The ancient Greek religion included Zeus.
Ancient Greek religion . Many ancient Greeks recognized the twelve major ( Olympian ) gods and goddesses ( Zeus , Poseidon , Hera , Demeter , Athena , Ares , Aphrodite , Apollo , Artemis , Hephaestus , Hermes , and either Hestia or Dionysus ) , although philosophies such as Stoicism and some forms of Platonism used language that seems to assume a single transcendent deity . Artemis ( [ ˈɑːrtᵻmᵻs ] Ἄρτεμις , Modern Greek : Άρτεμις , Ártemis , [ ár.te.mis ] ) was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities . In the classical period of Greek mythology , Artemis was often described as the daughter of Zeus and Leto , and the twin sister of Apollo . Zeus . These resulted in many godly and heroic offspring , including Athena , Apollo , Artemis , Hermes , Persephone , Dionysus , Perseus , Heracles , Helen of Troy , Minos , and the Muses .