What is Hermes the god known for?

Hermes is known as one of the 12 Olympian gods and is their herald and messenger, particularly for Zeus. Hermes is known for inventing many things such as the lyre, alphabet, and dice.

How is Hermes shown in art?

Hermes is usually shown in art with either a winged helmet or winged sandals. The wings signify his role as the messenger of the Olympian gods.

What powers does Hermes have?

Hermes is known for his great speed which made him ideal to be the messenger of the gods. He is also a bit of a trickster and he symbolised boundaries of all kinds, perhaps even the boundary between the gods and humanity.

Hermes

Definition

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 position, he came to symbolise the crossing of boundaries in his role as a guide between the two realms of gods and humanity.

More about: Hermes

Timeline

c. 330 BCE
Statue of Hermes sculpted by Praxiteles.