Classical Civilisation - GCSE Myth
and Religion -
Revision Guide
,1.1 The Gods
Greece
Zeus
- After defeating his father (during the war of the Titans) Zeus took control of
the earth
- He divided the earth between him and his brothers
- Zeus took the skies, Poseidon the seas and Hades the underworld
- Zeus was married to his sister Hera
- He beared children with several women both mortal and divine
- He was depicted as a bearded man wielding a lighting bolt, he could also be
shown holding an eagle or seated on a throne with a sceptre
Poseidon
- Brother of Zeus and the God of the Sea
- He was an important god for sailors and those taking the seas for journeys
- Posideon was also a key god in the contest for Athens against Athena, in
which he lost
- He is typically represented as a bearded man holding a trident
Hades
- Brother of Zeus and God of the underworld
- He was a chthonic deity (god connected to the underworld and the earth)
- Haded acquired the young goddess Persephone (daughter of the Goddess
Demter) to be his wife and queen of the underworld
- He is typically depicted with his wife Persephone
Hera
- Wife of Zeus and she was the Queen of the Gods, responsible for marriage,
women, childbirth and the family
- Hera is often represented as a powerful independent goddess who is not to
be crossed
- She spends much of her time taking revenge on the many women that bore
children with her husband Zeus, even taking revenge on the children
themselves
- An example of this is Hercules
- Hera is typically depicted wearing a diadem (crown)
Athena
- The Goddess of War and Wisdom
, - Athena was born out of Zeus head
- She is often depicted with an owl which is representative of the Wisdom she
has
- She is depicted often with a helmet, spear and aegis, he breastplate is
engraved with the head of a gorgon
- Athena was also often depicted with Nike - Goddess of Victory
- She won the competition against Poseidon in the naming of Athens
Demeter
- Sister of Zeus, Goddess of Agriculture and the harvest
- She was important to the Greeks as their society was built of agriculture and
they depended on the harvest for survival
- She loses her daughter Persephone to Hades (Her brother)
- Demeter is often depicted wearing a diadem and holding a bundle of wheat,
grain/flowers as well as the Cornucopia (Horn shell that contained an
endless supply of food and drink)
Hestia
- Goddess of the home and hearth
- The Greeks were a civilisation without electricity or central heating, Hestia
was vital to their survival and every sacrifice that took place in the home
started to her
- Her fire became a symbol of the security of the city
- Hestia is shown with a veiled head
Hephaistos
- God of metalworking, fire and craftsmen
- Hephaistos was the son of Zeus and Hera
- Hephaistos is often depicted holding a hammer
Aphrodite
- Goddess of love and beauty
- She was born from the sea
- No human or god could resist beauty except Athena, Hestia and Artemis
- She can be depicted as rising from the sea in a shell
- In sculpture she is depicted as naked
Artemis
- Goddess of hunting, wildlife and childbirth
- She is the twin sister of Apollo and is associated with the moon
- She is depicted with a bow and arrow, and with wild animals
Apollo
- God of music and the arts, education, archery and prophecies
, - Twin brother to Artemis
- Associated with the sunHe can be depicted with a lyre, bow and arrow
- Unlike other gods he is depicted with eternal youth
Hermes
- God of travel and trade, and he is the messenger of the gods
- He is the only god other than Dionysius to be able to travel to the underworld
and consort with Hades
- Hermes is depicted with travellers cap, caduceus (travellers staff) and winged
sandals
Ares
- God of war
- Ares represents the raw violence of war
- He is depicted wearing his armour
Dionysius
- God of wine and theatre
- Son of Zeus and a mortal
- He is attracted to the wrath of Hera, so Zeus had to hide him from her
- As he was the son of a god and a mortal he was seen as an outsider, so is not
counted as one of the original olympians
- Dionysisus receives a great following from the Greeks and as the god of wine
and theatre he was pivotal to public and private feasting and celebrations
- He has his own festival ‘The City of Dionysia’
- He is depicted with a thyrus (staff associated with him, tipped with a pine
cone, could be intertwined with ivy)
Rome
Jupiter
- King of the Gods and controller of the skies
- He is the equivalent of Zeus for the Greeks
Neptune
- God of the seas, earthquakes and storms
- Neptune is also linked with horses like the God Posideon
Pluto
- God of the underworld
- Appearance in the story of the abduction of Proserpina
Juno
- Wife of Jupiter, Goddess of the gods
