The Greek mythology was an important part of the ancient Greek religion and culture. The greeks imagined their gods humanlike, with faults and virtues. The main Olympian gods, were twelve: Zeus, Hera, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Hephaestos, Hestia, Hermes, Demeter, Poseidon. There were many other minor gods like Dionysus, Pluto, Orion, Nymphs, Trytons and they all played their part together with the Heroes and sometimes common mortals to this endless soap-opera that Greeks wanted their gods to play.

The Heroes, like Hercules, Odysseus, Achilles, Perseus, were either supported or destroyed by certain gods that sometimes were in conflict with each other. The humans quite often meet with gods, discuss with them, get advise, and sometimes, when Zeus is envolved, have children with them, the semi-gods (hemitheus). Actually two of the Olympians, Apollo and Artemis, were born by Leto, a mortal woman of noble origin.

Last modified 10/19/97 by: Tania Kiouprouli