​Note​: Hephaestus is often said to be only Hera's son, and Aphrodite is usually said to be born of sea foam.



There is a easy way to learn the Greek mythology that is to know the relationship between the character of Greek mythology which is very complicated. Figure 1 show a table of the principal gods of Greek mythology.



Ancient Greek mythology is generally divided into 3 groups which is titans (e.,g. Cronos, Prometheus), the gods (e.g. Zeus, Poseidon), and the heroes (e.g. Heracles, Achilles). There are several versions of Greek Myth, which some of the stories were influenced by the Near East Myth (e.g. Babylonians) or other region myth (e.g. Egyptians).  





• Chaos: Primeval state of existence in Hesiod Theogony. Sometimes being described as a confusing, shapeless and formless entity which all things came into existence. Mother Earth, Gaia was generally generated by Chaos. Soon, Tartarus, Eros and Erebus were created. 
• Gaia: She was mother and also wife of Father Heaven, Uranos. Created the landscape of the earth, such as rivers, seas, lakes, low lands and high mountains. Also mother of the Titans, the Giants, and the Cyclopes.
• ​Tartarus: ​The deepest region well below the World of Gaia. According to Hesiod, it took nine days and nights to fall from world of Gaia to Tartarus. This is the place where Zeus banished his father, Cronos and other Titans here. There are also other inhabitants here include Sisyphus, Tantalus, Ixion, Danaides, Tityos, Salmoneus, and Ophion. 
• Eros: The god of love and also the most handsome of all Greek gods. Hesiod said that he was the primordial god, that is, had no parent. In some version of the myth, he is the son of Aphrodite. 
• ​Erebus:​ Also called Erebos. He was the symbolization of the darkness. He only played a small role in Greek mythology tradition and literature. Later version of the myth, he was referred to the region of the Underworld as every shades must pass through him to the realm of Hades immediately after dying. 
• ​Uranos: Caelus in Roman mythology. Personification of the sky; the god of Heaven. Also son and husband of Gaia. Parents of the Cyclopes, the Titans, and the Hecatonchires. He was overthrown by his youngest and most ambitious son, Cronus. He was the one who gave the prophecy to Cronos that he will have the same ending as he. 
• ​Mountains: More familiar with the name Ourea. There were ten of them and they were the first offspring of Gaia, They were Aitna, Athos, Helikon, Kithairon, Nysos, Olympus1, Olympus2, Oreios, Parnes, and Tmolus. Each mountain has its own god. 
• ​Pontus: The most ancient sea god. Son of the Gaia. In Roman mosaic, described Pontus as a giant head with a watery-gray beard and crab-claw horns. 
• Cyclopes: Brontes(thunderer), Steropes(lightning), and Arges(bright) were the primordial sons of Uranos and Gaia. These Cyclopes were immortal giants with single eye in the middle their forehead. They helped Zeus, Hades and Poseidon to defeat their father and other Titans by forging thunderbolts for Zeus, helmet of darkness for Hades, and trident for Poseidon. They were the expert in masonry and most of the weapon used by gods were all made by them. For example, Artemis's bow and arrow of moonlight, and Apollo's bow and arrow of sun rays.
• ​Hecatonchires:​ Can also be called as Hekatonkheires. They were Aegaeon also called Briareus, Cottus and Gyges also called Gyes. They were described huge monsters which had fifty heads and hundred hands. According to Hesiod, they were overthrown by their father, Uranos, into Tarturus because he saw them as hideous monsters. They assisted Zeus in the battle against the Titans. 
• ​​Cronus+Rhea: He was one of the Titans and the youngest son of Uranos and Gaia. He castrating his father, Uranos, with a sickle. Due to the prophecy given by his father, he swallowed all his sons as soon as they were born by his wife, also his sister. His wife managed to save the youngest son, Zeus, by substituted him with a stone wrapped in swaddling cloth.  Later he was overthrown by Zeus as was predicted by his father.
• ​Coeus+Phoebe:​ Coeus was a titan of intellegent, father of Leto and Aasteria, and husband of Phoebe. His name was Polus when appeared in Roman mythology. He played no active part in Greek mythology. Phoebe was the Titan of the "bright" intellect and also the third goddess who hold the Oracle of Delphi.
• ​Oceanus+Tethys:​ Oceanus was personifying the vast ocean. In Roman and Greek mythology, he was believed to be the World Ocean, which was encircling the whole world. He and his wife, Tethys, were the parent of all rivers, the three-thousand daughters, known as Oceanids, fountains, and lakes. 
