the same as his Greek name. He was the
god of the sun or light, poetry, music and
medicine and was famous for his oracles
(wise women to whom he gave his power
to predict and interpret the future). God of
light, the Sun, prophecy, philosophy,
archery, truth, inspiration, poetry, music
arts, manly beauty, medicine, healing, and
plague. The son of Zeus and Leto, and the
twin brother of Artemis. His symbols
include the Sun, bow and arrow, lyre,
swan, and mouse.
 ARTEMIS

-Artemis was Apollo’s twin. Her Roman

name was Diana, and she was the goddess of
hunting, chastity and the moon. She protects
women and small children, is fiercely
independent and particularly dislikes men.
Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness,
virginity, the Moon, archery, childbirth,
protection and plague.
The daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin
sister of Apollo. Her symbols include the
Moon, horse, deer, hound, she-bear, snake,
cypress tree, and bow and arrow.
 ARES

-Ares or, as he is known by his Roman

name, Mars, was the god of war. He would
fight on both sides, if possible. He was
young, strong and handsome, and liked to
dress in battle clothes even when he wasn’t
fighting. God of war, violence, bloodshed
and manly virtues. The son of Zeus and
Hera, all the other gods despised him except
Aphrodite. His Latin name, Mars, gave us
the word "martial."
His symbols include the boar, serpent, dog,
vulture, spear, and shield.
 HEPHAESTUS
-Hephaestus, or Vulcan, was born lame and
was further crippled when he was thrown from
Olympus by his mother, Hera, in a rage. He
was the only Olympian with a disability. He
was unhappily married to Aphrodite and
worked as a blacksmith in the gods’ forge.
Master Blacksmith and craftsman of the gods;
god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention, fire
and volcanoes. The son of Hera, either by Zeus
or through parthenogenesis. Married to
Aphrodite. His Latin name, Vulcan, gave us
the word "volcano. “His symbols include fire,
anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs, and quail.
 APHRODITE
-Hephaestus’s wife, Aphrodite, whose Roman
name was Venus, was the goddess of love and
beauty. She was born out of sea foam when the
blood of Uranus dropped into the
ocean. Goddess of love, pleasure, passion,
procreation, fertility, beauty and desire. The
daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or
perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus'
blood dripped into the sea after being castrated
by his youngest son, Cronus, who then threw his
father's genitals into the sea. Married to
Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous
affairs, most notably with Ares. Her name gave
us the word "aphrodisiac", while her Latin name,
Venus, gave us the word "venereal”. Her
symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee,
swan, myrtle, and rose.
 DIONYSUS

-Dionysus was the partier of the mountain retreat. He

was Zeus’s son by another woman, who was driven crazy
by Hera and her jealousy. Dionysus was the partier of the
mountain retreat. He was Zeus’s son by another woman,
who was driven crazy by Hera and her jealousy. God of
wine, the grapevine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, madness
and resurrection. Patron god of the art of theatre.
The son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semele.
Married to the Cretan princess Ariadne. The youngest
Olympian god, as well as the only one to have a mortal
parent. His symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger,
panther, leopard, dolphin, goat, and pinecone.
 HERMES
-Hermes, or Mercury, was the god of
science and invention, but he is best known
as the messenger of the gods. He is often
pictured with a winged helmet and sandals.
Messenger of the gods; god of travel,
commerce, communication, borders,
eloquence, diplomacy, thieves, and games.
He was also the guide of dead souls. The
son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. The
second-youngest Olympian, just older than
Dionysus. His symbols include the caduceus
 (staff entwined with two snakes), winged
sandals and cap, stork, and tortoise (whose
shell he used to invent the lyre).
 DEMETER

-Demeter was the goddess of the crops and the

harvest. She is also known as Ceres (Roman)
and sometimes Deo. Her symbols include a
torch, a crown, a scepter and stalks of grain.
Goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture,
nature and the seasons. She presided over 
grains and the fertility of the earth.
The middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Also
the lover of Zeus and Poseidon, and the mother
of Persephone, Despoine, Arion. Her symbols
include the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia,
and pig.
 HESTIA

-Hestia was Zeus’s sister and the goddess and

protectress of hearth and home. She is also known by her
Roman name, Vesta. She was gentle and kind and was
very popular with the Greeks. Goddess of the hearth, fire
and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family;
she was born into the first Olympian generation and was
one of the original twelve Olympians. She is the first
child of Cronus and Rhea, the elder sister of Hades,
Demeter, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus.
Some lists of the Twelve Olympians omit her in
favour of Dionysus, but the speculation that she gave her
throne to him in order to keep the peace seems to be a
modern invention.
 ZEUS’S
WIVES
AND
CHILDRE
N
 -Zeus was the supreme god and the ruler of the gods, as well as the god of the sky, the elements, justice, fate,
and kingship. He was portrayed as a regal, experienced man with a solid build and a thick beard. His typical
symbols included an eagle, a regal scepter, and a lightning bolt. The youngest of the Titans, Kronos (Cronus), and
Rheia’s children was named Zeus. Zeus was spared this fate when his mother spirited him away and gave the
Titan a stone substitute wrapped in swaddling cloth. Kronos devoured each of his children as they were born.
Zeus is known for being wise, fair, just, merciful and prudent but also easily angered. He has a kingly body, short
beard and curly hair and carries his thunderbolt at all times. He also wears his crown of oak leaves, which is
deemed to be his sacred tree. His weapon of choice is the thunderbolt, made for him by the mythical creatures, the
Cyclops, just like they crafted Poseidon’s trident and Hades’ helmet. Zeus also has an enormous shield called
Aegis that he sometimes lends it to his daughter, Athena. He also possesses a giant golden eagle called Aetos
Dios. Zeus and his brothers drew lots to share the world between them. Poseidon got the sea,
Hades the underworld and Zeus the sky. Other versions say that the three brothers played dice to determine
which part of the kingdom they would rule. The most notable conflict in Zeus’ history was his struggle for power
against his father, Cronus. Zeus’ reign was challenged when Poseidon, Athena and Hera tried to chain him to his
bed to take over his role as the head of the Olympian gods.
Metis: A Sea Nymph

