Compared to all the mythologies in the world, Greek mythology is the most popular to talk about and reference in media in America. But there are some interesting facts about Greek mythology that many aren’t aware of. Besides the story of the king of the main gods and goddesses, from Zeus and Poseidon to Hera and Persephone, here are some more interesting facts about Greek mythology that you might not know.
6. The Mother of Monsters
There are countless monsters in the stories and legends. And one of the few facts about Greek mythology that you might not have known is that most of them have the same mother: Echidna. The half-woman and half-serpent is the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, making her another sister of Medusa. Echidna’s husband, Typhon, a hundred-headed dragon, and her spawned a whole list of horrifying monsters that went to challenge the heroes and gods alike in various stories.
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5. Goddess of Love and Beauty
With a title like that, you might think of someone who is pampered, stunning, and with softer hobbies. However, Aphrodite is a beautiful goddess with an amazing history. While she’s known for love and beauty, that wasn’t all. She also had a huge military aspect under her. In some regions of Greece, there were cults of Aphrodite and Ares, the god of war, that were closely connected. And the two had an affair that created Eros, Phobos, Deimos, Anteros, and Harmonia. For this reason, she’s also associated with war.
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4. God of Death and the Underworld
Hades is a familiar name in Greek mythology as the god of death and the underworld. But while he has a morbid job, he’s not a bad guy. Unfortunately, in pop culture, he’s often the Greek version of the devil, but that’s not entirely true. He’s actually quite fair as far as rulers go. When Orpheus descended into the underworld to retrieve his bride, Hades was so moved by the bard’s pleas that he agreed to let her go. He deals pretty daily with Hercules when the hero approaches him needing to return to the upper world as well.
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3. Before the Greek Gods and Goddesses
The Greek gods and goddesses weren’t the first. While we think of Hera, Athena, Demeter, and more as the first, there was a time before them. First, there was Chaos, which came from Earth (Gaia) and love (Eros). Then, Tartarus, the Underworld, is created from Chaos. Then, there was Sky, the Sea, and the Mountains. It was from Gaia and Eros created the Titan Cronus was created. Cronus, in turn, took his sister and his wife and bore the original Olympians.
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2. The Virgin Goddess
Artemis, twin sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus, was granted a wish to remain a virgin for eternity. The huntress, as well as the protector of animals, is the virgin goddess and the picture of purity. She’s also the goddess of childbirth and the destroyer of young women. An ironic goddess in Greek mythology. Artemis murders the six daughters of Niobe, who boasted that she had more children than Artemis’s mother, Leto. And in real-life cult rituals for Artemis, there were instances of extreme cruelty, from the ritual drawing of blood to whippings and beatings.
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1. The King of Gods’ Legacy
We all know Zeus, but this might be one of the few facts about Greek mythology that you might not know. Many have heard of Zeus descending to the mortal world to find sexual partners. But did you know that he had a horrible reputation of multiple affairs, and even rape? Not only did he often take the form of an animal to fulfill his desires, but he was known for wooing many goddesses, such as both Demeter and her daughter Persephone. He also took on many forms of women’s husbands in order to persuade them into having relations with him. All in all, Zeus is one of the worst ones around, even though he has such a mighty and stellar title.
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