• ​Hestia: She was the virgin goddes of the hearth and the home. She was the eldest sister of Zeus. She was the first one to be swallowed by Cronus but the last one to be yielded out. The Romans called her Vesta. She was the most gentlest god among all Olympians and never took part in the struggles of men and gods. Although Apollo and Poseidon wished to marry her, she refused and swore by the head of Zeus to be virgin forever. 
• ​Zeus+Hera: Youngest son of Cronos and Rhea. The supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and the King of the gods. He was the god of sky, weather, law, order and fate in Greek mythology. In Romans mythology, he was called Jupiter. He also appeared in other religious myth, for examples, he was Indra in Hindu and Etruscan was Tinia. He was portrayed endlessly in the art of ancient Greek especially the vase. His symbols were the eagle, the oak tree, the royal sceptre, and the most famous weapon, thunderbolt. Although he was married to Hera, also his sister, he still had lots of lovers, about 115 recorded, resulted in many godly and heroic offspring. Hera was the wife and sister to Zeus. Normally she was worshiped as a goddess of marriage and birth. Romans called her Juno. As described by Homer, She was always jealous of Zeus's various amorous affairs and their offspring, and also against mortals who crossed her such as Paris who chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess instead of her. Her symbol were the peacock (pride), the cow, polos (a highly cylindrical crown) , pomegranate (marriage) and diadem. 
• ​Poseidon: ​Brother of Zeus and Hades. God of the sea, earthquakes and horses in Greek mythology. Called Neptune in Romans myth and Nethuns in Etruscan myth. He was the second only to Zeus in power among the gods. According to Homer, Poseidon was the protector of many Hellenic cities,  although he lost city Athens to Athena. The symbols associated with him is famous weapon tridents, made by Cyclopes, dolphins, and bull. Along with his sister and brother, he was also swallowed by his father, Cronus, after he was born. Later he was save by his brother Zeus and after winning the war against Titans, he and his two other brothers, Zeus and Hades, divided the world into three power. This is where he became the ruler of the sea. Eventually, sailor prayed him for a safe voyage. He was the husband of Amphitrite. Same like Zeus, he had lots of love affairs. 
• ​Hades:​ The lord of dead and the ruler of the Underworld. The oldest male child of Cronus and Rhea. He also the god of wealth as he possesses the riches of the earth. In Greek mythology, he was more likely to be portrayed as a passive character rather than evil. He had complete authority among the dead and forbade his subjects from leaving his domain. He will become very angry if someone trying to steal his subjects from Underworld. His wife was Persephone, daughter of Demeter, whom he abducted from the Upperworld. When Zeus ordered him to return Persephone to her mother, he gave her a pomegranate  to eat in order to bound her to the Underworld forever. The Underworld itself often called Hades. His symbol were Helm of darkness (cap of invisibility), which was made by Cyclopes, and Cerberus, three-headed dog that guarded the shadows. He also carried a scepter with him. Every souls must pay Charon, the ferryman, so that they can go through the river that separated the Underworld from the world above.
• ​Demeter: Goddess of corn and harvest. Her precious gift, agriculture, was given to mankind to end the nomadic existence. She was called Ceres in Romans mythology. Her daughter, Persephone, was abducted by Hades which caused her wandered the earth in search of her missing daughter. The season halted; living things ceased their growth, then began to die. The mankind faced the danger of extinction. Finally, Zeus sent Hermes, his messenger, to Underworld to bring back Persephone. At last, Persephone managed to get back to her mother but she had to spent one third of the year with her husband due to the pomegranate she ate before she got back. Demeter and Persephone were worshiped in the rite of the Eleusinian Mysteries. 
• ​Leto:​ Daughter of Titans Phoebe and Coeus. The mother of divine twins, Artemis and Apollo. She was trying to find a place when she was going to deliver Artemis and Apollo as all lands refuse to provide a home where her child could be born because they were afraid of Hera's wrath. Finally, she found a safe place called Delos, a floating island around Aegean sea.
• Iapetus:​ Son of Gaia and Uranus. He was one of the Titans mentioned by Homer, and was with his brother, Cronus in Tartarus. His wife was Clymene.
