The gods could be appeased by gifts; here, Herakles sacrifices a bull to Aphrodite
GETTY IMAGES X9, ALAMY X8
The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, meaning that they worshipped multiple deities as well as other supernatural beings. At the core of their religious system were 12 gods and goddesses known as the Olympians (see opposite page), who were venerated around Greece, as well as in Greek cities around the Black Sea and other colonies in the western Mediterranean. These deities existed within a hierarchy, with Zeus – king of the gods – holding the top position.