and Religion -
Revision Guide
,1.1 The Gods
Greece
Zeus
- After defeating his father (during the war of the Titans) Zeus took control of
the earth
- He divided the earth between him and his brothers
- Zeus took the skies, Poseidon the seas and Hades the underworld
- Zeus was married to his sister Hera
- He beared children with several women both mortal and divine
- He was depicted as a bearded man wielding a lighting bolt, he could also be
shown holding an eagle or seated on a throne with a sceptre
Poseidon
- Brother of Zeus and the God of the Sea
- He was an important god for sailors and those taking the seas for journeys
- Posideon was also a key god in the contest for Athens against Athena, in
which he lost
- He is typically represented as a bearded man holding a trident
Hades
- Brother of Zeus and God of the underworld
- He was a chthonic deity (god connected to the underworld and the earth)
- Haded acquired the young goddess Persephone (daughter of the Goddess
Demter) to be his wife and queen of the underworld
- He is typically depicted with his wife Persephone
Hera
- Wife of Zeus and she was the Queen of the Gods, responsible for marriage,
women, childbirth and the family
- Hera is often represented as a powerful independent goddess who is not to
be crossed
- She spends much of her time taking revenge on the many women that bore
children with her husband Zeus, even taking revenge on the children
themselves
- An example of this is Hercules
- Hera is typically depicted wearing a diadem (crown)
Athena
- The Goddess of War and Wisdom
, - Athena was born out of Zeus head
- She is often depicted with an owl which is representative of the Wisdom she
has
- She is depicted often with a helmet, spear and aegis, he breastplate is
engraved with the head of a gorgon
- Athena was also often depicted with Nike - Goddess of Victory
- She won the competition against Poseidon in the naming of Athens
Demeter
- Sister of Zeus, Goddess of Agriculture and the harvest
- She was important to the Greeks as their society was built of agriculture and
they depended on the harvest for survival
- She loses her daughter Persephone to Hades (Her brother)
- Demeter is often depicted wearing a diadem and holding a bundle of wheat,
grain/flowers as well as the Cornucopia (Horn shell that contained an
endless supply of food and drink)
Hestia
- Goddess of the home and hearth
- The Greeks were a civilisation without electricity or central heating, Hestia
was vital to their survival and every sacrifice that took place in the home
started to her
- Her fire became a symbol of the security of the city
- Hestia is shown with a veiled head
Hephaistos
- God of metalworking, fire and craftsmen
- Hephaistos was the son of Zeus and Hera
- Hephaistos is often depicted holding a hammer
Aphrodite
- Goddess of love and beauty
- She was born from the sea
- No human or god could resist beauty except Athena, Hestia and Artemis
- She can be depicted as rising from the sea in a shell
- In sculpture she is depicted as naked
Artemis
- Goddess of hunting, wildlife and childbirth
- She is the twin sister of Apollo and is associated with the moon
- She is depicted with a bow and arrow, and with wild animals
Apollo
- God of music and the arts, education, archery and prophecies
, - Twin brother to Artemis
- Associated with the sunHe can be depicted with a lyre, bow and arrow
- Unlike other gods he is depicted with eternal youth
Hermes
- God of travel and trade, and he is the messenger of the gods
- He is the only god other than Dionysius to be able to travel to the underworld
and consort with Hades
- Hermes is depicted with travellers cap, caduceus (travellers staff) and winged
sandals
Ares
- God of war
- Ares represents the raw violence of war
- He is depicted wearing his armour
Dionysius
- God of wine and theatre
- Son of Zeus and a mortal
- He is attracted to the wrath of Hera, so Zeus had to hide him from her
- As he was the son of a god and a mortal he was seen as an outsider, so is not
counted as one of the original olympians
- Dionysisus receives a great following from the Greeks and as the god of wine
and theatre he was pivotal to public and private feasting and celebrations
- He has his own festival ‘The City of Dionysia’
- He is depicted with a thyrus (staff associated with him, tipped with a pine
cone, could be intertwined with ivy)
Rome
Jupiter
- King of the Gods and controller of the skies
- He is the equivalent of Zeus for the Greeks
Neptune
- God of the seas, earthquakes and storms
- Neptune is also linked with horses like the God Posideon
Pluto
- God of the underworld
- Appearance in the story of the abduction of Proserpina
Juno
- Wife of Jupiter, Goddess of the gods
