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Hermes
Hermes was the ancient Greek god of trade, wealth, luck, fertility, animal husbandry, sleep, language, thieves, and travel. One of the cleverest and most mischievous of the 12 Olympian gods, Hermes was their herald and messenger. In that...
Video
Hermes: Greek God, Trickster and Messenger to the Gods
Hermes was the Ancient Greek god of trade, wealth, luck, fertility, animal husbandry, sleep, language, thieves, and travel. He is known as the trickster of the Greek pantheon, and most recognisable is his position as the Messenger to the...
Definition
Thoth
Thoth is the Egyptian god of writing, magic, wisdom, and the moon. He was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt alternately said to be self-created or born of the seed of Horus from the forehead of Set. As the son of these two deities...
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Hermes Ludovisi
Roman marble copy from the late 1st century CE - early 2nd century CE after a Greek original of 450-440 BCE (right hand restored). Possibly here as Hermes Psychopompos, leader of souls - the left hand beckons. Part of a monument in Athens...
Definition
Lyre
The lyre was a stringed musical instrument played by the ancient Greeks. It was probably the most important and well-known instrument in the Greek world. The lyre was closely related to the other stringed instruments: the chelys which was...
Collection
The 12 Olympian Gods
The 12 gods of Mount Olympus were the most important deities in ancient Greece. In this collection, we examine each of the 12 in detail. With their all-too-human qualities in Greek mythology, the Olympian gods were capable of displaying great...
Article
The Desecration of the Statues of Hermes, 415 BCE
On 7 June 415 BCE, various statues of the god Hermes were desecrated in Athens. The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) had been raging for decades as one of the biggest civil wars in Ancient Greece, and the Athenians prepared for the expedition...
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The Atalante Hermes
The Atalante Hermes from Atalante, Phthiotis, 2nd century CE. The figure is a funerary statue of a youth in the guise of the god Hermes. (National Archaeological Museum, Athens)
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Hermes' Winged Sandal
A detail of a marble statue of Hermes showing one of the messenger god's winged sandals. 19th century CE plaster cast from the 1st century BCE bronze original. (Archaeological Museum, Pavia, Italy)
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Hermes Loghios
Hermes Loghios; 2nd century CE copy of 5th century BCE bronze attributed to Phidias; Restored by Alessandro Algardi in 17th century CE, he added the right arm; Palazzo Altemps in Rome, Italy
