This gallery provides information and backstory about Greek Mythology Gods & Goddesses.
Apollo, John Cheere, 1755 -, From the collection of: National Palace of Queluz
Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto as well the twin brother of Artemis. He is also the God of music, poetry, art, plague, medicine, sun, light, and knowledge.
Zeus, Unknown, 2nd century A.D., From the collection of: Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Zeus is the God of the Sky, lightning, thunder, law, order and justice. He overthrew his father Cronus and his brothers to see who would win the throne. Zeus won the throne and is also married to Hera the Goddess of Marriage, Women, Children, Childbirth, and Family
Marble Head of Ares Ludovisi, Unknown, 1st–2nd century A.D., From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Ares is the son of Zeus and Hera. He is also the God of War.
Head of Poseidon / Antigonos Doson, Greek, 227–221 BC, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Poseidon is the brother of Zeus and Hades. He is the God of the Sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses. Poseidon is also known as Neptune and is Lord of the Sea worshiped by seamen.He married Amphitrite and is the second most powerful god while his brother Zeus is the first most powerful God.
The Hope Athena, Unknown, 2nd century A.D. Roman copy after a Greek Original of the 5th century B.C., From the collection of: Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Athena is the Greek virgin Goddess of wisdom and war. She is the daughter of Metis and Zeus. Her birth is the most unique because she did not have a mother since when she was born she sprang as a full grown adult from Zeus's forehead
Demeter is the Goddess agriculture, fertility, and the harvest. She is the daughter of Rhea and Cronus. Her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades to be his wife in the Underworld. Due to her anger by this she put a curse on the crops so they would wither and die.
Marble statue of Hermes, 1/99, From the collection of: British Museum
Hermes is known as the Messenger God, but he is also the God of trade, thieves, travelers, sports,athletes, border crossing and guide to the Underworld.He is alsonthe son of Zeus and Maia.
Head of Aphrodite ("The Bartlett Head" ), Unknown, about 330 B.C. - 300 B.C., From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Aphrodite is the Goddess of love, beauty and sexuality. She was married to Hephaestus, but had an affair with her brother Ares God of War. When Hephaestus found out he humiliated her and her love in front of the other Olympians.
Artemis, unknown, 115 BC - 100 BC, From the collection of: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
Artemis is the Goddess of Chastity, Virginity, Hunt, Moon and natural environment. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto as well as the twin sister of Apollo. She was born on a island where Leto was hiding from Zeus's wife Hera who was hunting her down. As soon as she was born she helped her mother give birth to her twin brother.
Head of Dionysus, Unknown, Classical period, From the collection of: Monastery of St. John the Theologian, Patmos, Greece
Dionysus is the God of fertility and wine then later considered also to be patron of the arts. He is the son of Zeus and Semele and the only God with a mortal parent.When Semele died after being burnt to a crisp after having Zeus show her his true form, Zeus rescued Dionysus and stitched him to his thigh till he was ready to be born. His immortality is from being born from Zeus.
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