The Legacy of Gods series does not have one single, official family tree, because the gods and heroes in it come from multiple overlapping Greek myths, each with its own version of parentage. However, by combining the most widely accepted sources—Hesiod’s Theogony, Homer’s epics, and later Greek tragedy—you can map out a coherent family tree that connects the major figures in the series.
Where the Series Gets Its Gods
The Legacy of Gods series (often associated with the popular romance novels by Rina Kent, though the mythology itself is classical Greek) draws its divine characters from the standard Olympian pantheon. The core structure comes from Hesiod’s Theogony (c. 700 BCE), which is the oldest surviving Greek account of the gods’ origins. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey add details about specific relationships, and later playwrights like Aeschylus and Euripides contributed variations. In the series, the gods are depicted as modern or reimagined figures, but their genealogical links remain faithful to the ancient sources.
The Primordial Beginings: Chaos to the Titans
Before the Olympians, there were the primordial deities. According to Hesiod, the first being was Chaos (the void), followed by Gaia (Earth), Tartarus (the abyss), and Eros (desire). Gaia then produced Uranus (Sky) and married him. Their children were the twelve Titans: Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Tethys, and Cronus.
Cronus, the youngest Titan, castrated his father Uranus and took power, but he feared his own children would overthrow him. He swallowed each of them at birth. His wife Rhea saved the youngest, Zeus, by giving Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes instead. Zeus later forced Cronus to disgorge his siblings: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. This generation—the six children of Cronus and Rhea—forms the core of the Olympian family.
The Olympian Siblings and Their Offspring
The six siblings divided the cosmos: Zeus took the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld; Hestia tended the hearth, Demeter oversaw agriculture, and Hera became Zeus’s wife (though she was also his sister). Their unions and affairs produced the next generation of gods and heroes:
- Zeus and Hera: Their children were Ares (war), Hebe (youth), Eileithyia (childbirth), and Hephaestus (craftsmanship), though some myths say Hephaestus was born from Hera alone.
- Zeus and Leto (a Titaness): Twins Apollo (music, prophecy) and Artemis (hunting).
- Zeus and Maia (a Pleiad nymph): Hermes (messenger, trade).
- Zeus and Semele (a mortal princess): Dionysus (wine, ecstasy).
- Zeus and Metis (an Oceanid): Athena, who sprang fully armed from Zeus’s head.
- Poseidon and Amphitrite (a Nereid): Triton (sea herald). Poseidon also fathered the hero Theseus with Aethra, and the cyclops Polyphemus with the nymph Thoosa.
- Hades and Persephone: Their only child was Macaria (blessed death), though Persephone was also the mother of Zagreus in Orphic tradition, sometimes identified with Dionysus.
How the Family Tree Branches in Different Sources
Greek mythology is not a single canonical text, so the family tree shifts depending on which source you read. For example:
- Aphrodite’s birth: Hesiod says she was born from the severed genitals of Uranus, making her older than the Olympians. Homer, however, calls her the daughter of Zeus and Dione. The Legacy of Gods series generally follows the Homeric version for simplicity, but the Hesiodic version is equally valid in myth.
- Hephaestus’s parentage: In the Iliad, Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera. In Hesiod, Hera produces him parthenogenetically (without a father) to spite Zeus for giving birth to Athena alone.
- Persephone’s role: She is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter in most sources, but in some Orphic hymns, she is the mother of Dionysus (as Zagreus) by Zeus, making her both a sister and a mother figure in different cycles.
These variations are not errors—they reflect different regional cults and poetic traditions. The Legacy of Gods series, like many modern retellings, picks one version per character, typically the most familiar one from popular mythology books.
Common Misconceptions About the Tree
A frequent mistake is assuming that all gods are siblings or direct children of Zeus. In reality, the Olympian generation includes Zeus’s siblings (Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Hestia) and his children (Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, etc.). Another misconception is that Hades is evil or the devil—Greek myth does not equate him with a devil figure; he is simply the ruler of the dead, and he is not a son of Cronus in any variant, but rather the eldest male among Zeus’s siblings.
People also often confuse the Titans with the Giants. The Titans are the older generation who rule before the Olympians; the Giants are a separate race born from Gaia’s blood after Uranus’s castration, and they are not part of the direct Olympian lineage.
How the Series Uses the Genealogy
In the Legacy of Gods series, the family tree is mostly a backdrop for character relationships. The novels focus on the descendants of the gods—often demigods or cursed mortals—rather than the gods themselves. For instance, a character might be a child of Apollo, making them a grandchild of Zeus and Leto. The series uses the genealogy to justify powers, rivalries, and romantic entanglements. If you are reading the books, you do not need to memorize every branch; the key is knowing that Zeus is the patriarch, his siblings are the other founding Olympians, and most named gods in the series are either his children or grandchildren.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the parents of the main gods in the series?
The main gods are the children of Cronus and Rhea (Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia). Their children are the next generation, such as Athena (Zeus and Metis), Apollo and Artemis (Zeus and Leto), and Hermes (Zeus and Maia).
Is Aphrodite a daughter of Zeus?
In Homer’s version, yes—she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. In Hesiod’s Theogony, she is born from the sea foam created by Uranus’s severed genitals, making her a primordial being. The series likely uses the Homeric version for consistency.
Are Hades and Persephone related?
Yes. Hades is the brother of Zeus and Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, making her Hades’s niece. In Greek myth, such close unions were common among the gods, and their marriage was a central myth of the seasons.
Why does the family tree have so many versions?
Greek mythology was passed down orally and regionally for centuries before being written. Each city-state had its own patron gods and preferred genealogies. Hesiod’s Theogony is the most systematic, but it is not the only authority. Modern retellings like Legacy of Gods choose the versions that best fit their narrative.
Do I need to know the whole tree to enjoy the series?
No. The series explains each god’s role as they appear. Knowing that Zeus is the top god and that most others are his children or siblings is enough to follow the plot. The deeper genealogy is useful for understanding why certain characters have particular powers or feuds.
Related
- Mesopotamian Gods of Love: Inanna, Ishtar and Others
- Mesopotamian Gods of the Sky: Anu, Enlil and More
- Mesopotamian Gods of the Sun: Shamash and Utu
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