from Hesiod's Theogony (8th c. BC)
Primordial Deities and the Generations of the Titans
Chaos (chasm, void♀): an empty space that fills the Universe.
Chaos engenders Gaia (Earth♀), Tartarus (Underworld♂), and Eros (Desire♂).
in some traditions Eros/Cupid is the son of Aphrodite/Venus and Ares/Mars
Chaos gives birth to Nyx (Night♀) and Erebus (Darkness♂); Hemera (Day♀) and Aether (Light♂)
Gaia gives birth to Urea (Mountains♂), Uranus (Sky♂), and Pontus (Sea♂) by parthenogenesis.
Gaia + Uranus = 1st generation of Titans:
Oceanus♂ and Tethys♀; Coeus♂ and Phoebe♀; Hyperion♂ and Theia♀; Cronus♂ and Rhea♀; Themis♀, Mnemosyne♀, Crius♂, and Iapetus♂
Gaia + Uranus = 3 Cyclops♂ and 3 Hecatonchires♂ (hundred handed guardians of Tartarus and aids to the Olympians in the Titanomachy)
Iapetus fathers Prometheus (a Titan)
Nyx gives birth to various permutations of death, sleep, and sin/evil.
Monsters are born
The Titans and the Generations of the Olympians
Cronus castrates Uranus and with Rhea rules the universe; Aphrodite (an Olympian or a Titan) springs from the white foam generated when Uranus’ castrated member lands in the ocean; Cronus presides over the Golden Age of Mankind; man is created from the earth by Prometheus who also steals fire from heaven for mankind
Oceanus and Tethys generate rivers and springs
Cronus and Rhea give birth to the Olympians: Hestia, Hera, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus
Cronus swallows all of his children except Zeus.
Zeus and the Hecatonchires cast the Titans deep into Tartarus (The Titanomachy)
Zeus presides over the Silver, Bronze, Heroic, and Iron Ages of Man
Zeus divides the Universe between himself (sky), Poseidon (sea), and Hades (underworld).
Zeus begets the Fates and the Muses
Zeus fathers more Olympians: Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hermes, Dionysus, and Athena
Hera conceives Hephaestus
The Olympians create the first woman (Pandora) to punish man for Prometheus’ gift of fire
Zeus fathers the hero and demigod Heracles.
Art Gallery
Greek and Roman Pantheons
Greek Name | Roman Name | Functions and Relationships | Symbols |
1st Generation Olympians |
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Zeus |
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2nd Generation Olympians |
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Apollo |
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Other Olympians |
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