Gods of the Ancient World
A comprehensive collection of deities from Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa
Norse Pantheon
Odin
Allfather, god of wisdom and war.
Odin wields Gungnir, his legendary spear, and seeks knowledge above all else. He sacrificed an eye for wisdom and commands ravens Huginn and Muninn.
Thor
God of thunder and protector of Midgard.
Thor wields Mjölnir, his mighty hammer, and controls thunder and lightning. He rides in a chariot pulled by goats and defends gods and men alike.
Freyja
Goddess of love and magic.
Freyja rules over fertility and beauty. She rides a chariot drawn by cats and wears the Brísingamen necklace.
Loki
Trickster god of mischief and change.
Loki uses cunning and shapeshifting to achieve his aims. He is both ally and foe to the gods, fathering monstrous beings.
Frigg
Queen of Asgard, goddess of foresight.
Frigg weaves fate and knows destiny yet remains silent. She symbolizes motherhood and wisdom.
Tyr
God of law and sacrifice.
Tyr gave his hand to Fenrir in a binding oath, showing unmatched courage. His weapon is his unbreakable will.
Heimdall
Guardian of the Bifröst bridge.
Heimdall watches for danger with senses beyond any being. His horn Gjallarhorn will sound at Ragnarök.
Baldr
God of light and purity.
Beloved among gods, Baldr’s death marks the beginning of Ragnarök. His symbol is light itself.
Njord
God of sea and wealth.
Njord calms waters and blesses sailors. His wealth and calm demeanor embody prosperity.
Freyr
God of fertility and peace.
Freyr rules prosperity and agriculture, wielding a shining sword. He brings abundance and love to mortals.
Skadi
Goddess of winter and the hunt.
Skadi is a fierce huntress who lives among mountains and snow. She represents independence and endurance.
Hel
Goddess of death and the underworld.
Hel rules Helheim, the realm of the dead. Half-living, half-dead, she embodies mortality itself.
Bragi
God of poetry and eloquence.
Bragi inspires skalds and storytellers. His words weave wisdom and beauty.
Vidar
Silent god of vengeance.
Vidar avenges Odin by slaying Fenrir. His silence and strength embody purpose and duty.
Celtic Pantheon
Dagda
Chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
Wields a massive club that kills and revives. Known for his wisdom, fertility, and power over life and death.
Brigid
Goddess of fire, poetry, and healing.
Brigid embodies creative inspiration and healing energy. Her flame symbolizes renewal and craftsmanship.
Lugh
God of light and skill.
Lugh wields a spear of fire and embodies mastery in all arts. His cunning and brilliance make him a divine hero.
Morrígan
Goddess of war and fate.
Morrígan shifts forms and guides warriors to destiny. She brings both doom and victory.
Manannán mac Lir
Sea god and Otherworld guide.
He commands waves and mists. His cloak renders him invisible, guiding souls to the afterlife.
Nuada
King of the gods and champion.
Nuada wields the Sword of Light and represents honor and leadership. He regained his throne with a silver arm.
Aengus
God of youth and love.
Bearer of eternal beauty and poetry, Aengus’s kisses turn into birds. His charm symbolizes passion and transformation.
Boann
Goddess of the River Boyne.
Her waters create life and inspiration. She symbolizes fertility and sacred rivers.
Danu
Mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
She nurtures all gods and mortals. Her essence is creation and earth’s vitality.
Ogma
God of eloquence and strength.
Inventor of the Ogham script, Ogma’s strength and words are equally mighty. He represents wisdom in communication.
Cernunnos
Horned god of nature.
Cernunnos embodies the wild and cycles of life. His horns mark his link to animals and fertility.
Ériu
Goddess of sovereignty.
Namesake of Ireland, Ériu embodies the spirit of the land. She grants kingship and protection.
Greek Pantheon — Expanded
Zeus (Jupiter)
King of gods, ruler of sky and thunder.
