| ZEUS |
 The
greatest of Olympian gods, later associated with Jupiter in Rome. As the
ancient poet Hesiod declared, no human being can know what fate to expect,
for Zeus "humbles the proud and raises the obscure". He had at
least five siblings among his Olympian "colleagues", and was
father to numerous other gods and mortal heroes alike. Portrayed typically
as a bearded and largely naked man, he is often recognized by his attributes,
the main ones of which are the eagle, thunderbolt, scepter and Nike (personified
Victory) figure. His many epithets and forms reflect the multifaceted powers
he possessed, as much as the peculiarities of his worship to be found in
different places. |
| ATHENA |
 Zeus'
warlike daughter, the goddess of wisdom, as well as protectress of cities
(most notably Athens), patroness of craftsmen, arts and industry. Her main
attributes are the owl and aegis (shield), and she is usually shown in
a crested helmet, and sometimes in a battling stance - all of
which are readily recognizable on the numerous coin issues she is featured
on. One of the true "classics" of ancient mints - the Athenian
silver tetradrachms - are almost totally dedicated to her, displaying her
profiled portrait on one side, and an owl and olive branch on the other.
During later, Roman times, her cult continued to flourish as Minerva. |
| HERA |
 Zeus'
sister and simultaneously wife (second, albeit), Hera (Roman Juno) is the
goddess of marriage and protectress of females in general. She is also
sometimes referred to as the queen of Heaven, as her cult was an old and
originally independent one. Indeed, her celestial presence is constantly
reinforced by the Milky Way, which by Greek legend came from Hera's breasts
in an interesting episode with infant Herakles. Hera's venerable status
is reflected in her imagery, where she usually appears as a majestic woman
with a crown or a diadem, sometimes draped. And yet, none of this solemnity
would seem to stop her from exhibiting occasional petty behavior - like
jealousy towards Herakles, or complete partiality for the Achaians in their
quest for Troy. |
| APOLLO |
 Athena's
brother and Zeus' son, Apollo was God of light, reason, inspiration, prophecy
and oracles, healing and song, and also protector of flocks and herds.
He was later further identified with the sun, and served to Constantine
the Great as a kind of "pagan guide" during his transition to
the world of Christianity. His youthful bust or figure are frequent themes
of Greek coin issues, and his main attrubutes include the lyre, bow and
spear, and tripod - the latter signifying the Delphic oracle, located in
one of his two most famous sanctuaries. |
| ARES |
 God
of war (Roman Mars) and "sacker of cities", the son of Zeus and
Hera, lover of Aphrodite. His notion of war is savage, and he had a penchant
for participating in mortals' clashes, like the Trojan War depicted in
the Iliad, where he even treacherously switches sides. Of all other deities,
he is most at odds with Athena - also a warrior, but one whose perception
of combat is different and mitigated by her fondness of wisdom and art.
Ares is usually depicted helmeted, naked, and with the standard martial
attributes - a shield, spear and trophy. |
| POSEIDON |
 Zeus'
brother (Roman Neptune), master of the seas and god of earthquakes. His
main attribute is the trident, and he is often represented on the prow
of a ship or with a foot on a rock, sometimes accompanied by dolphins.
In other respects, his physical appearance usually resembles that of his
brother - indeed, one of the finest Classical Greek bronze statues, discovered
off Cape Artemision in this century, still baffles the experts regarding
its identity, as the key object the god is hurling - thunderbolt or trident
- is missing. Perhaps, the very fact that he emerged from the sea seems
to tip the scales to Poseidon, in a slight majority of opinions... |
ARTEMIS |
Apollo's twin sister, Artemis (Diana of the Roman era) was another deity with deep and diverse roots in old
antiquity. She is primarily associated with wild beasts, hunting, the Moon, and thus nature in general; as such
she is also a protectress of the young, both among animals and humans. Her iconography on coinage is usually that
of a slender huntress, her hair raised, with a bow and arrow, sometimes accompanied by animals. The magnitude of her veneration
is punctuated by of the seven
world wonders, the Artemision of Ephesos, which was a temple dedicated to her - a rare distinction among the Olympians,
shared with her by the supreme deity Zeus alone.
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| DIONYSOS |
Though a "late comer" to the Olympic dozen, Zeus' son Dionysos or Bacchus - the god of growth and vegetation,
vines, wine and ecstasy - made it there with a splash (naturally). His cult quickly spread from Thrace around
the 6th c. BC to numerous Greek locales, and carried over to Roman times. His main attributes are the
vine, ivy, two-handled drinking cup called kantharos and the cone-topped staff called thyrsos. Being a god of
organic nature and revival, there are many animals associated with him as well, some of which are considered
his alternate forms - the bull, goat, panther, ass and others. Dionysos' veneration usually took special
forms, with elaborate rituals for the initiated known as "mysteries", and there is a sizable list of mythological
characters (e.g. Maenads, Pan, Satyr, Silenos) and other mystery cults (e.g. Orpheus and Orphics) linked to him.
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Copyright: © 1998 RUDNIK Numismatics
All rights reserved.
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