The main cult gods of the ancient Greeks

Greek Mythology

The main cult gods of the ancient Greeks were the twelve Olympians which were worshipped throughout the country. Hestia was sometimes included in the list although her cult was mostly domestic. The portraits below are ancient Greek sculptures of the gods or Roman copies of older Greek works.

APHRODITE The goddess of love, marriage and procreation. She had shrines throughout Greece, the most famous of which were those of Cythera, Corinth and Cyprus.
APOLLO The god of music and prophecy. His chief shrines were the island of Delos and the Oracles of Delphi and Dindyma.
ARES The god of war. Worshipped primarily in times of war, he also reputedly had important cults in Aetolia and Thesprotia in north-western Greece.
ARTEMIS The goddess of the wilds, maidens and childbirth. Her main cult centre was perhaps Calydon in Aetolia, although she was honoured by huntsmen, girls and women throughoutGreece. Artemis was also identified with the many-breasted Ephesian goddess of Asia Minor.
ATHENA The goddess of war and the crafts. Most of the ancient acropoli or city-fortresses possessed a shrine dedicated to the goddess as protector of the city. She was also worshipped by craftsmen of all sorts. Her most celebrated cult was at Athens.
DEMETER The goddess of agriculture. She was worshipped in Mysteries throughout the Greek world, the most famous of which were those of Eleusis. Harvest- and fertility-festivals were also celebrated in her honour.
DIONYSUS The god of wine. He had shrines throughout Greece and was celebrated with the grape-harvest and opening of the new wine. His orgiastic Mystery cult was also widely celebrated, and plays were written and performed in his honour. His most famous cult centres were Thebes and neighbouring Mount Cithaeron in Boeotia, and the island of Naxos.
HEPHAESTUS The god of smiths, craftsmen and artisans. He was honoured by craftsmen throughout Greece and had many local festivals, but few large temples or shrines. His most important cult centre was the island of Lemnos, where he was represented as the national god.
HERA The goddess of marriage and queen of the gods. She was the woman's goddess, worshipped throughout Greece. Her main cult centres were those of Argos and the island of Samos. At Olympia she was honoured beside Zeus.
HERMES The god of shepherds, trade and athletics. He was widely worshipped in agora (marketplaces) throughout Greece, and in the Peloponnese by shepherds in the countryside. Fertility statues dedicated to the god called hermae were also erected along the roads. His main cult centre was on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia.
HESTIA The goddess of hearth and home. She was a domestic goddess worshipped at the fireplace. Unlike the other Olympian gods she possessed no great temples, festivals or cult centres, and was rarely representedi n Greek art.
POSEIDON The god of the sea, rivers and horses. His most important cult centre was near Corinth on the Isthmus where the Isthmian games were celebrated in his honour.
ZEUS The king of the gods, and the god of rain, rulership and civilisation in general. He was widely worshipped throughout Greece with numerous hill-top shrines where he was invoked as the rain-god. His main cult centres were Olympia and Nemea where Games were celebrated in his honour, and the Oracle of Dodona in the North.