Greek vs Roman Names
Same Gods, Different Names – Your Complete Translation Guide
Why Different Names?
Quick History: When the Romans conquered Greece (around 146 BCE), they adopted Greek mythology but gave the gods Roman names. They also changed some of their personalities to match Roman values – for example, Mars (Ares) was more respected in Rome than Ares was in Greece!
Greek Names
- Original names
- Used in Greek myths
- What Homer wrote about
Roman Names
- Latin versions
- Used by Romans
- Names of planets!
Fun Fact: We use Roman names for planets because Renaissance astronomers knew Latin better than Greek!
The 12 Olympians: Name Translations
| Greek Name | Roman Name | Domain | Planet/Connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zeus |
Jupiter |
King of Gods, Sky | Largest planet |
| Hera |
Juno |
Queen, Marriage | Asteroid #3 |
 Poseidon |
Neptune |
Sea, Earthquakes | 8th planet |
 Demeter |
Ceres |
Harvest, Seasons | Dwarf planet |
 Athena |
Minerva |
Wisdom, War Strategy | — |
 Apollo |
Apollo |
Sun, Music, Prophecy | NASA missions! |
 Artemis |
Diana |
Hunt, Moon | — |
 Ares |
Mars |
War, Violence | The “Red Planet” |
 Aphrodite |
Venus |
Love, Beauty | 2nd planet |
 Hephaestus |
Vulcan |
Fire, Forge | Volcanoes! |
 Hermes |
Mercury |
Messages, Travel | 1st planet (fastest!) |
 Hestia |
Vesta |
Hearth, Home | Asteroid #4 |
Special Case: Apollo
Apollo is the ONLY Olympian god who kept the same name in both Greek and Roman mythology! The Romans loved him so much they didn’t change it.
Other Important Gods & Beings
Underworld Deities
| Hades | → Pluto |
| Persephone | → Proserpina |
| Hecate | → Trivia |
Titans (Older Generation)
| Cronus | → Saturn |
| Rhea | → Ops |
| Helios | → Sol |
| Selene | → Luna |
Minor Gods & Spirits
| Eros | → Cupid |
| Nike | → Victoria |
| Tyche | → Fortuna |
| Hypnos | → Somnus |
Heroes & Mortals
| Heracles | → Hercules |
| Odysseus | → Ulysses |
| Ajax | → Aiax |
| Achilles | → Achilles |
How Names Changed: Patterns to Notice
Some Stay Similar
Athena → Minerva
Hestia → Vesta
Hecate → Trivia
Complete Changes
Zeus → Jupiter
Ares → Mars
Cronus → Saturn
“-us” Endings
Many Roman names end in -us:
Plutus, Vulcanus, Mercurius
(Later simplified)
Where You See These Names Today
Planets
All planets (except Earth) are named after Roman gods:
- Mercury (messenger)
- Venus (love)
- Mars (war)
- Jupiter (king)
- Saturn (time/harvest)
- Neptune (sea)
- Pluto (underworld)
Calendar
Months and days use Roman names:
- January: Janus (beginnings)
- March: Mars
- May: Maia (growth)
- June: Juno
Days: Saturday = Saturn’s Day
Words We Use
- Cereal: from Ceres
- Jovial: from Jupiter/Jove
- Martial: from Mars
- Mercurial: from Mercury
- Volcano: from Vulcan
- Fortune: from Fortuna
Quick Memory Tricks
Rhyme Time:
“Zeus is Jupiter, the king so bright,
Hera is Juno, his queen in white”
Planet Connection:
If you know the planets,
you know 7 Roman names!
The “A” Rule:
Apollo and Achilles
kept their names the same!
Ready to Practice?
Now that you know both sets of names, you can understand stories from both Greek AND Roman sources!