Zeus wields thunderbolts as his primary weapon and enforces order among gods and mortals. He is associated with kingship, law, and hospitality. As Jupiter in Roman tradition, his attributes and authority are largely parallel across cultures.
Hera (Juno)
Queen of gods, goddess of marriage.
Hera protects marriage and childbirth and wields influence through divine authority and patronage of queens. Her symbols include the peacock and crown. In Rome she is Juno, embodying state and family protection.
Poseidon (Neptune)
God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.
Poseidon carries a trident which controls oceans and creates earthquakes by striking the earth. He is patron of sailors and horses, often linked with storms. The Romans worshipped him as Neptune with similar maritime dominion.
Demeter (Ceres)
Goddess of agriculture and the harvest.
Demeter oversees grain, seasons, and fertility of the earth, bringing sustenance to humankind. Her symbols include sheaves of wheat and the torch. The Roman Ceres preserves agricultural rites and festivals in similar form.
Athena (Minerva)
Goddess of wisdom, warfare, and crafts.
Athena bears the aegis and spear and excels in strategic warfare and crafts rather than brute force. She is patron of cities and artisans, especially Athens. Minerva reflects these traits in Roman religion as a goddess of wisdom and skill.
Apollo (Apollo)
God of sun, music, prophecy, and healing.
Apollo wields the bow and is associated with the oracle at Delphi, musical lyre, and healing arts. He personifies harmony, prophecy, and rational order. The Romans retained his name and many of his functions as Apollo.
Artemis (Diana)
Goddess of the hunt, wilderness, and the moon.
Artemis uses a bow and quiver, protects animals, and presides over childbirth and chastity. She is linked to the moon and wild places. In Rome she is Diana, guardian of hunters and the countryside.
Ares (Mars)
God of war and violent battle.
Ares embodies the brutal, chaotic side of war and is often depicted with spear and shield. Though not widely adored by Greeks, his domain over bloodlust is central. The Romans elevated his counterpart Mars to much greater reverence as a father-figure of Rome.
Aphrodite (Venus)
Goddess of love, beauty, and desire.
Aphrodite inspires desire, fertility, and maritime aspects; her symbols include the dove and the girdle. She influences both gods and mortals through attraction and unions. Venus carries much the same portfolio in Roman myth as goddess of love and prosperity.
Hephaestus (Vulcan)
God of fire, metalwork, and craftsmanship.
Hephaestus forges divine weapons and armor, using hammer and anvil in volcanic forges. He supplies tools to gods and heroes and embodies artisan skill. Vulcan is his Roman counterpart, overseeing smiths and destructive fire.
Hermes (Mercury)
Messenger god, guide of souls and patron of travelers.
Hermes wields the caduceus, guides souls to the underworld, and protects merchants and travelers. He is swift-footed and cunning, a trickster in minor ways. Mercury performs the same roles in Roman religion, serving commerce and communication.
Hestia (Vesta)
Goddess of the hearth and domestic life.
Hestia preserves the sacred flame of home and community, embodying stability and hospitality. She carries no weapon but her presence sanctifies communal bonds. Vesta maintains the public hearth and civic unity in Roman religion.
Hades (Pluto)
God of the underworld and ruler of the dead.
Hades wields a scepter and governs the realm of the dead, along with wealth hidden beneath the earth. He presides over funerary rites and the souls of the departed. As Pluto in Rome he also becomes associated with wealth and subterranean riches.
Dionysus (Bacchus)
God of wine, ecstasy, and ritual frenzy.
Dionysus carries the thyrsus, a fennel-staff tipped with ivy, and inspires ecstatic rites and theatre. He blurs boundaries between order and chaos, fertility and intoxication. Bacchus embodies similar cultic revelry in Roman religion.
Persephone (Proserpina)
Queen of the underworld and goddess of spring.
Persephone balances life and death by dividing her time between the earth and Hades, symbolizing seasonal cycles. Her presence ensures rebirth each spring and governs the renewal of crops. Proserpina preserves this dual role in Roman myth.