• ​Athena:​ She also referred to as Pallas Athena in Greek mythology and Minerva in Romans mythology. The goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. She was one of the favourite child of Zeus. She was also a shrewd companions of some heroes while her companions was Nike, goddess of victory. She came out from his father, Zeus, forehead, full-grown and wearing armoured made by her mother, Metis, goddess of wisdom and Zeus's first wife. Her usual attribute were owl, aegis, helmet and spear. She played important role in Greek mythology.
• ​Ares:​ God of war. He was son of Zeus and Hera. He represents the physical or violent aspect of war. He was disliked by both humans and gods, even his own father Zeus because of his cruel and war-like nature. Her lover was Aphrodite, goddess of love who was married to Hephaestus, god of craftsmanship and fire. He was held in high regard in Thrace and mainly worshiped there. The counterpart of Ares among Roman gods was Mars, who played much more significance role than in Greek mythology. 
• Hebe: Daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was the goddess of youth. She served the gods by pouring them the nectar until Ganymede replaced her. She married to Heracles after he became a god. She helped Hera to her chariot and prepared Ares' bath. 
• ​​Hephaestus:​ God of fire and craftsmanship. Known as Vulcan in Romans mythology. He was lame when he was born, so Zeus or Hera in some account, threw him from Mount Olympus. However, soon he was able to get back to Olympus and married Aphrodite. He made weapons and armours for some other gods and heroes. Archilles and Aeneas were among those who benefited from Hephaestus made.
• ​Apollo: Son of Zeus and Leto. He was one of the most important Olympians deities in Greek mythology. He had a twin sister called Artemis. He was recognized as god of light and the sun, truth and prophecy, healing, plague, medicine, music, poetry, agriculture and cattle. He hold the Delphic Oracle which made him famous for people from all over the world to divine the future. He could play good music with his symbolic instrument Iyre. He also had a good archery skill which made bow and archer his another attribute. 
• Artemis:​ Twin sister of Apollo. She was the goddess of wilderness, the hunt, wild animals, childbirth and virginity. Her Roman equivalent was Diana. She was one of the Olympians and virgin goddess. Her symbols were bow, arrows, hunting dog and moon. Her bow and arrows were made by Hephaestus and Cyclopes. She was worshiped in Ephesus, a city located in Asia Minor, as a goddess of fertility and a great temple was built in her honor. This temple later became one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World".
• ​Atlas: Son of Titan Iapetus and nymph Clymene. He was thought to be the king of legendary "Atlantis". He was defeated by Zeus in the Titanomachy and forced by Zeus to hold up the sky on his shoulder as a punishment. Hence, his name can also be mean "bearer" or "endurer". He was the father of Hesperides, who guarded the tree of golden apple.
• ​Prometheus: His name meant "forethought". He was the wisest Titan. He tricked gods into choosing the bare bones instead of good meat. As the result, human always sacrifice bones for the gods while keep the meat for themselves. He also stole the fire from Zeus, who hid fire from humans in retribution. This enraged Zeus and chained Prometheus to a rock in the Caucasus, where his liver was eaten by an eagle daily as an eternal punishment. Years later, he was freed by Heracles who killed the eagle and unchained him. 
• ​Epimetheus:​ Brothers of Prometheus and son of Iapetus and Clymene. His name meant "afterthought". He was depicted as foolish. He ignored his brother Prometheus' warning not to accept gift given from Zeus. Pandora was accepted by him as his wife and therefore brought sorrows and ills to the world.
• Maia:​ One of the Zeus lovers. She was the daughter of Atlas. She bore Zeus a son, Hermes the messenger. 
• ​Dione:​ Known as mother of Aphrodite in Homer book. She appeared to be one of the Oceanids instead of Titan in Hesiod account. 
• ​Hermes:​ His main role in Greek mythology was messenger. Son of Zeus and Maia. He was also god of shepherds, cowherds, land travel, merchant, weight and measures, literature, athletics, oratory, invention and thieves. He was god of thieves because five minutes after his was born, he stole cattle from Apollo and made a Iyre from a cow's internal fibers. His symbolic items were the rooster and the tortoise, winged scandals, winged cap, herald's staff, and kerykeion.
• ​Aphrodite:​ The goddess of beauty and love. Homer called her a daughter of Zeus and Dione but in Hesiod version, she was born when Cronus cut off Uranus' genitals and threw them into the sea and from the sea foam, arose Aphrodite. Then, she was carried to Cyprus or Cythera by the sea. Her attributes were the dolphin, the dove, the swan, the sparrow and the lime tree. In Romans mythology, her name was Venus.

Greek Mythology