There were 12 major gods in Greek mythology, more than 300 in Nordic mythology, and over 2,000 worshiped in Ancient Egypt. There was the famed beauty Lo who Zeus was fond of, Hera turned her into a cow. It is not really the womens faults as Zeus could have made the women think that he truly loves them and that he doesnt love Hera. She holds two BAs (Arts and Archaeology) and is deeply passionate about ancient history, antiquities, and mythology, with a special interest in indigenous cultures, notably the ancient Maya. Chinese folkloric beliefs, therefore, stipulate that all, especially children, should worship Tian Hua Niang Niang when afflicted with pox diseases. They had Mars, the god of war, Neptune, the god of the sea, Bacchus, the god of wine, and many more. Born during the Qing dynasty, Hu Tianbao found himself attracted to an official of the local government, spying on him naked through a hole in his bathroom wall. His problems didnt stop with Zeus, they extended to all the gods. Old and wicked witch, Lowyatar, For minor deities known for a single function or by a single name, see: A number of figures from Greek mythology who were not part of Roman religious practice appear in Latin mythological narratives and as poetic allusions; for these names, see: "Roman pantheon" redirects here. Feared as a bringer of illness, he was associated with other destructive Aztec gods such as Tezcatlipoca. Bronze statuette of the Assyrian demon Pazuzu, , 1st millennium BC, bronze statuette, Muse du Louvre, Paris, Despite her dark supremacy, Lamashtu had a weaknessthe plague bringer, Pazuzu. This is the funniest comment ive read yet! On the advice of Omohi-Kane, cocks were set outside the cave in the hope their crows would make the goddess think that dawn had come." What follows is a list of the most evil and dangerous Greek Gods and Goddesses. Family: Son of El, Chief of Gods. Umesh Chandra Bhatt from Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, India on April 08, 2020: Good compilation. Antaeus 14. In the Imperial period, it expressed the invincibility of deities embraced officially, such as Jupiter, Mars, Hercules, and Sol. Hera 7. He was also the God of War. She was cunning and deceitful and could twist any situation to work in her interest. Enyo 11. Evil genius of Lappala, He is the equivalent of Jupiter of Roman mythology who is the King of all other Gods. They included Re, creator sun god; Isis, goddess of magic; Osiris, lord of the afterlife; Thoth, god of wisdom and the moon; and Horus, god of the sun. He was the god and demon of darkness, destruction, chaos, and evil. Such veneration, however, was not because Pazuzu could heal, but because of his aggressive and deadly nature. Made her couch along the wayside, Widely known worldwide as the ancient Greek god of the sun, music, prophecy, and the arts, it is often forgotten that Apollo was also one of the most feared plague gods in the classical world. The two brothers had particularly cruel personalities, truly revelling in the slaughter and destruction wrought by the often warring armies of Greece and the surrounding areas. In her rage, she had flown to the Red Sea, a place of ill repute, full of lascivious demons. Paragraph in the Book of Revelations foretelling the arrival of the White Rider. A lectisternium is a banquet for the gods, at which they appear as images seated on couches, as if present and participating. Others call him the Devil, Satan. Ampelus fell for the trick and soon after fell off the bull breaking his neck. Afrodita was the Goddess of love and beauty. He's the personification of all mortal sins, the scapegoat we use for our wrongdoings. This side to their personality can be evil, dangerous and incredibly destructive and goes well beyond normal behaviour. Hecate, while magic and witchcraft are associated to her, its not inherently evil. This extension of an Imperial honorific to major and minor deities of Rome and her provinces is considered a ground-level feature of Imperial cult. Phobos was often worshipped by many of the Greeks before great battles. If Hera punished Zeus for his actions I would agree, but instead she punished the innocent offspring and the women that Zeus mainly tricked or rapedShe made Heracles kill his own familyso disfiguring or killing innocents doesnt make you a good godIMHO I would say she was #1. Wikimedia CommonsLoki consumes a roasted heart (1911), Six Of The Craziest And Most Terrifying Gods Ever Described. He was the ruler of the underworld and king of the dead. Historically, the Aztec