How Well Do You Know Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses?

By: Talin Vartanian
Image: Photography by Jeremy Villasis. Philippines/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Ancient gods and goddesses make up an interesting mythological aspect of our history and are said to have once ruled our world. Famous gods and goddesses include Zeus, Aphrodite, Hades and Hermes, but there are other ancient figures to be studied as well!

Here's a fun fact for the day: Did you know that Nike (the popular shoe brand) was actually the name for the "winged goddess?" She was known for her athletic abilities and was the daughter of Styx and Pallas, who was a Titan. Other goddesses were known for childbirth, fertility and love. For example, Aphrodite was the goddess of love, while Eileithyia was the goddess of childbirth.

It's also important to note that Chaos was considered to be the first god to ever exist, and that everything we know of today originated from Chaos. He first created the five deities, which are night, darkness, Earth, love and the Underworld. From there, the Ocean, Heavens and light were also created. Other famous ancient gods include Apollo, Ares, Atlas and Deimos.

This quiz will look at 35 different gods and goddesses who were said to have ruled over various aspects of our world during mythological times. Think you can name them all? Try this quiz now to find out!

Which of these gods was the god of war?

Ares was the god of war and was also symbolized as a spear and a helmet. Thrace was his place of origin.

Who created Tartarus (otherwise known as the 'Underworld')?

Chaos created five deities, which were darkness, night, Earth, love and the Underworld (also known as Tartarus). He's also considered to be the first gods to ever exist, since everything was born from Chaos.

Who was the twin brother of Polydeuces (otherwise known as Pollux)?

Castor and Polydeuces were twin brothers who shared different fathers but the same mother. Their mother was Leda; Polydeuces' father was Zeus, and Castor's father was Tyndareus, a mortal.

"The East Wind" is a nickname given to which of these gods?

Nicknamed The East Wind, Eurus was known for the "unlucky east wind." He was also known as Anemoi.

Which of these gods ruled over the Underworld?

Hades ruled over the Underworld, as well as the "Dead," and the "Riches." He was the child of Cronus and Rhea.

Who was the god of sleep?

The god of sleep was Hypnos, who was the child of night (Nyx) and darkness (Erebus). These two deities were created by Chaos.

This god ruled over multiple things, such as poetry, music and medicine. Can you name him?

Apollo ruled over many things, such poetry, medicine, music, light and archery. He also had a twin sister named Artemis.

Who was the father of Zeus?

Cronus and Rhea were Zeus' parents and were both Titans. Cronus also ruled over the cosmos during the Golden Age.

The god of terror and dread was…?

Deimos was the god of terror and dread and was the son of Ares, the god of war. Deimos is also the name of one of Mars' moons.

Which of these gods was known for wine-making?

Also known as Aesymnetes, Dionysus was known for wine-making and the harvest of grapes. His parents were Zeus and Semele, who was a mortal.

Phosphorus and Hesperus were the sons of…?

Eos was known as the "dawn goddess" and had several children, including two sons: Phosphorus, the "morning star," and Hesperus, the "evening star."

"The South Wind" is a reference to which of these gods?

Notus ruled over the South Winds and was the child of Eos and Astraios. His Roman name was Auster.

Who was the goddess of the sun?

Alectrona was the daughter of Rhode and Helios and was known as the goddess of the sun. She was also nicknamed Electryone.

Apate was the child of…?

Nyx was one of five deities created by Chaos, and she was known as the goddess of the night. One of her children was Apate, the goddess of deceit.

Which of these gods was NOT created by Chaos?

Chaos was responsible for creating various deities, but Fruit was not one of them. He created love, night, darkness, Earth, the Underworld and eventually, light, the Ocean and the Heavens.

Which of these goddesses was the "Sister of War?"

Enyo was nicknamed as the "sister of war" and fought battles with Ares, who was the god of war. Her parents were Hera and Zeus.

Which of these goddesses was the "mother goddess?"

Gaea was actually one of the deities created by Chaos and was known as Earth. This is why she has the name "Mother Earth" or "mother goddess."

Who was NOT a virgin goddess?

Selene was not a virgin goddess, but Athena, Artemis and Hestia were. Selene also embodied the personification of the moon.

The goddess of motherhood was…?

Rhea was known for multiple aspects of motherhood, including fertility and comfort. She was also the wife of Cronus.

Who was NOT one of the nine Muses?

Tyche was not one of the nine Muses, but she was the goddess of fortune. Other Muses included Melpomene, Euterpe and Clio.

Who was NOT part of the Graces?

The Graces consisted of Aglaea, Euphrosyne and Thalia, and represented several feminine traits, including beauty and elegance. Sterope was King Oenomaus' wife.

The River Styx was overlooked by which of these goddesses?

Styx overlooked the "River Styx," and was the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. She also had several children with Pallas, who was a Titan.

Who was the god of love?

Eros was the god of love and commonly referred to as Cupid. He's also typically portrayed with a bow and arrow.

Who was the "guide to the Underworld?"

Hermes was known for several things, such as being a god of travelers and thieves, as well as being a source to the Underworld. His Roman name was Mercury.

Which of these gods was known for his physical strength?

If you're familiar with Hercules, Heracles was the same version of him in Greek mythology. His parents were Zeus and Alcmene.

Metalworking and fire were personified by…?

Hephaestus was responsible for fire, metalworking and sculptures. He was also named Amphigúeis and was symbolized as a hammer.

What was the name of the doctor who treated Olympian gods?

Olympian gods were in the care of Paean, whose name means "healing." He was also said to treat Ares and Hades.

Who was NOT a child of Styx?

The four children of Styx were Zelus, Nike, Kratos and Bia. Helios was the god of the sun, and his parents were Theia and Hyperion.

Which goddess overlooked marriage and the Heavens?

Known as the "Queen of Heaven," Hera overlooked marriage, birth and the Heavens. She also had several children with Zeus, including Ares, Eris and Enyo.

Which of these goddesses was the personification of childbirth?

Eileithyia was the personification of childbirth and the child of Hera and Zeus. She also had several siblings, including Ares, Eris and Hephaestus.

The goddess of nature and mountains was…?

Cybele was the goddess of various aspects of nature, including mountains and animals. She was also symbolized as a cymbal.

Thesmophoros was another name for which of these goddesses?

Demeter had the name Thesmophoros and was the goddess of agriculture. She was also the child of Cronus and Rhea.

Which of these goddesses embodied the rainbow?

Iris was a goddess who embodied the rainbow and was viewed as a bridge between Mount Olympus and the mortal world. She was also the assistant of Hera.

Venus was the Roman name for which of these goddesses?

Aphrodite had the Roman name Venus and was considered to be the goddess of love. She was also depicted as a dove.

Which of these goddesses had the nickname "Winged Goddess?"

You might be familiar with Nike as a popular brand of shoes, but did you know that the name stems from the "winged goddess" Nike? She was the daughter of Pallas and Styx and was known for her athletic abilities.

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