Hi there! Are you interested in Greek mythology? If as a child you spent hours reading the stories about the moody gods and the brave heroes, you have a soulmate in me. If you are a girl, perhaps you wondered: which Greek goddess am I the most alike? I can help you with answering this question today. Before you take on the quiz I prepared, I invite you to read about the female deities of ancient Greece.
Ancient Greeks had many goddesses, some more important than the others, some well-known, while others obscure. The major deities of the Greek pantheon were The Olympians, consisting of twelve gods and goddesses: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. They were called Olympians because according to myths, they resided on Mount Olympus.
Hera was the queen of the gods, the wife of Zeus, and the daughter of Titans Cronus and Rhea. Her siblings were Demeter, Hestia, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. She was the goddess of women, marriage, family, and childbirth. Hera was watching over and protecting married women, blessing weddings and marital unions. Her daughter, Ilithyia, assisted women in childbirth.
Hera was often depicted as a jealous wife, deeply displeased because of Zeus’ unfaithful nature. She was vindictive towards his lovers and illegitimate children, often viciously punishing them. During the Trojan War, Hera was on the side of the Achaeans, hating the Trojans because Paris chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess over her and Athena.
The animals sacred to Hera include the peacock, cuckoo, lion, and cow. The lily flower is associated with her. She is often portrayed wearing a diadem or holding a pomegranate in her hand. While Hera was worshipped in all parts of Greece, temples were erected in her honor at Argos and Salmos.
Demeter was the goddess of the harvest, agriculture, the sacred law, and the cycle of life and death. Hera and Hestia were her sisters. Demeter was the mother of Persephone. After Persephone was abducted by Hades, Demeter searched for her, consumed by grief. The seasons halted and living things stopped growing and died. In the end, Persephone returned to her mother, but only for part of the year (commonly associated with autumn and winter).
The snake and the pig are sacred to Demeter. Her symbols include cornucopia, wheat, torch, and bread. Demeter’s emblematic flower is the poppy. Demeter and Dionysus were worshipped at Eleusis, a little town near Athens. Their worship was referred to as the Eleusinian Mysteries. Only women attended the Thesmophoria, a fertility festival held in honor of Demeter.
Hestia was the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, family, and domestic life, and the sister of Hera and Demeter. Hestia would receive the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. She personified the fire burning in the hearth of every home in Greece. The hearth fire in the household was not allowed to go out by any family unless it was ritually distinguished.
Hestia’s symbols are the hearth and its fire. The donkey is her sacred animal. Though Hestia did not have a public cult, she was worshipped at any temple, regardless of the god the temple was dedicated to. Each city had a public hearth that was sacred to Hestia; the fire there was never allowed to go out.
Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty, sexuality, pleasure, and procreation. According to one tradition, she was born from the sea foam. However, another story says she might be the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Aphrodite was the wife of Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking. She had many lovers, however, including the god Ares and the mortal Adonis. During the Trojan War, Aphrodite fought on the side of Paris.
Dolphins, doves, swans, and sparrows are amongst the animals sacred to Aphrodite. Myrtle and rose are her sacred plants. The scallop shell is her symbol. Corinth was the center of Aphrodite’s worship.
Athena was the goddess of wisdom and war, as well as strategy, strength, art, crafts, and inspiration. The most popular myth says she jumped out fully grown and in armor from Zeus’ head. She was supposedly the favorite child of her father. Like Hera, Athena sided with the Greeks during the Trojan War. She was a fierce and ruthless warrior.
The owl is Athena’s sacred bird, and the olive tree is her sacred plant. Other symbols of hers include snakes and the Gorgoneion (amulet with the Gorgon head). Athena served as a guardian of Athens, where the Parthenon served as her temple.
Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, the moon, archery, and chastity. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. In literature and art, she was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrow. Similar to Hestia and Athena, Artemis was a virgin goddess, sworn to never marry. Artemis halted the winds blowing the Greek ships during the Trojan War, stranding the Greek fleet after King Agamemnon, the leader of the expedition, shot and killed her sacred deer. Artemis demanded the sacrifice of Iphigenia, Agamemnon’s daughter, as compensation for the deer. In most versions, when Iphigenia is led to the altar to be offered as a sacrifice, Artemis pities her and takes her away, leaving another deer in her place.
Deer was sacred to Artemis, and her other symbols were bow and arrows, stags, hunting dogs and the moon. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
If we wanted to talk about all of the Greek goddesses, we would have to write a book! Perhaps this short text will help you learn something interesting. What do you think, which Greek goddess are you? Take our quiz and find out now!