Prometheus is a culture hero and trickster figure [citation needed] who is credited with the creation of humanity from clay, and who defies the gods by stealing fire and giving it to humanity as civilization. Composed around 730 B.C., Homer’s Iliad recounts the events of a few momentous weeks in the protracted ten-year war between the invading Achaeans, or Greeks, and the Trojans in their besieged city of Ilion. Also known as Ga, Gaea, Gaiea, Ge. © Copyright 2021 by Factinate.com. Mythical Facts about Greek Gods for Kids Greek Gods Fact 1: Zeus was the famous king of the gods who ruled Mount Olympus with his wife Hera. Interesting Greek Mythology Trivia Facts. Born of Chaos, she gave birth to Pontus, the sea, and Uranus the sky. Astraea – Goddess daughter of Astraeus and Eos. No, not Voldemort’s daughter. First there was Chaos, from which came the Earth (Gaia) and love (Eros). A misconception on mistranslation? – Agamemnon. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Hermes: God Facts in Greek Mythology. Chinese New Year History, Meaning, and Celebrations. ★fill-ins, questions, facts ★teacher directions, philosophy, and tips. Her offsprings were called the Titans. These figures inhabited a realm that stretched beyond the Greek landscape to the palaces of the gods on snow-capped Mount Olympus (pronounced oh-LIM-puhs), as well as to the dismal underworld or land of the dead. Zeus didn’t restrict himself to only animals. Zeus, in ancient Greek religion, chief deity of the pantheon, a sky and weather god who was identical with the Roman god Jupiter. Ancient Greeks lived over 3000 years ago. The Greeks created images of their deities for many purposes. Check out even more mythology books for teens here. For his crimes, Zeus chained him to a rock and his liver is eaten daily by an eagle, only to be regenerated by night, due to his immortality. Which animal does this describe? Homer believed that the Gods live at Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece which is perfect for a “weather god” There have been so many movies with Greek Mythology as one of the main thematic. The Greek goddesses consisted of three generations of Greek Goddesses: The Ancient, Primeval Greek goddesses The Titanides - The Greek goddesses of this giant race Greek Mythology is the set of stories about the gods, goddesses, heroes and rituals of Ancient Greeks. In Homer’s Odyssey, the Greek hero Odysseus escapes the danger of the Sirens’ song by stopping the ears of his crew with wax and having himself tied to the mast. In Greek mythology, Centaurs (or Kentauroi) are half-man, half horse creatures that inhabited the mountains and forests of Thessaly. Who were the ancient Greek gods? The female Titans remained neutral during the war and were not sent to Tartarus. We have some fun facts and pictures for you to color. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus both stood to honor the gods, and to provide followers a place to worship. Although Ares and Athena both were the God and Goddess of war respectively, and their strategies were very different. And this confusion arose because of the 16th-century writer Erasmus who mixed up the word “pythos” with “pyxis” which means “box.”. Greek mythology is so interesting that it is drenched with facts and stories. Thank you for reading! You get monsters like the Gorgons, Echidna, and Joffrey. Valentine's Day History. She is the Goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, domesticity, family, and state. The Miraculous Head of Medusa. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways…. Centaurs were said to be primal, existing in tribes and making their homes in caves, hunting wild animals and arming themselves with rocks and tree branches. It is also the religion of Ancient Greece as the Greeks built temples and offered sacrifices to their major gods. What were Myths about? Regular white paper or card stock. - Zeus was the youngest child of his siblings, even though sometimes people reckon him as the oldest. Or even the second. She was the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity and protector of young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women; she often was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows. It is also believed that Athena had a thousand eyes in the form of the leaves of the olive tree because the leaves of the tree looked grey at the back so when the wind blows and lifts the leaves it looks like the leaves (the eyes) are watching over the city of Athens. https://www.factinate.com/things/immortal-facts-greek-gods/, https://list25.com/25-fascinating-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-greek-gods/4/, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/72266/10-misconceptions-about-mythology. Hades rules peacefully (he is more chill than his brothers Zeus and Poseidon) over his realm and is willing to wait until the mortal souls came to him. And that made Demeter go into hysteria. So Demeter being the Goddess of agriculture, crops, and harvest grieved so much that she brought the world to famine. Minos immediately sought revenge from the Athenians and as retribution he had them send to Crete several youths every seven or nine years to be devoured by Minotaur, a terrifying monster, half man half bull. Zeus was called the father of both gods and men. He was initially worshiped by the Greeks, and then by the Romans who referred to him as Jupiter. Psyche or Psykhe (Ψυχή), in Greek mythology, was a mortal of great beauty even comparable to Aphrodite/Venus, the goddess of beauty. 