Eros (Cupid)
God of erotic love and attraction.
Eros wields arrows that cause desire and binds lovers together, sometimes capriciously. He represents primordial creative force and intimate bonds. Cupid is his Roman counterpart, central to love iconography.
Selene (Luna)
Goddess of the moon.
Selene drives her moon chariot across the night sky and governs lunar cycles influencing tides and time. She is associated with gentleness and cyclical change. Luna is worshipped in Rome with many of the same lunar associations.
Nyx (Nox)
Primordial goddess of night.
Nyx is a powerful night-figure whose veil brings rest and mystery; her children include many dark deities. She wields no weapon but her presence commands fear and reverence. Nox represents night in Roman lore but is less personified in cult practice.
Hecate (Trivia)
Goddess of magic, crossroads, and the night.
Hecate carries torches and keys, guiding souls and presiding over witchcraft and liminal places. She is invoked in rituals concerning the dead and transitions. Trivia or similar figures in Rome adopt her liminal and nocturnal attributes.
Themis (Justitia)
Goddess of divine law and order.
Themis embodies justice, social order, and the prophetic counsel of Zeus; she is associated with scales and counsel. Her Roman parallel Justitia personifies fairness and legal order in civic life.
Nike (Victoria)
Goddess of victory in war and competition.
Nike wings victory to rulers and athletes, symbolized by laurel crowns and palm branches. She brings success and honors to champions. Victoria fulfills this role in Roman public imagery.
Aurora / Eos (Aurora)
Goddess of the dawn.
Eos opens the gates of dawn, renewing the day with rosy fingers and chariot. She embodies beginnings and the renewal of light. Aurora is her Roman name, keeping motif of morning and new starts.
Prometheus (Prometheus)
Titanic benefactor of mankind and fire-bringer.
Prometheus stole fire for humans and gifted crafts and knowledge, enduring punishment for human progress. He symbolizes rebellion in service of civilization. Romans preserve his mythic role though with less cultic focus.
Thanatos (Mors)
Personification of death.
Thanatos gently escorts the dying and represents inevitable mortality; he is twin to Hypnos (sleep). He carries no weapon beyond the inevitability of fate. Mors is the Roman personification of death.
Hypnos (Somnus)
God of sleep and dreams.
Hypnos brings rest and prophetic dreams, using poppies and gentle touch to soothe mortals and gods. His realm lies in the caves of the west and is closely linked with Thanatos. Somnus represents sleep in Roman thought and literature.
Nemesis (Invidia)
Goddess of retribution and balance.
Nemesis enacts poetic justice upon hubris and excess, wielding scales of retribution. She punishes arrogance and restores moral balance. Invidia overlaps with these concepts in Roman moral personifications.
Gaia (Terra)
Primordial personification of Earth.
Gaia is mother of gods and titans, embodying the fertile earth and its life-giving powers. She nurtures and produces lineage of divine beings and natural order. Terra is the Roman personification of the earth.
Roman Pantheon — Mapped Counterparts
Jupiter (Zeus)
Chief Roman sky god, equivalent to Zeus.
Jupiter wields thunderbolts and rules the Roman pantheon, safeguarding law and state. His symbols include the eagle and oak. He maps directly to Zeus in attributes and cult role.
Juno (Hera)
Protector of marriage and women.
Juno watches over matrimony and childbirth, often depicted with crown and scepter. She serves as patroness of Roman women and queens. Her functions parallel those of Hera in Greek religion.
Neptune (Poseidon)
God of sea and earthquakes.
Neptune carries a trident and governs seas, horses, and storms for Roman sailors and citizens. He is invoked during maritime ventures and rites. His domain mirrors Poseidon’s maritime authority.
Ceres (Demeter)
Goddess of agriculture and grain.
Ceres presides over wheat, ploughing, and fertility of fields, offering festivals like the Cerealia. She blesses harvests and sustains the Roman populace. Her role is closely tied to Demeter’s Greek cult.
