In Greek mythology, there are 12 Olympian gods and countless other minor gods. In Percy Jackson and the Olympians, all of the Olympians play a role, and many lesser gods as well.
The 12 Olympian gods are Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and Dionysus. These gods all have a regular seat at Mount Olympus and a cabin at Camp Half-Blood.
After The Last Olympian, the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Annabeth Chase designs 8 more cabins at Camp Half-Blood for the children of minor gods including Hades, Iris, Nemesis, Nike, Hebe, Tyche, and Hecate. The children of these minor gods, besides Hades, are very minor characters. All of the gods besides Hera, Artemis, and Hestia have demigod children. Below are profiles on the most important gods in the series—and their demigod children!
Zeus
Zeus - credits:matintheworld/depositphotos
King of the gods, god of the sky, thunder, lightning, and justice
Roman counterpart: Jupiter
Symbol: Lightning Bolt
Archaeological Site: Temple of Zeus in Ancient Olympia—one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
Notable Children: Thalia Grace and Jason Grace (Jupiter)
Thalia Grace is one of the main characters of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. She is portrayed as stubborn and short-tempered, but also determined and a good leader. Thalia can conjure up lightning bolts and has some control over the weather. She joins the Hunters of Artemis in The Titan’s Curse and becomes Artemis’s lieutenant.
Jason Grace is one of the seven demigods of The Great Prophecy in The Heroes of Olympus. He is the son of Zeus’s Roman form, Jupiter. In the series, Jupiter is portrayed as a more level-headed and rational version of Zeus, and Jason has these same attributes. Like Thalia, Jason can conjure lightning bolts and control the weather. He can also conjure wind spirits and fly. Along with Thalia, he is a strong leader.
Poseidon
Poseidon- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos
God of the sea, horses, earthquakes
Roman counterpart: Neptune
Symbol: Trident
Archaeological Site: Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion
Notable Children: Percy Jackson
Percy Jackson, the title character for the series, is certainly an important character. As a son of one of the “Big Three” gods, he is very powerful, maybe the most powerful in the series. He can talk to horses and sea animals, control all aspects of water, and summon water. Percy is instrumental in saving the world from Kronos in the first series and Gaea in the second. One of his main attributes is his loyalty to his friends.
Hades- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos God of the underworld, death, and riches Roman counterpart: Pluto Symbol: Helm of darkness Archaeological site: Necromanteion of Acheron in the region of Epirus—this is the location in The House of Hades where the seven demigods find the “doors of death” and an entrance to the underworld in Greek mythology Notable Children: Nico and Bianca di Angelo, Hazel Levesque Nico di Angelo is an important character in both Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus. He becomes grim and solitary after his sister, Bianca, joins the Hunters of Artemis and is then killed on a quest. However, near the end of Heroes of Olympus, Nico begins to feel more accepted by the camp. As a child of Hades, Nico can travel through shadows, similar to teleporting. He can also conjure skeletons, control the earth, and sense death. Hazel Levesque is a daughter of Pluto and first appears in The Son of Neptune, the second book of The Heroes of Olympus series. She is old-fashioned since she was actually raised in the 1930s and is brought back from the underworld by Nico. As a daughter of Pluto, she can raise precious gemstones from the earth, but they are considered cursed. Near the end of The Heroes of Olympus, Hazel develops magical abilities to control the mist and conjure illusions. Hazel can also control the earth and sense death like Nico. Athena- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos Goddess of wisdom, battle strategy, and weaving Roman counterpart: Minerva Symbol: Owl, olive tree Archaeological Site: Parthenon at the Acropolis Notable Children: Annabeth Chase Annabeth Chase is the second most prominent character in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, after Percy. She is his close friend and later girlfriend in the series. As the daughter of Athena, Annabeth is extremely intelligent and logical. She almost always makes decisions with her head instead of her heart. She is a