11. Noble Titles and Ranks in a Monarchy. How did Hera and Zeus end up together? King Peleus of Greek Mythology Peleus is most famous in Greek mythology for being the king of the Myrmidons of Phthia as well as the father of Trojan War hero Achilles. He wooed Persephone as a serpent, Asteria and Aignia as an eagle, Boetis as a goat, Europa as a bull, Eurymedousa as an ant, Phythia as a dove, and Leda as a swan. All Rights Reserved. So Hades wasn’t really the one the dead needed to suck up to. Greek myths were a huge part of the religion in Ancient Greece, and offer a glimpse into the lives of the ancient people who told them. came Uranus(the sky) along with other old gods(called primordials) like Tartarus ( She then took Uranus for her husband and had many offsprings with him. In the previous blog, we had seen what Greek mythology is all about and about the major gods and goddesses. Greek Mythology was part of the religion in Ancient Greece. That the myths contained a considerable element of fiction was recognized by the more critical Greeks, such as the philosopher Plato in the 5th–4th century bce. Hera, ashamed of being exploited, agreed to marriage with Zeus. NEXT QUESTION BELOW. Abandon by Meg Cabot. The people of ancient Greece worshipped many gods and heroes. The gods are Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Ares, Demeter, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, and Hephaestus. 10. In Greek mythology, the common belief was the no-one who entered the Underworld would ever leave it, and so, in theory, there was no way for ancient writers to accurately describe the realm of Hades. Pandora was the first woman on Earth, according to Greek mythology. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure…. 3. According to the Greek myths, the ancestors of the gods were the titans. Here, we will see the various facts and myths about Greek mythology. There are twelve Olympian Gods (or Olympians) on Mount Olympus but there was quite some confusion on who exactly those twelve gods are. is the father of Zeus. The word “theatre” is derived from the Greek word “theatron”, meaning the seating section of outdoor arenas where people watched plays. When we think of Greek mythology, we tend to think of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and the other siblings as being the ultimate powers. GAIA Greek Goddess. The Greeks had numerous gods and many stories and myths that surrounded them. They did get along pretty well. Hope you had a good time! Well, Athena was known for her resourcefulness. Interesting Facts About the Titans. Show More. For example, Titans, Spartans, Trojans, etc. And one of their offsprings, Kronos, in turn, took his sister, Rhea as his wife and then came the Olympians. Greek gods inspired three of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. The name Erebus was often used in Greek literature to name the Greek region underworld, where dead souls passed after their death. Demeter’s only daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades. One of the most popular Greek myths is that of Perseus and the Medusa. Zeus is very human-like and has human-like qualities. She was in love with Zeus and using a love charm that she got from Aphrodite, she made Zeus fall in love with her. Generally, myths arise when man attempts to explain how certain natural phenomena could occur, or to explain open questions like "What happens after death?." Sex workers regarded Aphrodite as their protector mainly because prostitutes in ancient Greece had to very beautiful and desirable, and thought that Aphrodite would protect their beauty. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. Aphrodite is actually the oldest of the Greek gods. “Why do we loathe Hades more than any god, if not because he is so adamantine and unyielding?” Thanks for your help! Ares, Greek god of war ADVERTISEMENT. This is far beyond the truth. "Greek Mythology" refers to stories made by the ancient Greeks about the occurrences of daily events. Hera, the sister of Zeus, is known for her jealousy. Drinking cups and other vessels were painted with scenes from Greek myths. Now, there’s another myth that suggests that Delphi was sacred to Mother Gaia, and she had placed her son, Python, the serpent, to protect Delphi and its oracle. As one of the primordial deities(the first born gods and goddesses), Gaia was the very personification of the celestial body which housed all of life. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities of deities, heroes, and mythological creatures, and the origins and significance of the ancient Greeks' own cult and ritual practices. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from “Life” to “Compact Cars and Trucks” to “A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius.” We’ll get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics you’re interested in. We are editing 1,878 articles since we started in June 2008! 35. Ares personifies havoc and bloodshed while Athena’s place is as goddess of defense, strength, and righteous battle. Greek mythology books appeal to readers of all ages, with some stunning retellings written for young adults.