How Did Hades Influence Greek Mythology

Greek mythology is composed of a vast collection of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks such as stories of their gods and heroes and explanations given to unexplainable phenomenons. The gods were called Olympians and ruled from high above on Mount Olympus. Originally, six gods ruled on Mount Olympus, but with time, more gods were born and power was divided between them. Three brothers: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades took possession of the elements of the earth. Together they ruled the sky, weather, water, metals and the underworld. These three gods were influential and played a major role in the Greek’s everyday life. Because they were so influential, the brother’s stories are known to most.

Zeus was the ultimate ruler of the Olympian gods as well as the lord of the sky and weather. Zeus was characterized by the Greeks as a regal man, mature with a sturdy figure and a long beard. He is usually depicted with a lightning bolt, royal scepter or with an eagle. He married Hera, his sister, but was infamous for his numerous affairs. He took a great interest in the well-being and the actions of mortals. He made it his job to

watch over them and rewarded the truthful, charitable and fair while punishing those who were cruel and deceitful.
Rhea, Zeus’ mother, had six children and Zeus was the youngest. Cronus, Zeus’ father, learned of a prophecy that foresaw the day he would be overthrown by one of his children, so Cronus swallowed his children. When Zeus was born, Rhea devised a plan to feed her husband a rock as her supposed child, and hide him away on the island of Crete isolated from the rest of the world until the time came for him to defeat his father. Guarded by seven good-tempered giants called Curetes, Zeus spent his younger years being raised in the Diktaean Cave. The Greeks said that every time Zeus would cry, the giants would mask the crying by banging noisily on their enormous shields with their swords so Cronus would not hear Zeus.
Year passed and Zeus was now mature enough to battle his father and claim the Kingdom of the World. He declared war on Cronus and the Titans. His first action was to liberate his brothers and sisters from his father's stomach by tricking Cronus into taking a potion that would make him throw them up. With the help of his siblings, Zeus was ready to annihilate Cronus. For ten years, the six Olympians fought giants, monsters and Titans. The gods won battle after battle and Zeus overthrow the Titans. They were imprisoned in the depths of the underworld known as Tartarus where they could never escape.
Finally, the Kingdom of the World was in his grasp. To be fair, Zeus drew lots with his brother Poseidon and Hades to see who would ultimately rule. Zeus won the draw and became lord of the Earth and the Sky and the ruler of Mount Olympus.
Poseidon was the brother of Zeus and lord of the sea, rivers, flood and drought, earthquakes, and horses. He is second to Zeus in power among the Gods in Olympus. Poseidon is characterized as a middle- aged man with a muscular build and a long dark beard, holding a trident. He is married to Amphitrite, a granddaughter of the Titan Oceanus. Poseidon is worshiped by seamen but known to have a quarrelsome personality.
Poseidon was the second child of Rhea and was swallowed whole by his father, Cronus, at birth. After decades of being trapped in the stomach of his father, Zeus released Poseidon and his four other siblings by making Cronus throw them up. Poseidon then helped Zeus by fighting a ten year war alongside of him against the Titans. When they had succeeded in destroying the Titans, the power was divided and Poseidon became lord of the water and king of horses. Being the ruler of the seas, Poseidon built an underwater palace near Aegea in Euboea. Occasionally he would visit Mount Olympus but isolated himself in his palace deep in the sea.
Hades was the god of the Underworld, the lord of death and the dead.

He presided over funeral rituals and protected the right of the dead. Hades was also the lord of the hidden wealth of the earth from the gold, silver and other metals to the to the healthy seed-grain. Hades is characterized by the Greeks as a dark-beard, regal god. He always shown holding a bird-tipped sceptre. Hades desired a bride and Zeus offered him Persephone, daughter of Demeter. Knowing that the goddess would refuse marriage, he abducted her. Hades struck a deal Demeter and allowed Persephone to visit her mother half of the year. Because Persephone ate the fruit from Hades house, she was forced to stay in the Underworld the other half of the year. The common symbols of Hades are his helmet, that was used to keep him invisible and his three-headed dog,

Cerberus.
Like his five other siblings, Hades was swallowed by his father at birth and was eventually rescued by Zeus. He became one of the six original Olympians. Hades then fought beside his brother Zeus and Poseidon to defeat the Titans, and imprison them into the depths of Tartus. The war lasted ten years and when it was over and the Olympians had won, the three brothers divided power. When he drew lots with his brothers, he became lord of the dead and king of all metals that come from the earth. His role was to maintain balance in the underworld.