Minerva (Athena)
Goddess of wisdom, arts, and war strategy.
Minerva bears the aegis and is patron of crafts, schools, and strategic warfare. She inspires artisans and thinkers across Roman culture. Her attributes reflect Athena’s intellectual and martial domains.
Apollo (Apollo)
God of prophecy, music, and healing.
Apollo’s lyre and laurel crown symbolize music and prophetic power; he also oversees healing. The Roman Apollo adopts Greek myths and cults relatively unchanged. His oracle and arts patronage remain central to his worship.
Diana (Artemis)
Goddess of hunt, moon, and childbirth.
Diana carries bow and arrows and protects women in childbirth and hunters in the wild. Her cult blends lunar, hunting, and fertility aspects. She is the Roman mirror of Artemis’s domains.
Mars (Ares)
God of war and father of Rome.
Mars wields spear and armor and embodies military might and agricultural guardian aspects. Unlike Ares, Mars is a central and honored figure in Roman identity and ritual. He protects Rome and its martial virtues.
Venus (Aphrodite)
Goddess of love, beauty, and prosperity.
Venus influences love, fertility, and civic fortune; her symbols include doves and roses. She plays a foundational role in Roman mythic lineage and ancestry. Venus parallels Aphrodite’s romantic and generative functions.
Vulcan (Hephaestus)
God of fire, forge, and craftsmen.
Vulcan forges weapons and oversees destructive and constructive fire; hammer and anvil are his emblems. He crafts armaments for gods and heroes and is propitiated to control volcanic forces. He shares Hephaestus’s smithing domain.
Mercury (Hermes)
Messenger of gods and patron of trade.
Mercury carries the caduceus and guides travelers, merchants, and souls, facilitating commerce and communication. His quick wit and mobility serve practical Roman interests. He mirrors Hermes’s mercantile and psychopomp functions.
Vesta (Hestia)
Guardian of the hearth and civic unity.
Vesta’s eternal flame symbolizes the heart of communal life and domestic sanctity; priestesses tended her fire. She secures social continuity and hospitality within Roman society. Her role aligns closely with Hestia’s domestic sanctity.
Bacchus (Dionysus)
God of wine, ritual, and theatre.
Bacchus bears the thyrsus and promotes ecstatic rites, viticulture, and dramatic arts. His festivals could upend social norms through ritual intoxication. He is closely identified with Dionysus in cult practice.
Proserpina (Persephone)
Queen of the underworld and goddess of spring.
Proserpina shares duties over seasonal cycles and underworld rule with Persephone; her return to earth renews growth. She is central to Roman mystery cults concerning life and death. Her myth explains agricultural rhythms and rebirth.
Cupid (Eros)
God of desire and attraction.
Cupid fires arrows of love and fosters unions among gods and mortals alike. His mischievous interventions shape mythic romances and tragedies. He is the Roman analogue of Eros.
Luna (Selene)
Goddess of the moon and nocturnal cycles.
Luna drives the chariot of the moon and oversees nocturnal rites and tides. Her image regulates temporal and agricultural practices. She stands in for Selene in Roman belief.
Nox (Nyx)
Primordial night deity.
Nox embodies night and the mysteries it conceals, mothering many abstract deities. Her Roman representation is less cultic but rich in poetic symbolism. She maps to Nyx’s primordial authority over darkness.
Trivia (Hecate)
Goddess of crossroads, magic, and the night.
Trivia guards liminal spaces with torches and keys, invoked in rites of witchcraft and protection. Her Roman cult blends local and Hellenic elements into nocturnal practice. She is analogous to Hecate’s governance of thresholds.
Justitia (Themis)
Personification of justice.
Justitia holds scales and a sword in later iconography, enforcing civic fairness and law. She represents the Roman civic ideal of balanced governance. She corresponds to Themis’s role in order and equity.
Victoria (Nike)
Personification of victory.
