Mythography | Symbols of the Greek Gods and Goddesses

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Symbols of the Gods and Goddesses

In ancient Greek art (and myth), the Olympian gods and goddesses were often portrayed with a specific set of symbols and attributes. Due to the fact that Greek artists tended to idealize their depictions of gods, it is often difficult to distinguish one figure from another based purely upon his or her physical representation (in other words, the goddesses Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Hera, and Demeter all tend to have the same faces and bodies, which are uniformly beautiful). This is where knowing the symbols of a particular deity becomes especially useful, as it allows one to identify a god or goddess in art. Here are some of the symbols of the Olympians:

Aphrodite | sceptre, myrtle, dove

Apollo | bow, lyre, laurel

Ares | spear

Artemis | bow, deer

Athena | aegis, owl, olive tree

Demeter | sceptre, torch, corn

Dionysos | grape vine, ivy, thyrsos

Hephaistos | axe

Hera | sceptre, diadem, peacock

Hermes | caduceus, winged boots

Poseidon | trident, horse, bull

Zeus | thunderbolt, eagle, oak

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Who's Who in Classical Mythology

This book is a great source for information about Greek and Roman mythology! Organized alphabetically, this who's who features information about over 1200 of the most intriguing characters from Classical myth and legend. And there are excellent entries on the Olympian gods and goddesses.

The Bibliography

If you want more recommended resources for information about Greek myths, visit the books section - it lists books about mythology, art, literature, and more.

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