Greek gods and goddesses -- 6th grade

Mount Olympus

Mount Olympus is Greece's

highest mountain range. Its highest peak, Mytikas, rises to

9,577 feet. It is located on the borders of Thessaly and Macedonia. Mount Olympus, in

Greek Mythology, was the home of the gods, specifically the Twelve Olympians.

The Twelve Olympians

The Twelve Olympians, also called the Dodekatheon, were the principal gods in Greek

Mythology. They were said to reside atop Mount Olympus. The Twelve Olympians are

Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Aphrodite,

Hermes, and Dionysus. Hades was not one of the Twelve because he did not have a

seat on the Mount as he spent almost all his time in the underworld. Hestia was

originally one of the Twelve, but when Dionysus was offered a seat, the total number of

Olympians became thirteen. Because thirteen was believed to be an unlucky number,

Hestia chose to step down leaving the number of Olympians at twelve.

Zeus is the king of the Olympian gods and is the god of thunder and sky.

Hera is both wife and sister to Zeus and is goddess of the hearth, home, and women.

Poseidon is a brother of Zeus and the god of the sea.

Athena is Zeus's daughter and is the goddess of wisdom and heroism.

Ares is Zeus's son and is the god of war and bloodlust.

Demeter is one of the earliest Olympian gods and is the goddess of the harvest and fertility.

Apollo is the son of Zeus and is the god of archery, the sun, healing, and many other qualities.

Artemis is Zeus's daughter and is the goddess of childbirth, the hunt, and virginity.

Hephaestus is Hera's son, and he is god of technology, fire, and volcanoes.

Aphrodite was born of the sea and is older than Zeus. She is the goddess of love and beauty.

Hermes is often thought to be the son of Zeus and is the messenger of the gods.

Dionysus is the son of Zeus and is the god of wine.