Dodecatheon

/ˌdoʊdɛkəˈθiən/ noun

Definition

In ancient Greek religion, a group or assembly of twelve gods; the principal or main twelve deities of a pantheon.

Etymology

From Greek 'dodeca' (twelve) + 'theos' (god). The term literally means 'twelve gods' and was used to describe the core pantheon of twelve Olympian deities in ancient Greek religion and mythology.

Kelly Says

The twelve Olympian gods—Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus—form the original dodecatheon, and this sacred 'set of twelve' influenced how Western culture organizes divine and symbolic systems.

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