population was also decimated by disease outbreaks following the Spanish colonization of Aztec lands. Also, Cronos didnt eat his wife. Even vulgar Pazuzu could be said to have a "good" side. Angered by Tnes actions, Whiro became the embodiment of darkness and evil. The evil god Whiro is often confused with a hero of the same name: Whiro the voyager. Not the best of combinations. She could only be thwarted by an amulet inscribed with the names of three angelsSenoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelwhich was placed around a newborn babys neck. Read on to learn about five evil gods with spine-chilling backstories that might just keep you up at night. Greek Goddess Of Childbirth And Pregnancy. The existence of Belobog and Chernobog is attributed to the symbolism of peace and chaos, evil and good, day and night, and Light and darkness. After the couple was banished from the Garden of Eden, Lilith transformed into a demoness, vowing her revenge on all men. Also known as the "Jeweled Fowl" or the "Jade Turkey," Chalchiuhtotolin was an Aztec god of diseases and plague, as well as a symbol of sorcery. She turned up anyway and was refused entrance. Hera suspected Zeus was unfaithful with a nymph called Echo, she cursed Echo to only be able to speak the last words that were spoken to her. Hades God of the Dead and Riches and King of the Underworld. I so happy that in some or most of them, you show that they had the capacity for Light as well as darkness. Zeus, much like his father Cronus, had received a prophecy that if his wife, Metis, had a son then this son would kill Zeus. The first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the White Rider is strictly speaking, neither a plague god nor demon. "[25], Varro makes various claims for Sabine origins throughout his works, some more plausible than others, and his list should not be taken at face value. The brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades rules the underworld, the realm of the dead, with his wife, Persephone. He had four horses name Terror, Fire, Flame, and Trouble. Hephaestus God of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of sculpture. Phobeter 17. These were also placed in six male-female pairs. The Atheniens would sacrifice obscene amounts of animals in honor of her, even to the detriment of themselves at times. Despite his malicious appearance in the film. Some anthropologists have also likened Apollo to the Vedic deity Rudra, who was similarly able to induce sickness with his arrows, as well as purge illnesses. Unfortunately, the giant did have a companion the incredibly strong stallion Svailfari, who helped keep the city building right on schedule. On the fields of sin and sorrow; Many mythological beings are credited with dual natures, which I suppose is Man's effort at understanding natural forces beyond his control. In fact, he's one of the few that doesn't get involved in intrigues or has many paramours. Air deities may also be considered here as wind is nothing more than moving air. The final son was considered the most dreadful, which is why his name does not appear in any reliable text. To distract the stallion, he transformed himself into a beautiful mare and led Svailfari off into a distant forest. His opponents often found their untimely demise when coming across him in their travels. She could influence both god and human to make rash decisions and actions that would cause harm. Persephone was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Mars for example was the god of war. 2. Following which, he was also associated with other dreaded Egyptian gods such as Seth. As King of the Titans, Cronus wasnt much better of a ruler than his father. Another telling tale, when the first generation of men on the earth turned out to be too wicked for Zeus, he decided to have them all killed. A fragment from Ennius, within whose lifetime the lectisternium occurred, lists the same twelve deities by name, though in a different order from that of Livy: Juno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercurius, Jove, Neptunus, Vulcanus, Apollo.[15]. Yea Hera being #1 is something I would not object to, and neither would others, Im sure. . Many fables surround this next evil god and her fantastical vocations. [27] Varro, however, says that the altars to most of these gods were established at Rome by King Tatius as the result of a vow (votum).