-Metis, an Oceanid or sea-
nymph, was Zeus’s first wife.
Wise and prudent, she was
endowed with the gift of
prophecy.
CHILDREN:
 Athena(the goddess of
wisdom)
 Poros -the personified spirit
(daimon)
 -Themis was Zeus’s second wife, daughter of Gaia and
Uranus. She was the Titan goddess of divine law and justice.
Themis: A Titan Goddess
In art, she is often depicted in art as ‘Lady Justice’, holding a
balanced scale, symbolizing her ability to bring order and
balance. She is often seen wearing a blindfold to signify her
impartiality. 
CHILDREN:
 Horae (goddesses of the seasons and the natural portions
of time)
 Dike (the goddess/personification of justice, order and
judgement)
 Eirene (goddess of peace and the season of spring)
 Eunomia (Greek goddess of law, governance, and good
order)
 Moirai (the personifications of destiny)
 Clotho (the spinner)
 Lachesis (the allotter)
 Atropos (the unturnable, a metaphor for death)
Eurynome: Goddess of Water, Meadows and Pasture

- Eurynome was Zeus’s third love

interest, a beautiful ocean nymph, and
goddess of water, meadows and
pasturelands. Daughter of the Titans
Oceanus and Tethys, she had strong
connections to the ocean, and is often
represented by a statue of what we
would today call a mermaid.
CHILDREN:
 Euphrosyne (joy
 Thalia (bloom)
 Aglaia (brilliance).
 Demeter: Goddess of Agriculture and Grain (and Zeus’ Sister) 

-Demeter was Zeus’s sister, but that

didn’t stop him relentlessly pursuing her as
his next wife. She tried to reject him but he
pursued and overpowered her in the form of
an aggressive bull. She was the goddess of
agriculture and grain, overseeing all growth
and harvest on earth.
CHILDREN:
 Persephone( Goddess of Spring)
 Iacchus (patron god of the initiates in
their procession to Eleusis in the
mysteries)
Mnemosyne: Titan Goddess of Time -Zeus’s next wife was Titaness 
Mnemosyne, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia,
and sister to Zeus’s earlier wife Themis. She
was the Titan goddess of time, remembrance
and memory.
CHILDREN:
 Calliope (epic poetry and elocution)
 Clio (history)
 Erato (lyric poetry and love poetry)
 Euterpe (music)
 Melpomene (tragedy)
 Polyhymnia (sacred poetry).
 Terpsichore (dance)
 Thalia (comedy)
 Urania (astronomy)
 Hera: Goddess of Women (and Zeus’ Longest Standing Wife)

Zeus’s final – and some say most important – wife was 

Hera, goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth.
Unusually, she was Zeus’s sister, and Zeus had to trick her into
falling in love with him by turning himself into a wounded
bird that she would want to take care of. After earning her trust
in bird form, he was later able to become a man again, and ask
for her hand in marriage.
CHILDREN:
 Ares (god of war or, more properly, the spirit of battle)
 Hebe (daughter of Zeus and Hera, and the divine wife of
Heracles )
 Eileithyia (the goddess of birth)
 Hephaestus (the god of fire)
 Eris (Greek goddess of strife and discord)
 Enyo (goddess of war)
 Angelos (Messenger of God)
 DEMI-GODS
Demigods in Greek Mythology often rose to legendary fame. Many of these demigods remain well known even today, though not all can rise to
the heights of the great Heracles. The following is a list of some of the more notable demigods.
 Achilles
 Aeneas
 Heracles (Hercules)
 Helen of Sparta (and of Troy)
 Orion
 Orpheus
 Perseus
 Theseus
In ancient Greek mythology, a person who had both mortal and divine parents at birth is referred to be a demigod. The divine frequently
descended into the mortal realm in Greek mythology and developed relationships with people. In fact, Zeus, the ruler of the Gods, is notorious for it.
Yet not every demigod has a divine parent as significant and potent as the king of Olympus. Any of the twelve Olympians or any of the many minor
gods of the Greek pantheon could be the divine parent. A demigod’s heavenly parents could be anything from spirits to nymphs. Demigods were
supposed to possess abilities above and beyond those of common mortals. These abilities gave demigods the ability to rise to the status of heroes in
Greek culture.
In Greek mythology, demigods frequently achieved legendary status. Despite the fact that not all of these demigods can match the great
Heracles in strength, several of them are still well-known today.
THANK
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