Mysterious gods of Olympus

Book excerpt: The number of Greek Gods is huge since the ancient Greeks believed in many deities and spirits. Because knowledge of the world was limited in antiquity, the Ancients were attributing natural phenomena to higher powers. Gods and goddesses could be found everywhere and defined the lives of the people. The twelve gods of Olympus are the most famous ones and were indeed at the centre of the ancient Greek religion. The Olympians were a race of deities, primarily consisting of a third and fourth generation of immortal beings, worshipped as the principal gods of the Greek pantheon and so named because of their residency atop Mount Olympus.