[28]. Eris 4. Instead, he was summoned by women to protect them from true evilLamashtu. She is also the goddess of witchcraft and sorcery; some say she was the first to use charms and spells. [citation needed], Varro uses the name Dii Consentes for twelve deities whose gilded images stood in the forum. Poseidon 16. He was the Titan God of time, and in particular destructive time. (Persephone), and Orcus (the punisher of broken . The meaning of the epithet indiges (singular) has no scholarly consensus, and noven may mean "nine" (novem) rather than "new". As revenge Hera told Apate to convince Semele to ask Zeus to show her his true form. The Most Evil and Dangerous Gods and Goddesses in Greek Mythology 1. When Poseidon lost a contest for the city of Athens against Athena he spent the rest of its existence working with armies that tried to take the city. Since she followed no mortal scale of morality these deaths could be seen as senseless and cruel at times. 18 Evil Greek Gods and Goddesses: Who Are They? , and some exist to torment humanity. Apophis was an impressive evil god of ancient Egypt. Cardea, Roman goddess of health, thresholds, door hinges, and handles; associated with the wind. 7) Liber The origin of Liber is mostly unknown he was definitely worshipped in Italy for quite some time, and was joined. Athena has appeared in many myths throughout the religion where she curses one or more people as a punishment for their wrong doing. Hades was not banished. Generally, it is described as the absence of good. However, evil also signifies the immoral nature of the human condition, where conflict and torment are the true roots of evil. i do too ive been studying it for a couple of years. It is said that he caused unexplained darkness like solar eclipses, storms, and earthquakes, and was often depicted as a huge serpent with tightly compressed coils: to be all-powerful, with an army of demons at his disposal. Poseidon struggled with his jealousy of Zeus, he put himself into a battle of always doing everything better. He was also often unfaithful to his wife Hera and had a number of children by these mistresses. She preyed on women during childbirth, kidnapped their newborns while they were breastfeeding, and then slew the babies to eat their flesh. The books of the Pontiffs are lost, known only through scattered passages in Latin literature. This was to make them somewhat relatable to the normal Greek person who themselves was fallible. Feared as a bringer of illness, he was associated with other destructive Aztec gods such as Tezcatlipoca. If thats not evil and twisted, im not sure what is. Detail of Original Sin and Banishment from the Garden of Eden. Many fables surround this next evil god and her fantastical vocations. Because Cronus had betrayed his father, he feared that his offspring would do the same. I have never seen anyone say that before! Feel some sympathy towards a guy who lost a lottery and has to rule the underworld. Zeus is actually evil as he stripped Poseidon and Hades off their powers for a pretty stupid reason. While some of their gods are adaptations of the Greek gods, some are original too such as the two-faced god of doorways . Like all cultures, they also had a rich and vibrant mythological background. A catastrophe in which many will perish too. The Iliad refers to them as the Erinyes, that under earth take vengeance on men, whosoever hath sworn a false oath.. The most evil and dangerous greek gods and goddesses. Some sources claim that the demonic offspring Lilith boreafter she left Adamwere the incubi and succubi, and sired by an archangel named Samael. 9 Gods of Healing From World Mythologies and ReligionsThough wrong to consider these gods as the natural opponents of plague gods, these deities still represent humankind's hopes of salvation from pestilence and diseases. Aphrodite's major symbols include myrtle, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans. Hecate gathered a cult like following all the way into Roman era mythology as well which did not bode well for her. I think, however mythical he is, he needs to be allowed to not be looked upon as an evil death god. On coins, calendars, and other inscriptions, Mercury, Saturn, Silvanus, Fons, Serapis, Sabazius, Apollo, and the Genius are also found as Invictus. If he felt insulted by someone or something, the consequences were dire. In some accounts, he is helpful to the gods. W.H. When a person died, it was believed that upon their descent into the underworld, they were eaten by Whiro. Jana is the Goddess of the Moon, said to have 2 faces. Every culture has its dark folklore, from evil gods like Egyptian Apophis to spiteful