Victoria brings triumphs to generals and athletes, symbolized by wreaths and trophies. Public monuments often celebrate her presence after victories. She functions as Nike’s Roman counterpart.
Egyptian Pantheon — Expanded
Ra
Sun god and creator deity.
Ra sails the solar barque across the sky, wielding the sun as symbol and source of life. He battles chaos each night in the underworld and renews the world each dawn. His primary attributes are the sun disk and royal authority.
Isis
Goddess of magic, motherhood, and healing.
Isis uses powerful magic to protect pharaohs and restore life to Osiris, embodying maternal devotion. She is often depicted with the throne hieroglyph and the ankh. Her cult spread widely across the Mediterranean in antiquity.
Osiris
God of the afterlife and resurrection.
Osiris judges the dead and ensures vegetation’s cyclical rebirth, often holding the crook and flail as royal insignia. His death and resurrection underpin Egyptian notions of kingship and fertility. He governs the underworld with regenerative power.
Anubis
Jackal-headed guardian of the necropolis.
Anubis oversees mummification, guides souls, and protects graves; his emblem is the jackal or canine figure. He weighs hearts against Ma’at to determine worthiness in the afterlife. His instruments include embalming tools and funerary rites.
Horus
Sky god and protector of kingship.
Horus, often falcon-headed, represents royal authority and victory over chaos; he uses talons and keen vision as symbols of power. He is son of Isis and Osiris and avenger of his father’s death. Pharaohs claim Horus’s protection for legitimate rule.
Thoth
God of writing, knowledge, and reckoning.
Thoth wields the stylus and palette, recording judgments and maintaining cosmic order through calculation and writing. He is inventor of hieroglyphs and mediator among gods. His wisdom underpins law, timekeeping, and astronomy.
Sekhmet
Lioness goddess of war and healing.
Sekhmet is a fierce warrior with breath of pestilence yet also a powerful healer when propitiated. She carries weapons and the solar disc, balancing destruction and restoration. Her cult sought to channel her wrath into protection for the living.
Bastet
Cat goddess of home, fertility, and protection.
Bastet protects households, fertility, and mothers, often depicted as a domestic cat or lioness. She wards off evil spirits and disease with ferocity when needed. Her attributes include sistrum and protective amulets.
Ma’at
Personification of truth, balance, and cosmic order.
Ma’at’s feather determines the soul’s fate in the hall of judgment, symbolizing right order and justice. Pharaohs uphold Ma’at through righteous rule and ritual. Her presence ensures harmony between humans and gods.
Ptah
Creator god and patron of craftsmen.
Ptah conceives the world through thought and speech and fashions it through skilled hands; he is depicted as a mummified craftsman. He is patron of artisans and architects, wielding the tools of creation. His cult centers on Memphis and creative forces.
Nut
Sky goddess who swallows the sun each night.
Nut arches across the heavens, birthing the sun each dawn and cradling the stars; her body is the firmament. She protects the dead and nurtures rebirth through celestial cycles. Her imagery connects cosmos, time, and renewal.
Geb
Earth god, husband of Nut and father of Osiris.
Geb embodies the fertile soil, producing crops and supporting life; his laughter was said to cause earthquakes. He functions as the earth counterpart to Nut’s sky, sustaining creation. His attributes include plants, animals, and terrestrial bounty.
Slavic Pantheon
Perun
Thunder god and chief deity of many Slavs.
Perun wields the axe or hammer and strikes down chaos with lightning. He protects warriors and oaks, and his cult centers on thunder and law. His attributes emphasize sky-fire and martial strength.
Veles
Chthonic god of cattle, wealth, and the otherworld.
Veles governs flocks, trade, and the borderlands between life and death. He opposes Perun in cosmic struggle, embodying cunning and fertility. His symbols include the serpent and cattle.
Mokosh
Goddess of earth, fertility, and fate.
Mokosh protects women’s work, spinning, and domestic welfare. She anchors community rituals around childbirth and woven destiny. Her presence links household survival with cosmic order.
