Olympians

The **Olympians** are the council of principal Greek and Roman deities, consisting of Zeus/Jupiter, Poseidon/Neptune, Hera/Juno, Athena/Minerva, Ares/Mars, Apollo/Apollo, Artemis/Diana, Demeter/Ceres, Hephaestus/Vulcan, Aphrodite/Venus, Hermes/Mercury, and Dionysus/Bacchus or Hestia/Vesta.

## First Generation Olympians

Also known as the Kronides, the first generation of Olympians are the six children of Kronos/Saturn and Rhea/Ops.

* Hestia/Vesta: Goddess of the Hearth, Home and Family.
* Demeter/Ceres: Goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture.
* Hera/Juno: Goddess of Marriage, Women, Family and Childbirth; Queen of Olympus.
* Hades/Pluto: God of the Dead and Riches; King of the Underworld.
* Poseidon/Neptune: God of the Seas, Earthquakes, and Horses; King of Atlantis.
* Zeus/Jupiter: Lord of the Sky, God of Thunder and Lightning; King of the Gods, King of Olympus.

## Second Generation Olympians

After the first war against the Titans, several gods assumed thrones on Olympus, mainly the children of Zeus.

* Apollo/Apollo: God of the Sun, Medicine, Music and Prophecy; son of Zeus and Leto/Latona.
* Ares/Mars: God of War, son of Zeus and Hera.
* Artemis/Diana: Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, daughter of Zeus and Leto.
* Athena/Minerva: Goddess of Wisdom and Strategy, daughter of Zeus and Metis.
* Dionysus/Bacchus: God of Wine, Madness, and Parties, son of Zeus and Semele.
* Hephaestus/Vulcan: God of Blacksmiths and Fire, son of Hera.
* Hermes/Mercury: God of Thieves, Travelers, Merchants and Messenger of the Gods, son of Zeus and Maia.
* Aphrodite/Venus: Goddess of Love and Beauty, daughter of Ouranos/Caelus. She is a special one since she was technically not a first-generation Olympian or a second. Many scholars list her as the "Titan Generation" and in *The House of Hades*, Piper says that her mother's powers were primordial since she was born from Ouranos' remains.

## Minor Olympians

After the Olympian victory in the second war against the Titans, some of the minor gods were granted positions on the divine council at Percy Jackson's request.

* Hebe/Juventas: Goddess of Youth and Former Cupbearer of the Gods, daughter of Zeus and Hera.
* Hecate/Trivia: Goddess of Magic and Witchcraft, daughter of Perses and Asteria.
* Hypnos/Somnus: God of Sleep, son of Nyx/Nox and Erebos/Scotus.
* Iris/Arcus: Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of Olympus, daughter of Thaumas and Electra.
* Nemesis/Invidia: Goddess of Retribution and Balance, daughter of Erebos and Nyx.
* Nike/Victoria: Goddess of Victory and Divine Charioteer of Zeus, daughter of Pallas and Styx.
* Tyche/Fortuna: Goddess of Luck and Fortune, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys.
* Triton: Messenger God of the Seas and God of the navy, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite/Salacia.

## Changes in the Guard

For millennia Hades and Hestia have not been on the Olympian Council. After Arlen saved Zeus when the god was incapacitated, the son of Oceanus was granted a request, where he could ask anything if it were in the council's power. With this request, Arlen asked for Hades and Hestia to be given thrones of their own and so the King of the Gods granted him the wish.

## Personalities

As gods, the Olympians, and in particular the twelve council members, have extremely diverse personality traits that coincide with the realms and/or concepts that they represent. For instance, Zeus is typically stern, to the point, often abrupt, and authoritative, which coincides with his being the ruler of the sky and the king of the gods. His sister, Demeter, on the other hand, is shown to have a motherly, fussy, overbearing demeanour with an inordinate obsession with agriculture and related products. Hades is often bitter, angry, and resentful, which humans typically view as an attitude appropriate to the dead.

The twelve main Olympians do share several traits, however. The first and most important is that they are all easily offended. Almost all of the gods that so much as sense a slight against them tend to react ominously. Dionysus is often described as having purple flames appear in his eyes, and Hermes at one point transformed his caduceus into a cattle-prod when angered.

Each Olympian is also to some degree dismissive of the needs and desires of other gods, especially when they conflict with their own. Aphrodite was willing to allow Artemis to remain kidnapped, as she represented chastity and freedom from romantic love. Hera showed a similar disregard for certain elements of her family that threatened to unbalance her perfect family image.

## Trivia

* It is said that the gods are strongest during the Summer and Winter Solstice. This is because on these days the gods all gather together on Olympus. However, Hades is only invited on the Winter Solstice to help fend off evil forces when they are at their strongest but this may have changed after *The Last Olympian*.
* All of the second-generation Olympians except Aphrodite are children of Zeus.
	+ Depending on the myth, Aphrodite was created either by Kronos throwing Ouranos' remains into the sea, or by being the daughter of Zeus and Dione.
* When Roman the Olympians become more militaristic, harsher, disciplined and warlike. These are traits usually linked to the Roman Empire.
* Lupa and Janus are part of the Roman Olympians but not the Greek.
* Artemis, Athena and Hestia are all Olympians and virgin goddesses.

## See Also

* Hall of the Gods
* Thrones
* Roman Gods
* Greek Gods