goddesses who devour newborns. This makes it hard to pinpoint what he actually looks like because nobody has seen him. That in and of itself is more nationalistic than anything, but when it came to what she asked her people to do for her it becomes a little less noble. The Erinyes 15. In others, he tries to cause as many problems as possible. His kingdom was named Tartarus and the entrance was guarded by the three headed dog Cerberus, a fearsome beast. He never took a wife, but he did cause Aphrodite to have an affair with him. The four brothers held down Uranus, the sky God, each holding down one corner. Ced Yong (author) from Asia on April 20, 2020: Thank you very much for your encouraging comment! (by kidnapping Persephone) Dont u like winter? I think that as he was the lord of the underworld he was feared, although Thanos was the God of death. For example, the second-century Greek Bishop Irenaeus viewed the horseman as none other than Christ himself, with the white wings of the horseman symbolizing the widespread acceptance of the Gospel. Cronus was the son of Uranus, God of the Sky, and Gaia, Goddess of the Earth. Gaia went to Zeus for help, he told Hades what was going on and Persephone loved Hades so she decided she would stay in Hades for 6 months of the year and be with her mother for the other 6. In one instance At visited Dionysus and the boy he liked, Ampelus. He valued death, he loved the sound of mourning and he would drink the tears of the bereaved. Sugawara no Michizane - Japanese Wiki Corpus. Hades has no power over it. Uranus had imprisoned some other brothers of Cronus, the 100-handed giants and the 1-eyed giants. The names of both Deimos and Phobos were feared and respected by soldiers across the battlefields of Greece. Ask any Japanese and the person would likely tell you that Sugawara is instead, the Shinto god of scholarly pursuits. to the . Turned her back upon the East-wind, As scholars also know from a. , which preserves the ritual against Lamashtu, she was also bribed away with offerings of small feminine objects, such as combs and fibulae. Coming in at number #1 above all other evil gods is the Mesopotamian goddess-demoness Lamashtu, the most terrible of all the female demons. Similarly, it was believed that the plague god that inflicted sickness on you, should be the one to immediately pray to for recovery. Each bit of flesh made him stronger so that eventually he would be powerful enough to break free of the netherworld, breach the surface, and devour everything. At 18. However, there are some Gods and Goddesses whose evil side can very often get the better of them. Her husband Zeus was always having affairs and while she did argue with Zeus about this, she more often took her anger out on the women or the children of these women. Despite his malicious appearance in the film The Exorcist, Pazuzu was not the most benevolent demon in ancient Mesopotamia. [6], Mater ("Mother") was an honorific that respected a goddess's maternal authority and functions, and not necessarily "motherhood" per se. She was the Goddess of Conflict, Strife, Discord and Contention. It is unknown whether Pazuzu did this because he felt sympathy for the expectant mothers or simply hated the demoness. Moros 12. The "goddess of the crossroads" is also the goddess of night, magic, necromancy, the Moon, and ghosts. Hades is not wrong. There, she bore a demonic brood of more than one hundred a day. Thats when Loki, still in mare form, became pregnant. [2], From the middle Imperial period, the title Caelestis, "Heavenly" or "Celestial" is attached to several goddesses embodying aspects of a single, supreme Heavenly Goddess. Her epithet was the beautiful maiden, but she was believed to have been a harlot and a vampire who, once she chose a lover, would never let him go, without ever giving him real satisfaction. he isnt evil, he asked for her hand in marriage and Zeus agreed and he only got her back because he didnt want demeter to starve the humans. Gods were called Pater ("Father") to signify their preeminence and paternal care, and the filial respect owed to them. Be it Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, Chinese, Japanese, Aztec, Mayan, you name it. Other major gods included Mars (god. A night deity is a goddess or god in mythology associated with night, the night sky, or darkness. Hera should have been placed farther back, but she deserves a spot. Hermes is credited as Pans father. Some accounts claim that the wind who impregnated Loviatar was the sea monster, Iku-Turso. She was often involved in all types of conflict, family arguments, blood feuds and wars over territory. The Fallen Angel. Pan 13. In her free time, Lara enjoys Painting by Numbers. Black in heart, and soul, and visage, Read more about them and youll understand why. Norse: Trickster god Parents: Frbauti and Laufey Consort: Angrboa (also Sigyn and Svailfari) Loki is somewhat of an enigma in Norse mythology, as many sources sharply vary in their retelling of his story. He unleashed upon the world a great flood and all but two perished. 