ANCIENT GREEK RELIGION

The Ancient Greeks were polytheistic in their religious beliefs. Polytheistic means they believed in and worshiped many different gods. In Ancient Greek religion, the gods often represented different forms of nature. Their religion had no formal structure with the exception of various festivals held in honor of the gods. There was no sacred book or code of conduct to live by. The most powerful Greek gods were known as the Olympians. The Greeks believed the Olympians lived on the highest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus. The Olympian gods included: Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Hades, Hermes, Hephaestus, Poseidon and Hestia or later she was replaced in some lists by Dionysus. Following is a list of the major gods of Ancient Greece and their attributes:

• Zeus - King of the Gods
• Hera - Queen of the Gods
• Aphrodite - goddess of love and beauty
• Apollo - god of light, truth, healing, archery, music, poetry
• Ares - god of war
• Artemis - goddess of hunt, moon, children
• Athena - goddess of wisdom, war, patriotism and good citizenship
• Demeter - goddess of grain, agriculture, fertility
• Dionysus - god of wine, vegetation, and theater
• Hades - god of the underworld
• Hephaestus - god of forge and fire
• Hermes - messenger of the gods, god of motion, travelers, commerce, thieves, and sheep
• Hestia - goddess of the hearth and home
• Poseidon - god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses