Greek gods of Olympus coloring pages
I've always loved mythology from all over the world and have shared that love with my children. The antics of the Greek gods of Olympus and all the different ways modern writers continue to reimagine them never cease to entertain me.
Mount Olympus coloring pages
Mount Olympus is a real mountain in northern Greece, and at about 9,570 feet (2,917 m) it's the highest in the country. The Greeks believed the gods lived in palaces on its peak, above the clouds, where they feasted on nectar and ambrosia. Zeus ruled from there, and storms often gather around the summit, which may be part of why people pictured the king of the sky living there.
The Olympians coloring pages
The Olympians were the main gods and goddesses of Greek myth. Twelve of them were said to live on Mount Olympus, though the list changes depending on who is telling the story. Each one ruled something different, like the sky, the sea, love, war, or the hearth. Below you'll find them one at a time, with a short fact or two about each.
The older generation (the children of the Titans Cronus and Rhea):
Zeus coloring pages
Meet Zeus, the king of the gods! He ruled the sky and threw thunderbolts when he was angry. Zeus kept order among both gods and humans, and the Greeks saw him as the protector of oaths and guests.
Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades divided the world after defeating the Titans... Zeus got the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld.
His symbols are the eagle, the oak tree, and the lightning bolt.
Poseidon coloring pages
Poseidon was the god of the sea. He ruled the oceans and everything in them, and his moods could turn the water calm or whip up a wild storm. Sailors prayed to him for safe voyages.
His weapon, forged by a Cyclops, was the trident, a three-pronged spear that could stir the waves, call up storms, and shake the ground in an earthquake.
Poseidon was also the god of horses. In some stories, he created the first horse.
Hades coloring pages
Hades was the god of the underworld, the place where the souls of the dead go. He ruled his dark kingdom with fairness and kept life and death in order.
He was the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. When the three divided the world, Hades received the underworld.
His helm of invisibility, forged for him by a Cyclops, let him move unseen.
Hera coloring pages
Hera was the queen of the gods and the wife of Zeus. She was the goddess of marriage and family, and she watched over married couples.
Her symbols include the peacock and the cow. Peacock feathers were said to be the eyes of her hundred-eyed watchman, Argus, and the cow was linked to motherhood.
Hera was one of the most respected goddesses on Mount Olympus, and she was known for punishing those who crossed her family.
Hestia coloring pages
Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and home. The hearth was the fire at the center of every Greek house, used for cooking and for keeping the family warm.
Every home kept a fire burning for her, and the first offering at a family meal or festival often went to Hestia. She was gentle and peaceful, and she never took part in the quarrels of the other gods.
In some stories, she gave up her place among the twelve Olympians so that Dionysus could take a seat on Olympus.
Demeter coloring pages
Demeter was the goddess of the harvest and farming. She made the grain grow and the fields ripen, and farmers thanked her for every good crop.
Her daughter Persephone was taken to the underworld by Hades. Demeter was so heartbroken that nothing on earth would grow until Zeus arranged for Persephone to come home. Because Persephone had eaten a few pomegranate seeds in the underworld, she had to go back for part of every year.
The Greeks said that's why we have seasons. When Persephone is away, Demeter grieves and the earth turns cold and bare. When she returns, spring comes back.
Her symbols include a bundle of wheat, the cornucopia, and poppies.
The younger generation (the children of the older generation):
Aphrodite coloring pages
In Hesiod's version Aphrodite is older than Zeus (born from the sea foam), while in Homer she's Zeus's daughter.
Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. She was said to be born from the foam of the sea and to have risen from the waves near Cyprus.
Her symbols include roses, doves, swans, and seashells.
She owned a magical golden girdle, or belt, that made anyone who saw her fall in love with her.
Athena coloring pages
Athena was the goddess of wisdom and war. She was known for clever thinking and for fighting with strategy before strength.
She was born fully grown and wearing armor, leaping out of the head of Zeus.
Her symbols are the owl and the olive tree. She gave the olive tree to the people of Athens, who named their city after her.
She also protected craftspeople and inventors, especially weavers.
Ares coloring pages
Ares was the god of war. He loved battle and is often shown with a spear, shield, and armor.
A vulture is sometimes shown above him, a reminder of the dangers of war.
Ares was fierce and quick to anger, and the other gods didn't always like him. Even his own parents, Zeus and Hera, were known to complain about his temper.
Hephaestus coloring pages
Hephaestus was the god of fire and metalworking, the master craftsman of Mount Olympus.
In his forge he made amazing things, like the shield of Achilles and golden helpers that could move on their own.
He is often shown with a hammer and anvil. He walked with a limp, but that never stopped him from making some of the finest treasures in Greek myth.
He was married to Aphrodite, though the stories say he was far less handsome than she was.
Apollo coloring pages
Apollo was the god of light, music, and truth. He was the twin brother of Artemis and the son of Zeus and Leto.
His symbols include the lyre, the sun, the laurel wreath, and the bow and arrow. Homer calls him the lord of the silver bow.
People turned to Apollo for healing, music, and prophecy. His most famous oracle was at Delphi, where a priestess spoke his messages.
Artemis coloring pages
Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and the moon, and the twin sister of Apollo.
She protected wild animals and the wilderness, and she is often shown with a deer and her bow and arrows.
Artemis also watched over young girls and women, and she was known for being fiercely independent. She chose never to marry.
Her symbols include the cypress tree and the moon. Her silver bow was forged by the Cyclopes, just like Zeus's thunderbolts.
Hermes coloring pages
Hermes was the messenger of the gods. He was quick, clever, and full of energy, and he was also the god of travelers, trade, and tricksters.
He wore winged sandals and a winged helmet so he could fly between Mount Olympus, the earth, and the underworld. Because of that, he was the one who guided the souls of the dead to the underworld.
He carried a special staff called the caduceus, with two snakes twined around it.
Dionysus coloring pages
Dionysus was the Greek god of wine, fertility, and festivity. He was also the god of theater, and the first plays in ancient Athens were performed at festivals held in his honor.
He was the only Olympian with a human mother, a princess named Semele. He was the youngest of the gods and the last to join Mount Olympus, and in some stories Hestia gave up her seat so he could have a place.
His symbols include grapevines, ivy, and the leopard. He often carried a staff topped with a pine cone, called a thyrsus.
Before the war with the Titans, the Cyclopes gave each of the Olympian brothers a weapon. Zeus received the lightning bolt, Poseidon the trident, and Hades the helmet of invisibility.
After they defeated the Titans, the brothers drew lots to see who would rule what. Zeus got the sky, Poseidon the seas, and Hades the underworld.
Weapons of the Greek Gods coloring pages
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