<P> The Roman poet Ennius gives the Roman equivalents (the Dii Consentes) as six male - female complements, preserving the place of Vesta (Greek Hestia), who played a crucial role in Roman religion as a state goddess maintained by the Vestals . </P> <P> There is no single canonical list of the twelve Olympian gods . The thirteen gods and goddesses most commonly considered to be one of the twelve Olympians are listed below . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Greek </Th> <Th> Roman </Th> <Th> Image </Th> <Th> Functions and attributes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Zeus </Td> <Td> Jupiter </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus; god of the sky, lightning, thunder, law, order and justice . Youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea . Symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, lion, scepter, and scales . Brother and husband of Hera, although he had many lovers, also brother of Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hera </Td> <Td> Juno </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage, women, childbirth and family . Symbols include the peacock, cuckoo, and cow . Youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea . Wife and sister of Zeus . Being the goddess of marriage, she frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus' lovers and their children . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Poseidon </Td> <Td> Neptune </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> God of the seas, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses . Symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin, and trident . Middle son of Cronus and Rhea . Brother of Zeus and Hades . Married to the Nereid Amphitrite, although, like most male Greek gods, he had many lovers . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Demeter </Td> <Td> Ceres </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons . Who presided over grains and the fertility of the earth . Symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia, and pig . Middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea . Also the lover of Zeus and Poseidon, and the mother of Persephone . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Athena </Td> <Td> Minerva </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Goddess of wisdom, knowledge, reason, intelligent activity, literature, handicrafts, science, defense and strategic warfare . Symbols include the owl and the olive tree . Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her father's head fully grown and in full battle armor . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Apollo / Apollon </Td> <Td> Apollo </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> God of light, the sun, prophecy, philosophy, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, medicine, healing, and plague . Symbols include the sun, lyre, swan, and mouse . Son of Zeus and Leto, and twin brother of Artemis . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Artemis </Td> <Td> Diana </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, virginity, the moon, archery, childbirth, protection and plaque . Symbols include the moon, horse, deer, hound, she - bear, snake, cypress tree, and bow and arrow . Daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ares </Td> <Td> Mars </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> God of war, violence, bloodshed and manly virtues . Symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear, and shield . Son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods despised him . His Latin name, Mars, gave us the word "martial ." </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Aphrodite </Td> <Td> Venus </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire . Symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, and rose . Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus' semen dripped into the sea after being castrated by his youngest son, Cronus, who then threw his father's genitals into the sea . Married to Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous affairs, most notably with Ares . Her name gave us the word "aphrodisiac", while her Latin name, Venus, gave us the word "venereal". </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hephaestus </Td> <Td> Vulcan </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention, fire and volcanoes . Symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs, and quail . Son of Hera, either by Zeus or alone . Married to Aphrodite, though unlike most divine husbands, he was rarely ever licentious . His Latin name, Vulcan, gave us the word "volcano ." </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hermes </Td> <Td> Mercury </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Messenger of the gods; god of travel, commerce, communication, borders, eloquence, diplomacy, thieves and games . Symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork, and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre). Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia . The second - youngest Olympian, just older than Dionysus . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Greek </Th> <Th> Roman </Th> <Th> Image </Th> <Th> Functions and attributes </Th> </Tr>

Who was considered chief among the greek gods