Rod
Ancestor god and source of kinship.
Rod is associated with family lineage, births, and household shrines. He embodies continuity of clans and domestic prosperity. Veneration of Rod centers on household blessings and ancestry.
Baltic Pantheon
Perkūnas
Thunder god of the Baltic peoples.
Perkūnas wields thunderbolts or axes and protects order against chthonic forces. He is linked with oak trees and moral authority. His cult emphasizes storm, justice, and harvest protection.
Dievas / Dievs
Sky-father and high god.
Dievas is an abstract sky deity associated with order and high rulership. He governs day, fate, and celestial order. His role mirrors other Indo-European sky fathers.
Finnic & Sami Pantheon
Ukko
Finnish sky and thunder god.
Ukko controls weather and fertility, invoked for good harvests and fair weather. He carries attributes of thunder and lightning and is honored in seasonal rites. His cult connects nature and community well-being.
Mielikki
Goddess of the forests and hunting.
Mielikki protects game and guides hunters with forest magic and care for animals. She mediates between humans and woodland spirits. Her rituals ensure respect for forest resources.
Anatolian / Hittite / Phrygian Pantheon
Tarhunt / Teshub
Storm and sky god of Anatolia and Hurrian tradition.
Tarhunt wields thunder and lightning and upholds royal authority. He battles chaos and secures fertility for the land. His attributes include thunderbolt and chariot.
Cybele / Kubaba
Mother goddess of mountains and wild nature.
Cybele is a mountain mother figure with powerful cultic rites and protective powers. She is associated with wild animals, fertility, and ecstatic worship. Her worship influenced later Mediterranean cults.
Etruscan Pantheon
Tinia
Chief Etruscan sky god, like Zeus/Jupiter.
Tinia governs thunder, law, and celestial order; often invoked by Etruscan elites. He wields lightning and upholds divine kingship. Tinia’s cult played a role in pre-Roman Italian religion.
Uni
Principal goddess, associated with motherhood and protection.
Uni serves as Etruscan counterpart to Juno/Hera, safeguarding family and sovereignty. She is venerated in rites of fertility and civic worship. Her imagery echoes Mediterranean queen-goddess motifs.
Menrva
Aspect of wisdom, war, and crafts.
Menrva is a precursor to Roman Minerva and oversees artisans, strategy, and civic arts. She combines martial and intellectual patronage. Urban cults celebrated her through public rites and patronage.
Phoenician / Carthaginian & Canaanite Pantheon
El
High god and patriarch of the Canaanite pantheon.
El presides as a paternal creator, embodying authority and covenant. He forms the backdrop for many regional cults in the Levant. His attributes are often abstract, emphasizing sovereignty and lineage.
Baal
Storm and fertility god worshipped across Levant.
Baal commands rain, storm, and agricultural fertility through storm-force imagery. He battles sea and chaos figures to secure harvests and community life. His symbol is often the bull or thunderbolt.
Tanit
Protector goddess of Carthage and fertility.
Tanit shields city and family, associated with fertility and votive practice. She features in Punic iconography and civic cults. Her emblems include a crescent and raised disk motifs.
Illyrian / Thracian / Iberian & North African (Berber) Pantheons
Bendis
Thracian moon and hunt goddess.
Bendis shares attributes with Artemis and local moon cults, protecting hunters and the night. Her rites include nocturnal observances and city festivals. She symbolizes liminal protection in borderlands.
Ba’al Hammon
Principal Carthaginian male deity of fertility and abundance.
Ba’al Hammon presides over agricultural prosperity and city rites, often paired with Tanit. He is invoked in seasonal cycles and protective city cults. His imagery includes sacrificial and fertility symbolism.
Epona
Goddess of horses and protector of riders (Gallo-Roman adoption).
Epona ensures the health and success of horses, venerated by cavalry and rural communities. She symbolizes mobility, wealth, and sacred animal bonds. Her cult spread through Roman military and local traditions.