9 deadly plague gods and demons from world mythology. It wasnt due to Hades kidnapping Persephone that caused winter, it was due to Persephones mother, Demeter, being irrational and throwing a hissy fit because mother daughter time got cut short and she has issues If youre still following, and think back on all those stories about the Greek gods and their interactions with each other and with mere mortals such as yourself, then Im sure you just realised that these gods seem pretty human, I mean, they actually have personalities, theyre flawed at times, but great at other times Theyre fleshed out far beyond just being a name with a place in a story. Some texts claim that Lilith was the first wife of the Bibles Adam and was created on par with him. The Roman deities most widely known today are those the Romans identified with Greek counterparts (see interpretatio graeca), integrating Greek myths, iconography, and sometimes religious practices into Roman culture, including Latin literature, Roman art, and religious life as it was experienced throughout the Empire. Hades was the son of Cronus and Rhea. If you look back at Greek mythology, Hades never did anything bad,and he only messed up one person,Pirithous,but thats because they tried to kidnap his wife. Moros as a representative for doom was not known for easy deaths that he could provide, rather most he presided over were violent and painful. This dissension, and the separation of Earth and Sky, was perceived as the moment in which evil first entered the world. Adam and was created on par with him. He had a deep and calculating rage and was often very jealous at the other Olympian Gods. The gods tried all manner of ways to persuade the peeved goddess to leave the cave. The overwhelming association with night time and witchcraft only containing evil and bad things earned Hecate her brand as evil not-so-accurate branding. They didnt decide to be born to Zeus. Very few made it into the underworld and returned, the only real success story is that of Heracles and the rescue of Theseus. Due to her bitterness and a subsequent inability to bear children, Lilith was also known to threaten women in childbirth. Thank you for sticking up for these crazy gods . People tend to think about Hades as the devil due to him presiding over the dead, and also due to terribly inaccurate Disney movies, but in all honesty hes doing his job, not only tending to the dead, but guarding Kronos who is imprisoned in Tartarus. Much like in Greece, Roman Gods and Goddesses were also arranged in couples: Jupiter-Juno, Neptune-Minerva, Mars-Venus, Apollo-Diana, Vulcan-Vesta and Mercury-Ceres. Thus were laid the basic conditions for the start of the Trojan War. Hers was just being fair, a husband just cant cheat on her!And Hades, well.he doesnt do all the things they said and also, he created winter. Close, but quite a few sources say it was just some sort of lottery. Regardless of who is who, Nergal was one of the most powerful and feared gods of pestilence in Mesopotamian faiths. From the middle Imperial era, the reigning Empress becomes Mater castrorum et senatus et patriae, the symbolic Mother of military camps, the senate, and the fatherland. Glaucus A fisherman who became immortal upon eating a magical herb, an Argonaut who may have built and piloted the Argo, and became a god of the sea. They were also very often joined by Ares sister Eris. Of note, Chalchiuhtotolins nahual, or animal shape, is that of a turkey and he is described as particularly fearsome when in this form. I disagree the inclusion of Hades in the list. Thanos is a Marvel supervillain, Thanatos is the God of Death. He was known as the father of diseasesdue to spawning the nine sonsand was related to the Scandinavian giants, who could shoot arrows into people, causing them to contract illnesses. STYX The goddess of the underworld river of hate, whose streams encircled the entire realm of the dead. Yam was the god of chaos and the sea for the ancient Canaanite, a semitic religion