The Structure of the Greek Universe
The ancient Greeks conceived a cosmos of three great realms: the bright heights of Olympus where gods dwell, the mortal Earth suspended in between, and the shadowy Underworld beneath. From primordial Chaos came order, and from the Titans came the Olympians who shape reality itself.
The Three Realms
After Zeus and his siblings overthrew the Titans, they divided the cosmos into three great kingdoms. This tripartite division structures all of Greek cosmology and mythology.
The Cosmic Order
🏔️ Olympus - The Heights
Ruler: Zeus, King of Gods
Mount Olympus, Greece's highest peak, serves as the divine palace complex where the twelve Olympians dwell in golden halls. Here they feast on ambrosia and nectar, debate mortal fates, and watch the world below. The summit touches the heavens themselves, wreathed in eternal clouds. No mortal may ascend without divine invitation.
🌍 Earth - The Middle Realm
Ruler: Mortals and local spirits
The mortal world, shaped like a flat disc surrounded by the river Oceanus. Here humans live their brief lives, build cities, wage wars, and worship the gods. The Earth is Gaia herself, the primordial mother, populated by countless nymphs, spirits, and monsters in addition to humanity. Sacred groves, temples, and oracles serve as bridges between mortal and divine.
💀 The Underworld - The Depths
Ruler: Hades and Persephone
Beneath the earth lies the vast realm of the dead, ruled by Hades and his queen Persephone. Surrounded by five rivers (Styx, Acheron, Lethe, Phlegethon, Cocytus), it contains Elysium for the blessed, the Asphodel Meadows for ordinary souls, and Tartarus—the deepest abyss—for the wicked and the imprisoned Titans. All mortals eventually journey here.
Explore the Underworld → | Learn about the Afterlife Journey →
Cosmic History
🌀 The Creation - From Chaos to Cosmos
In the beginning was Chaos—the primordial void. From Chaos emerged the first beings: Gaia (Earth), Tartarus (Abyss), Eros (Love), Erebus (Darkness), and Nyx (Night). Gaia birthed Uranus (Sky), who became her consort, producing the Titans. When Kronos overthrew Uranus and later Zeus overthrew Kronos, the current cosmic order was established.
🏛️ The Age of Titans
Before the Olympians, the Titans ruled during the Golden Age of humanity. Led by Kronos and Rhea, twelve great Titans governed the cosmos. This age ended with the Titanomachy (War of the Titans), when Zeus led his siblings to victory, casting most Titans into Tartarus and establishing Olympian rule.
🌌 The Primordial Deities
The first beings to exist, emerging from or being Chaos itself. These fundamental forces—Chaos, Gaia, Tartarus, Eros, Erebus, Nyx, Aether, Hemera—represent the basic building blocks of reality. They are more concepts than personalities, the raw essence from which all else descends.
Cosmological Concepts
⏳ The Five Ages of Man
Hesiod describes five declining ages: Golden (peaceful, ruled by Kronos), Silver (childish and impious), Bronze (warlike and violent), Heroic (age of great heroes), and Iron (current age of toil and sorrow). Each age declined in virtue and proximity to the gods.
🌊 The Rivers of the Underworld
Five rivers surround and flow through Hades: Styx (hatred/oaths), Acheron (woe), Lethe (forgetfulness), Phlegethon (fire), and Cocytus (lamentation). Souls must cross these waters, and the gods swear their most binding oaths by the Styx.
Related Across the Mythos
Zeus
King of the Gods
The Underworld
Realm of Hades
Mount Olympus
Mountain
Home of the Gods