According to numerous sources on the Olympus was a different number of gods. In general, it is customary to call the 12 main deities of Ancient Greece. Among them there was a certain hierarchy, and each god was responsible for his direction.
The Pantheon of the Olympic Gods
So, on Olympus lived:
- The main Greek god was Zeus . He controlled the sky, thunder and lightning. Zeus is the god of the Olympic Games, because it was in honor of him that Hercules created them.
- Zeus's wife Hera was the most powerful goddess of ancient Greece. She was considered the patroness of marriage. Homer described her as vindictive and jealous.
- Apollo was considered the patron of the sun . He had many different talents, among which one can distinguish the ability to play any musical instruments, and also shoot with high accuracy.
- Artemis was the goddess of hunting. The Greeks also considered her to be the patroness of fertility. Her nimble companions were nymphs.
- The god of fertility and winemaking considered Dionysus . He often traveled the world with a large retinue and taught people how to make wine.
- Hephaestus is the Olympic god of fire and blacksmith's craft. His products were incredibly beautiful and durable. To the distinctive features of appearance can be attributed lameness.
- Ares is an aggressive and often uncontrollable god of war. He took part in the battles, as he enjoyed the killing.
- Incredibly beautiful Aphrodite was the patroness of love. No one could not help falling in love with her. According to myths, she appeared from sea foam.
- The main conductor of souls to another world was Hermes . They considered him also a messenger of the gods. They appreciated him for his resourcefulness and cunning, which often saved him in difficult situations.
- Athena was the patroness of a just war. Her eternal opponent was Ares, who had been defeated many times by the clever Athena. It stood out with its wisdom and prudence.
- Poseidon was considered the god of the seas. He was worshiped primarily by sailors, traders and fishermen, because their activities directly depended on the sea.
- The patroness of all life on earth was Demeter . Her arrival was associated with the spring. Her attributes were the cornucopia, ears and poppies.
Food of the Olympic gods
The most famous meal of the inhabitants of Olympus was ragweed. However, some scientists disagree with these. There is information that in fact the Greek gods ate honey, but one of the myths indicates that the food was delivered to the mountain by birds, not bees. The main drink of the Olympic gods is nectar. It was believed that it was this food that gave strength and eternal youth. In general, from existing sources and myths one can not fully understand and find out the place and method of obtaining, and most importantly, the process of using ambrosia and nectar. That is why in the modern world such food is considered just a myth and a fantasy.