We explain who Aphrodite was in Greek mythology and how she was represented. Also, other gods of Greco-Roman mythology.
Who was Aphrodite?
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite was the goddess of passionate love, beauty and sensuality, equivalent to Venus in Roman mythology and possibly other ancient deities, such as the Sumerian Inanna or the Phoenician Astarte. She was associated with sexual passion and erotic ecstasy, to the point that the word “aphrodisiac” comes from her Greek name and others such as “venereal” come from her Roman name.
Aphrodite was an Olympian goddess, that is, she belonged to the pantheon of the main Greek gods who were believed to live on Mount Olympus, and she was able to inspire passion not only in humans but also in gods and animals. In Greek mythology, Hephaestus was considered her husband, but Aphrodite had many lovers, including Ares, the god of war, and the mortal Adonis, who stood out for his youth and beauty. You must read about Earth Day once.
The Greeks thought that Aphrodite was born near Cyprus, and there were two very different versions of her birth: the one told by Hesiod, in which she was born from the sea foam after the Titan Cronus castrated his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea; and the one told by Homer, in which Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Dione.
Both myths circulated in Ancient Greece and there were those, like Plato, who tried to reconcile them with the argument that there were two different goddesses: Aphrodite Urania (“celestial”), representative of superior, spiritual and intellectual love; and Aphrodite Pandemos (“common”), associated with vulgar love and sensual pleasures.
KEY POINTS
- Aphrodite was the goddess of passionate love, beauty and sensuality in ancient Greek mythology, equivalent to Venus in Roman mythology.
- She was married to Hephaestus (god of fire and the forge) but had several lovers, including Ares (god of war) and the young mortal Adonis (with whom she fell in love for his beauty).
- She is usually represented as a female figure emerging from the sea foam, sometimes on a seashell.
- One version of the myth says that she was born when the Titan Cronus threw the genitals of his father (Uranus) into the sea. Another version says that she was the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Dione.
- She was worshipped throughout the Greek world, especially through festivals called aphrodisias, and in some temples consecrated to her a form of ritual prostitution was practiced.
What was the cult of Aphrodite like?
The cult of Aphrodite in Ancient Greece was particularly intense in her supposed birthplaces, Cyprus and Kythera, but she also had her own religious festivals, the aphrodisias, which were celebrated throughout Greece, especially in the cities of Athens and Corinth.
In fact, in the ancient city of Corinth there was an important temple dedicated to the goddess, destroyed by the Romans during their conquest of the city. In this and other temples consecrated to Aphrodite, a form of ritual prostitution was practiced by courtesans who were part of the group of hierodules (“sacred servants”).
In her numerous representations, Aphrodite often appears accompanied by the Charites, that is, the three graces: Aglaia (“beauty”), Euphrosyne (“joy”) and Thalia (“abundance”). Maybe you should definitely read about Logbook once.
Who were Aphrodite’s children?
Aphrodite is credited with having many children, such as Aeneas, the Trojan hero; Eros, the god of passionate love; Hermaphroditus, the human being of both sexes, the fruit of her love affair with Hermes; and the twins Phobos (“fear”) and Deimos (“terror”), the fruit of her union with Ares.
Other gods of Greece-Roman mythology
Other central gods in Greco-Roman mythology were:
Zeus
He was the main god and father of most of the Olympian gods, he reigned over the sky and controlled thunder and lightning. He was married to his sister Hera, but had multiple lovers from whom the great demigods of Greek tradition were born. He was called Jupiter by the Romans.
Poseidon
He was Zeus’ brother and ruled over the seas and waters. He was depicted carrying a trident, with which he could summon waterspouts, hurricanes and typhoons to, for example, sink ships. He was called Neptune by the Romans.
Hades
He was Zeus’ brother and the god who ruled the world of the dead. He wore a helmet that made him invisible, so he should never be mentioned, or there was a risk that he was listening. He was called Pluto by the Romans.
Athena
She was the daughter of Zeus, born from part of his head. She was a warrior and virginal goddess, associated with cunning, intelligence, wisdom and justice. She was associated with the owl and was almost always depicted with a helmet and a shield, ready to defend the innocent. She was called Minerva by the Romans.
Hermes
He was the son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia, and a cunning and intelligent god, patron of messengers, thieves and merchants, in charge of guiding the souls of the deceased to the underworld. He was called Mercury by the Romans.
Apollo
He was the son of Zeus and Leto, and the god of divination, the arts and poetry, medicine (which he passed on to his son Asclepius) and the bow and arrow. He was a solar god, worshipped at Delphi and leader of the muses. The Romans called him Phoebus.
Artemis
She was a virginal goddess, associated with hunting, wildlife and birth. She was the twin sister of Apollo and therefore the daughter of Zeus and Leto. The deer and the cypress were sacred to her. The Romans called her Diana.
Ares
He was the god of war, son of Zeus and Hera, and was associated with brutality, violence and aggressive virility. He had numerous mortal and divine lovers, and around sixty children with them. The Romans called him Mars.
