Famous Greek Goddesses

Posted: Feb 08, 2011 |
If you have an interest in learning about classical mythology, a good place to start would be with the six Greek goddesses that ruled from atop Mt. Olympus. In ancient Greek mythology, the goddesses were in control of fertility, love, and nature. As with their male counterparts, they were thought to possess an immense wisdom, though were also believed to be prone to making rash decisions.

Hera was known as both the sister and wife of the god Zeus, and was born to Rhea and Cronus. Hera was associated with marriage, childbirth, and femininity. There are many tales in classical mythology in which Hera, wracked with feelings of retribution and jealousy, plotted against Zeus' other love interests. Herakles, Zeus' son, was one of the many to incur the wrath of Hera.

Demeter was the second daughter born to Cronus and Rhea. She was the goddess of the land and the soil. Ancient Greeks believed that Demeter was the bringer and changer of the seasons. A central myth revolving around Demeter relates to her daughter Persephone who was stolen by Hades and forced to become his queen. Whilst Demeter was grieving the seasons did not change. Zeus was concerned by the starving people and dispatched his loyal servant, Hermes, to rescue Persephone.

Aphrodite is perhaps the most well known of all the Greek goddesses. Referred to as the goddess of love, sensuality, and lust, it was often said that Aphrodite's beauty was unsurpassed. In fact, her beauty was so profound that the gods themselves were worried that it would cause war. Zeus married Aphrodite to the god Hephaestus, though the marriage did not deter her from using her beauty as a way of meddling in the affairs of both mortals and immortals. Aphrodite was also known as Venus.

Artemis was a daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. She was known as one of the virgin goddesses in classical mythology. It was believed that Artemis was able to bring fertility to any land belonging to her worshipers.

The stories that describe the doings of the goddess Athena do vary, though most scholars would suggest that she is the daughter of Zeus and the consort Metis. Athena was known as a goddess of knowledge and wisdom. She taught men how to work metal and tend their lands. To women she passed on knowledge of sewing and weaving.

The final goddess who sat atop Mt. Olympus was Hestia. She was believed to have a peaceful nature and warm and generous spirit. Hestia was the daughter of Rhea and Cronus.

Questions and Answers

Ask
200 Characters left
Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    Print
    Re-Publish
    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/famous-greek-goddesses-4190872.html

    Article Tags:

    greek gods

    ,

    greek goddesses

    ,

    goddesses

    ,

    goddess

    In classical mythology, six male and six female Greek gods and goddesses ruled over the world from their home on Mt. Olympus.

    By: BlairLevil Educationl Feb 08, 2011 lViews: 138

    There were many different gods in Ancient Greek culture. Find out about some of these interesting Greek gods.

    By: BlairLevil Educationl Jan 25, 2011

    Learn about the healing modalities of Anteros, and how meditating with him can help you in your love life.

    By: Linda Kayel Relationshipsl Feb 06, 2010 lViews: 667

    When Hercules was born to Alcmene, she named him Herakles. But in Roman, Herakles is pronounced Hercules, which is the name we use for Hercules to this day. Hercules in Greek mythology is a great figure of valor and muscle strength. Hercules bravery earned him a place among the gods. After he left the mortal world, he found a position on Mount Olympus, the gods' dwelling place.

    By: MatthiasLacrozl Educationl Apr 20, 2011

    Hades was the king of the underworld and brother of Zeus the king of the gods. This article looks at the background stories of Hades and why he became the king of the underworld. There is also an explanation of the geography of the underworld and how the Greeks viewed Hades as a god.

    By: Jane Sprostonl News and Society> Culturel Feb 03, 2010 lViews: 544

    Although there have been many gods invented by humans this article will provide a brief description of one of the well-known gods Zeus, along with the roles Zeus played in the development of present day myths.

    By: BlairLevil Educationl Feb 25, 2011 lViews: 109

    Your high school reunion is one of the most poignant moments of your life, besides your high school graduation.

    By: juydyjarvisl Educationl Jun 03, 2012

    The days when high school reunions are interesting and mysterious are now all but gone completely.

    By: addyieweeksl Educationl Jun 03, 2012

    As wonderful and as exciting an experience as growing up and being a kid can simultaneously be, it is often a challenging time in one's life for a number of reasons.

    By: addyieweeksl Educationl Jun 03, 2012

    Anytime you have to attend a highschool reunion it can be a bit stressful.

    By: BelndaCarsonl Educationl Jun 01, 2012

    Taking care of a child can be difficult but it can be even more difficult if you are a single parent. You are burdened by the responsibility of earning money and then taking care of the child.

    By: Atkin Martinl Educationl Jun 01, 2012

    Golf is definitely one of the most popular sports these days. This is largely because it can be played by anybody from any age group.

    By: BlairLevil Sports and Fitnessl Apr 24, 2011

    Sir Isaac Newton lived from the years 1642 to 1727 and is still considered one of the foremost scientific geniuses of all time.

    By: BlairLevil Educationl Apr 15, 2011

    The history of baseball started in the eighteenth century during the American civil war. Find out about some exciting events in baseball history.

    By: BlairLevil Sports and Fitnessl Apr 15, 2011

    There are a lot of things that you can do and see when vacationing in Florida. One of the most popular places for tourists to visit while vacationing in the state of Florida is the Florida Everglades.

    By: BlairLevil Travell Mar 24, 2011

    Soccer is the most watched and most played sport in the world. But it has not always been such a success and there were hard times in the history of soccer.

    By: BlairLevil Sports and Fitnessl Mar 21, 2011
    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    Quantcast