Greek Gods Quiz

The Gods of Olympus

The twelve Olympian gods were the principal deities of the Greek pantheon, residing on the mythical Mount Olympus in northern Greece. The Olympians overthrew the earlier generation of Titans (led by Cronus) in a great war called the Titanomachy, after which Zeus became the ruler of gods and men. Each Olympian had specific domains, symbols, and areas of influence over the natural and human world.

Beyond the twelve Olympians, Greek mythology included many other important deities: Hades ruled the underworld (though he was not considered an Olympian, being underground); Persephone was queen of the underworld and daughter of Demeter; Eros was the god of love (son of Aphrodite and Ares); Nike was the goddess of victory; Tyche was the goddess of fortune; and Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and messenger between gods and humans. Try the Greek Mythology Quiz for broader mythological stories, or explore the Mythology Quiz for myths from other traditions.

The worship of the Olympian gods was central to ancient Greek civic, religious, and artistic life. Temples were built to honor specific deities - The Parthenon in Athens was dedicated to Athena; the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; the Oracle at Delphi served Apollo. The ancient Olympic Games were held every four years at Olympia in honor of Zeus. When the Romans encountered Greek religion, they adopted most of the Greek deities, giving them Latin names - Zeus became Jupiter, Poseidon became Neptune, Aphrodite became Venus, Ares became Mars, and so on.