7 Things You Didn't Know About the Greek God, Hades

Greek Mythology: 7 Things You Didn't Know About the Greek God, Hades The god of the underworld is a character that looms large in practically any version of Greek mythology—even if the details about him can be murky. Hades was a popular subject among ancient writers, who left behind numerous tales and fragments concerning his role as the ruler of the underworld.

Even though he’s one of the most prominent gods in all of Greek mythology , little is actually known about Hades. His origins are obscure, and even his appearance or what he looked like remains a mystery. Even so, this article will explore some lesser-known facts about this mysterious god . He Was One of The Twelve Olympians All of the gods of ancient Greece were known as Olympians, but not all Olympians were gods.

There were a few humans who made it onto the list, for example, and Hades was one of them. Hades is associated with the Greek underworld, and the Olympians are gods associated with the sky. Hades was the son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Cronus was a king of the Titans , a race of gods who ruled before the Olympians took over. They also ate their children, but they (including Hades) were spared.

While Hades spent most of his time in the underworld, he would also ascend to the sky on certain occasions. For instance, he would fly up to the heavens during eclipses. Hesiod’s Version of His Origins Homer and Hesiod are the two most important sources for information about the gods in ancient Greece . According to Hesiod, the first gods were born out of chaos and nothingness.

The goddesses, however, were formed from the sea and earth. Hades was the first god born from the earth, and he was therefore the first king of the underworld. Hades wasn’t actually a god; he was a king of Tartarus. This is the name of the part of the underworld where the kings of the dead lived. Tartarus is sometimes also referred to as the “pit of Tartarus” or the “abyss of Tartarus.” He Kept a Storehouse Full of Souls The souls of the dead were sent to the underworld by the river Acheron on a boat.

The boat would dock at the entrance to the underworld, which was the domain of Hades. Hades would let the souls pass, but he kept a record of how many souls entered the underworld so that he could be sure to send the right number back to the world of the living. Hades would make sure that the souls of virtuous people went to the Elysian Fields, while the souls of the wicked went to the Fields of Punishment.