skilled architect, weaver, and problem-solver. Demeter- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos Goddess of harvest, grain, and agriculture Roman counterpart: Ceres Symbol: Cornucopia Archaeological Site: the town of Eleusis, 11 miles from Athens—the town was once home to the largest temple of Demeter in Greece. Notable Children: Katie Gardner, Miranda Gardiner, Meg McCaffrey Meg McCaffrey is the only child of Demeter who plays a significant role, and not until the third series, Trials of Apollo. Meg is the demigod to discover Apollo when he falls to earth as a mortal named Lester. She becomes close friends with Apollo and is prominent throughout the rest of his series. As the daughter of Demeter, Meg has control over plants and is able to make them grow at her command. Ares- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos God of war, courage, battle lust, and violence Roman counterpart: Mars Symbol: Spear and helmet Archaeological Site: Areopagus Hill in Athens, beneath the Acropolis—in Ancient Greece, trials would take place on this hill Notable Children: Clarisse La Rue, Frank Zhang Clarisse La Rue is Percy’s rival at Camp Half-Blood throughout the series, bullying him and treating him with little respect. However, she has many redeeming moments, such as saving Percy and his friends from the hydra in The Sea of Monsters and helping in the Battle of Manhattan in The Last Olympian. As the daughter of Ares, she has a quick temper and has many battle strengths. Frank Zhang is a child of Mars, who is portrayed as more strategic and militaristic than his Greek form. He is a very kind and friendly person, willing to give almost anyone a chance. He is very shy and unsure of himself at the beginning of The Heroes of Olympus but becomes more of a leader and fighter as the series goes on, becoming more confident as well. Hephaestus- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos God of fire, blacksmiths, and technology Roman counterpart: Vulcan Symbol: Fire, hammer Archaeological Site: Temple of Hephaestus at the Ancient Agora—the most well-preserved ancient temple in Greece Notable Children: Leo Valdez, Charles Beckendorf, Harley Leo Valdez is the most well-known son of Hephaestus, and also the most powerful. He has the ability to produce fire from his body. He is also a very skilled craftsman and can construct mechanical inventions very quickly. Like Hephaestus, he sometimes has difficulty relating to people and would rather be with his machines. He has an incredible sense of humor and is rarely serious. Charles Beckendorf was a minor character in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He was extremely muscular and great with machines. Before Leo arrives at camp, Beckendorf is the only one who can tame the bronze dragon that later becomes the masthead for the Argo II built by Leo. Aphrodite- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos Goddess of love and beauty Roman Counterpart: Venus Symbol: Rose, dove, seashell Archaeological Site: The island of Milos, where the most famous statue of Aphrodite was found Notable Children: Piper McLean, Silena Beauregard Piper McLean is a very powerful daughter of Aphrodite, one of the only ones who can use charm to speak, the ability to persuade others with her voice. At the beginning of the series, she is unsure of herself and hides her beauty, but she becomes more confident as the series progresses. Silena Beauregard was a minor character in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. She was known for her beauty, but also her kindness and ability to lead her cabin. She was instrumental in the Battle of Manhattan in The Last Olympian. Hermes- credits:matintheworld/depositphotos God of travelers, thievery, mischief, and messages Roman Counterpart: Mercury Symbol: Caduceus, winged helmet, and sandals Archaeological Site: Ancient Olympia—the most famous statue of Hermes is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia Notable Children: Luke Castellan, Connor, Travis Stoll, Chris Rodriguez Luke Castellan was prominent in the first series. Portrayed as Percy’s mentor and friend until the end of The Lightning Thief, Luke reveals he has been working for the titan lord, Kronos. Unlike his jokester brothers Connor and Travis Stoll, Luke is more serious. He is a master swordsman and later inherits powers from Kronos as well such as the ability to slow time. Which god is your favorite? Book a tour with us today to learn more about the gods and see all the locations mentioned!Hades
Athena
Demeter
Ares
Hephaestus
Aphrodite
Hermes
