Everything you need to know about Hades

Greek God of the Dead and King of the Underworld

In Greek mythology, Hades, the god of the underworld, was the first-born son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Hades was the god of the underworld and the name eventually came to also describe the home of the dead as well. He had three older sisters, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera, as well as a younger brother, Poseidon, all of whom had been swallowed whole by their father as soon as they were born. Zeus was the youngest child and through the machinations of their mother, Rhea, he was the only one that had escaped this fate. Upon reaching adulthood, Zeus managed to force his father to disgorge his siblings. After their release, the six younger gods, along with allies they managed to gather, challenged the elder gods for power in the Titanomachy, a divine war. 

Hades, god of the underworld

The war lasted for ten years and ended with the victory of the younger gods. Hades and his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeated their father and the Titans to end their reign, claiming rulership over the cosmos. They agreed to split their rule with Zeus becoming god of the skies, Poseidon god of the sea and Hades god of the underworld. Hades received the underworld, the unseen realm to which the souls of the dead go upon leaving the world as well as any and all things beneath the earth. Some myths suggest that Hades was dissatisfied with his turnout, but had no choice and moved to his new realm.

According to Iliad, Hades’ dominion lies between secret places of the earth. According to the Odyssey, one must cross Ocean to get there.  He was later known to the Greeks as Plouton, which the Romans pluralized to Pluto. The Etruscan god Aita and the Roman gods Dis Pater and Orcus were eventually taken as equivalent to Hades and merged into Pluto, a Latinization of Plouton itself a euphemistic title often given to Hades.

The god of the underworld was married to Persephone, the daughter of Demeter , whom he obtained through deception after abducting her to the underworld and giving her the forbidden fruit pomegranate, forcing her to remain in the underworld with him for one third of each year. Hades was depicted as stern and unyielding, unmoved by prayer and sacrifice. Hades had a cap or helmet that made its wearer invisible.

Hades and his wife, Persephone

His wife was Persephone, Demeter’s only daughter, whom he kidnapped and made his queen.

He was also called the God of Wealth or “the rich one” because he possessed the precious metals of the earth.

Cerberus was a three-headed dog who guarded his realm; the ferryman Charon was another one of the underworld’s attendees.

Though Hades is the King of the Dead, he should not be confused with Death itself, which is personified by Thanatos. Hades rarely left the underworld. His presence was not welcomed by men or by gods. Hades took pride in collecting “subjects” for his kingdom and was disinclined to let anyone leave. His dominion was separated from the land of the living by the following rivers: Styx, Lethe, Acheron, Phlegethon, and Cocytus. Hades employed the Furies, who were responsible for torturing the guilty.