Artemis was also known to be fond of wild boars since they are considered difficult to tame and are the favorite animal of hunters. The successful completion of one of Heracles’ labors required the capture of a deer. She captures them and harnesses them to her chariot, calling them the Elaphoi Khrysokeroi. In one myth, she falls in love with some very large deer with golden horns. The goddess of hunting and wilderness, Artemis was particularly fond of deer. Wolves were also sacred to him since he was usually worshipped as Apollo Lykaios, as well as snakes, since he fought the great serpent Python and slew him. In some tales Apollo is even said to have transformed Daedalian into a hawk when he cast himself off Parnassus to commit suicide.Ĭicadas were considered sacred to Apollo because of their connection to music and their song during the summer months. He was said to be particularly fond of hawks, ravens and crows, which he used as his messengers. Apollo Sacred AnimalĬow, hawk, snake, crow/raven, cicada, swanĪpollo, the god of music, prophecy and poetry was associated with several different animals. For example, many amphorae have been found that feature both roosters and Athena as decorations. Other times, Athena was linked to the rooster, dove or eagle. In some cases, she was presented carrying a spear with a snake around it. The owl is considered a very cunning and deadly bird, but also very wise.Īthena was more rarely associated with the goose, another intelligent bird. She was mainly associated with the owl, which symbolized her ability to see through the eyes of wisdom. The Greek goddess Athena was known as the goddess of wisdom and war. However, Minos’ wife Pasiphae fell in love with it and gave birth to the monster Minotaur. Poseidon was also associated with bulls, most notably the Cretan bull – a symbol of Minoan civilization that flourished in Crete.Īccording to myth, the god sent it as a gift to Minos, the legendary king of the island.

Sacred animals to Poseidon included the dolphin and other fish, as evidenced by the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome which has a sculpture of a winged Hippocampus alongside the god of the sea. This is because Poseidon fathered many horses, including Pegasus (the winged horse) by Medusa. His most prominent animal was the horse – a symbol of valor and beauty. Poseidon was the god of the sea and earthquakes, but he also had some animals that were sacred to him. In Greek mythology, the cuckoo symbolized her love for her husband Zeus, while peacocks were seen as a sign of beauty. Similarly, Hera used to protect the sanctity of marriage and support women. The cow represented nurturing and protection to Hera, as it takes care of its young. She presided over marriage and childbirth and was often represented with animals such as cows, peacocks, cuckoos, and lions.

Hera was the queen of all gods, particularly worshipped by women. In many artistic pieces, Zeus is shown with Aetos Dios- a grand golden-feathered eagle who serves as his confidant and messenger perched beside his throne. However, for his scheme to work in abducting the young maiden Europa, he took on the form of a bull. The famous Olympian king Zeus changed forms into an eagle to kidnap the attractive boy Ganymedes. These beasts were (and still are) considered symbols valor and sovereignty. This gave him an advantage when abducting women he desired, as he could assume the form of a powerful creature like an eagle or swan. Zeus was not only the father of gods and god of the sky, but also known for his keen ability to transform into various animals. Animal Symbols of the Greek Gods Zeus Sacred Animal This article discusses the animals that were considered most sacred in Greek culture. In time, animals came to symbolize the gods themselves. They had some animals that were sacred to them because these creatures’ characteristics somehow resembled the god’s powers and physical elements that they represented. The gods of the Greeks not only used to dwell in the natural world alongside humans, but they were also present within specific parts of nature.

Greek gods and goddesses hades