Ancient Greek God, TitansAccording to ancient Greek god mythology, Titan Greek gods and goddesses ruled the Golden Age. They were called the Elder Gods. Although there are different literary interpretations and ancient sources of the Titan gods, most follow the idea that there were twelve Titan Greek Gods and goddesses, although some such as 'Bibliotheke' say that there was a 13th Titan Dione, a double of Theia. The Titanology that I will use is the six males called Titanes and six females, called Titanides or Titanesses, associated through their name by ocean, earth sun moon, memory and natural law. Ancient Greek mythology says the 12 first generation of Titans were ruled by one of the younger set of children, Cronus (Saturn), who overthrew their father Greek god Uranus (Heaven or Sky) at the urging of their mother Gaia (Earth), this might be were we get the saying, Mother Earth from. What do you think?
Oceanus, was the oldest child of Greek god Uranus and Gaia. He married Tethys and was the Titan Greek god of all the seas that surrounded land. He is also said to regulate the sun, moon and stars. He was a mild mannered god and did not join the rising against his father. It is suggested that he and Tethys had 3000 offspring, known as Oceanids. Each one represented one of the 3000 rivers, springs, lakes and wells that sprang from the great river Okeanos. Tethys,was a Titaness and the sea goddess, and the goddess of fertile waters, who was both sister and wife of Oceanus. According to ancient Greek mythology, she ruled the seas before Poseidon. Hyperion, sometimes called, Sun god or Titan of Light. Hyperion married his own sister Theia, and they had 3 offspring Helios(sun), Eos (Dawn) and Selene (moon). Theia, was Hyperions sister and wife. Theia means 'goddess'. Some ancient Greek mythology writers say she was the child of Eurynome whether that means physically or symbolically, I'm not sure. Coeus, Titan of intelligence fathered Asteria and Leto, who bore Zeus twins called Artemis and Apollo. Coeus was overthrown in the war with Zues and the other Olympians. Phoebe, was one of the original Titans, daughter of Uranus and Gaia. Phoebe was traditionally associated with the moon. Her lover was Coeus, her brother with whom she had three children Leto, Asteria and Hekate. Through Leto, she was the grandmother of Greek god Apollo and Greek goddess Artemis. Cronus, was the leader of the youngest set of children born to Greek god Uranus and Gaia. Her older children the Cyclopes, and the one hundred-armed giants (Hecatonchires) were hidden in Tartarus, a dark world by their father Uranus. Gaia missed her family and willed Zeus to help her to rescue her other offspring giants. Gaia gave Cronus a sickle and the means to ambush her husband. Cronus ambushed him and castrated him, throwing the severed member into the sea. From this spillage of blood came the Gigantes, Erinyes and Meliae. What fell into the sea became Aphrodite. For this, Uranus called his sons Titans. Some say because of this deed, Titaness Rhea, was the unlucky wife of Cronus and also his sister, and mother of Demeter. Greek god Hades, Hera, Hestia, Poseidon and of course Zeus. In art, Rhea is depicted with a chariot, pulled by lions as Cybele is, and is strongly associated with the Phrygian goddess Cybele Mnemosyne, is again daughter of Uranus and Gaia, and is said to be goddess of memory. Mythology suggests she slept with Zeus for nine consecutive nights and therefore created the nine Muses. Calliope was the muse of epic poetry. Clio was the muse of history. Erato was the muse of love poetry. Euterpe was the muse of music. Melpomene was the muse of tragedy. Polyhymnia was the muse of sacred poetry. Terpsichore was the muse of dance. Thalia was the muse of comedy. Urania was the muse of astronomy. When reading about Greek gods and goddesses. some prose stated she presided over a pool in Hades Kingdom, the ancient Greek underworld. The story is, dead souls who drank from the water source 'Lethe' did not remember their past live before moving on to be reincarnated. Mnemosyne gave back the gift of memory and creativity. 'The descent into Hades completed, the successful candidate returned to light clothed with the radiance of things seen and remembered'. Themis, one of the 6 sons/6 daughters of Gaia and Uranus. Themis means law of nature and she was very well respected. It is said that 'she of the lovely cheeks' offered Hera a cup of comfort when she returned to Olympus very distraught about fueding with Zeus. It is also said that Hera addressed her as 'Lady Themis', even though there are tales that although older in many years, Themis bore with Zeus, 'The Three Fates'. Themis is also associated with Morality, she is also said to be the final say when the fate of a mortal is under consideration. She is said to carry scales to weigh a persons virtue against another persons bad deeds. Crius, sometimes written as Kreios, that name means Ram. Some ancient writers of Greek gods say that he consorted with Eurybia and fathered Astraios and Pallas and also Perses. He was also involved in the eleven year war between the Greed gods, Titans and the Olympians but the Titanomachy does not say what part he played in this. Some do say after the war he was banished to the lower level of Hades, in the ancient Greek underworld. There may be an association with Aries, the ram of the zodiac sign but haven't found proof positive so far. I'll keep looking. Lapetus is the final child on the list, though not necessarily the youngest. It is normally written by the ancient mythologists that he was married to Clymeme or Asia who are both cited as mother of Atlas. He was also the father of Prometheus and epimetheus, and Atlas. Promeheus fought with Zues against the Titans. Children of the 12 Titans
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