that existed in the Ancient Near East, from 2,000 B.C. He was a bloody minded character obsessed with killing, murder and slaughter. They commonly feature in polytheistic religions. However, whether this was to garner her protection or invoke her for sinister means remains a mystery. Coming in at number #5 of all evil gods is the Maori demon-god, Whiro. A Sami demon of illness and death, Ruohtta rode throughout Sami lands on a horse, spreading epidemics and death wherever he went. With pestilence still a major social concern in the modern century, could these ancient personifications of diseases still be at work? According to mythology, he was the brother of the light god, Tne, and born from Papa (Earth) and Rangi (Sky). Wars, natural disasters, diseases, all of the evil in the world is done, supposedly, by him. Brigantia - Brittonic goddess of the Brigantes Carpundia - a river goddess [1] Carvonia - a goddess in Noricum [6] Cathubodua - Gallic war goddess Caticatona - a Gallic water goddess in Rauranum [7] Cissonia - a Gallic goddess of trade, companion of Cissonius [4] Clota - hypothetical Brittonic goddess of the River Clyde [1] I have always been interested in mythology. Consumed by jealousy, Lilith turned into a snake and tempted Eve with the forbidden apple. Following his death, Japan was besieged by epidemics and disasters. She is known widely in witchcraft circles and still worshiped by practitioners to this day. She was fortunate to have known the late Mayanist, George. An ancient Mesopotamia deity, Nergal was an underworld god associated with death, war, and pestilence. The following groups, however, are numberless collectives. The Asgardians had run out of money to continue building Asgard, so Loki suggested hiring a giant to build it for them. The Morrigan is part of the Tuatha de Dannan. Moros is the personification of dreadful doom and is generally known as a hateful spirit. Lilith: Female Demon of Jewish Folklore Lady Lilith by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1867, via The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Many fables surround this next evil god and her fantastical vocations. The imagery of Phobos was also used on the shields of both Heracles and Agamemnon. Not really. Pater was found as an epithet of Dis, Jupiter, Mars, and Liber, among others. Varro[18] gives a list of twenty principal gods of Roman religion: Varro, who was himself of Sabine origin, gives a list of Sabine gods who were adopted by the Romans:[19], Elsewhere, Varro claims Sol Indiges who had a sacred grove at Lavinium as Sabine but at the same time equates him with Apollo. On the rare occasions tat he left Tartarus he would ride a chariot led by 4 black horses. List of Roman Gods and Goddesses A-Z All Roman Deities ADDucation's mega list of Roman gods and goddesses includes the parents, consorts, siblings, groups and titles of Roman gods and godesses. This temper of his could cause natural disasters on earth and he was also in the habit of throwing lighting bolts at random at characters walking around below. However, there are so many tales of Hera committing some jealous act of revenge. Apolo (Apollo) Apolo was a son of Zeus and represented the sun in Greek mythology. , 1867, via The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. It is also believed that no matter how many times he was challenged, he could never be entirely vanquished. This angered both Cronus and their mother Gaia. She was despised by many of the other gods and they often wouldnt choose to interact much with her. One of the deadliest diseases in Chinese history, smallpox was responsible for the death of innumerable Chinese throughout history; responsible too for the abrupt passing of Emperors Shunzhi and Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty. Antaeus was one of the giants that Poseidon fathered. Hestia, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter and Hera survived. According to the most common traditions, Hekate was originally a Thracian deity whoas both a Titan and the daughter of Zeushad power over the heavens and Earth. Heres How Covid-19 Ranks Among the Worst Plagues in History The worst plagues in known history. In contrast, others regard them as mere intangible manifestations of human fears. Even in invocations, which generally required precise naming, the Romans sometimes spoke of gods as groups or collectives rather than naming them as individuals. Lastly, the belief of Ruohtta spreading illness from horseback could be a metaphorical reference to the Norsemen.