12 Olympians

Zeus/Jupiter

sphere: sky, weather, king of gods

icons: thunderbolt, eagle

Hera/Juno

sphere: clouds & air, marriage, childbirth, queen of gods

icons: crown, throne, peacock, patera (dish)

Poseidon/Neptune

sphere: sea, earthquakes

icons: trident, fish, horses and chariot

Hestia/Vesta

sphere: hearth, fire

icons: hearth or altar flames, old woman, hair covered by veil or cloak

Hades/Pluto

sphere: underworld, wealth, the dead

icons: scepter, dog Cerberus, wife Persephone/Kore, underworld figures

Demeter/Ceres

sphere: vegetation, grain, fertility

icons: sheaf of grain, sickle, poppy, torch, crown, daughter Persephone/Kore

Apollo/Apollo

sphere: music, poetry, prophecy, reason, medicine/disease

icons: bow & arrows, lyre, laurel wreath, beardless, tripod, mouse, raven

Artemis/Diana

sphere: hunting, bears and virgins; later on, the Moon

icons: bow & arrows, quiver, stag

Ares/Mars

sphere: war; in Rome, fertility also

icons: helmet, spear & shield, wolf, snake

Athena/Minerva

sphere: wisdom & craft, war, patron of Athens

icons: owl, olive tree, helmet, spear, shield or aegis (goatskin shawl, fringed with snakes) with Gorgon-head

Hephaistos/Vulcan

sphere: smith of the gods, fire, craft

icons: hammer, anvil, tongs, working, lame (i.e. leaning on a stick, riding, leaning on someone’s shoulders, etc.)

Aphrodite/Venus

sphere: sexual love, fertility

icons: dove, nudity, son Eros/Cupid

Hermes/Mercury

sphere: messenger of gods; tricksters, thieves, business, travellers; Psychopompos; later on: magic

icons: wings (esp. on sandals or feet), travelling hat, caduceus (the staff in his right hand)

Dionysus/Bacchus

sphere: wine, vegetation, unreason, poetry, prophecy, theater

icons: thyrsus (that big “pine-cone-on-astick” thing in his right hand), wine cup, vine, grapes, ivy, animal skins, women’s clothing, leopards, lions, Maenads, Silenoi, satyrs