Who were the Greek Gods and Goddesses? Video

The Ancient Greeks believed that everything in life was controlled by a god or goddess – so, if the crops didn’t grow very well one year, they thought it was because the goddess of the harvest (Demeter) wasn’t happy. The gods and goddesses looked like humans, but they lived forever.

As a way to keep the gods and goddesses happy, the Greeks built a temple for each one. Priests were in charge of the temples and letting everyone know what the gods were trying to tell them. The Greeks would also hold festivals for the gods, and sporting events like the Olympics. The Greeks told many stories about things that the gods did – this is called mythology.

If you want to put into practice your knowledge of the Greek gods and goddesses living in Mount Olympus, get this resource for 3r – 4th graders that include a stick-on activity.

Top Ten Facts about Greek gods and goddesses

1. The Ancient Greeks were very religious people, and believed that many different gods controlled everything that happened in life.
2. Temples were built for each god. Priests in the temples were in charge of speaking to their particular god or goddess, and making sense of what they wanted the Greek people to do.
3. To please the gods even more, festivals were held in their honour.
4. The Olympics began as a sporting festival held to honour the god Zeus. Zeus was king of all the gods, and he controlled the weather.
5. The Greek gods were humans who looked like people, but they were immortal (they could live forever) and had special powers.
6. The gods and goddesses weren’t always very nice. They could be just as mean to each other as they could be to mortals, which made it more difficult to know how to keep them happy.
7. Because the gods and goddesses had their own personalities, stories about them were told to explain why they acted the way they did – this is called mythology.
8. In addition to gods, the Greeks believed in mythical creatures such as centaurs (half human, half horse) and Cyclopes (monsters with only one eye). These would often appear in mythology too.
9. The Greeks also believed that after people died, they went to the Underworld (like the Ancient Egyptians). The underworld was ruled by the god Hades, and to get there the god Hermes helped people cross the River Styx.
10. There were 12 main gods and goddesses, and they all lived on Mount Olympus – the highest mountain in Greece.

If you want to know all about Ancient Greece, click here and read this post that explains the geographical, political, social and cultural aspects of this ancient civilization.

Watch the following video and learn more about them!