List of Mycenaean deities

Many of the Greek deities are known from as early as Mycenaean (Late Bronze Age) civilization. This is an incomplete list of these deities and of the way their names, epithets, or titles are spelled and attested in Mycenaean Greek, written in the Linear B syllabary, along with some reconstructions and equivalent forms in later Greek.

Deities

Pantheon +NameNotesEnglishLinear BTransliterationCommentsFootnotesPantes Theoipa-si-te-o-i"To All the Gods"; a special invocation, irrespective of sex, etc.; recurrently attested at KnossosHiller (1997), page 206.Gulizio (2008), page 3ff.Linear B Transliterations: pa-si-te-o-i.

Gods +NameNotesEnglishLinear BTransliterationCommentsFootnotesAnemoi / a-ne-mo-i-je-re-ja / a-ne-mo,i-je-re-jaattested through *Anemohiereia or *Anemon Hiereia, "Priestess of the Winds"Gulizio (2008), page 4.Linear B Transliterations: a-ne-mo.Apollo(?)pe-rjo-, reconstructed a-pe-rjo-neperhaps attested through, though doubted, the lacunose perio, though it probably refers to HyperionR. S. P. Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2009, p. 118.Aresa-reLinear B Transliterations: a-re.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word a-re.Hägg (1997), page 165.Despotasdo-po-taunclear, perhaps house deity, euphemism for Hades meaning master(?)Linear B Transliterations: do-po-ta.Chadwick (1976), page 95.Dionysusdi-wo-nu-soson of Zeus, unknown whether wine god from early onPalaeolexicon: The Linear B word di-wo-nu-so.Dipsioidi-pi-si-jo-imeaning obscure: perhaps "The Thirsty and hence the Dead Ones" possibly referring to ancestor worship or slain gods possibly the Titans; perhaps related to Thessalian month DipsosLinear B Transliterations: di-pi-si-joBudin (2004), pages 235–236.García-Ramón, J.L., in Duhoux and Morpurgo Davies (2011), page 236.Drimiosdi-ri-mi-joson of Zeus, uncertain if son of Hera too, if not a separate god, perhaps title for Apollo, Dionysus or Ares(?)Ventris and Chadwick (1973).Enyaliuse-nu-wa-ri-joa later epithet of Ares, or his son with Enyo, maybe a title for his father Zeus.Schofield (2007), page 160.Hephaestusa-pa-i-ti-joregarded as indirectly attested by the name *Haphaistios or *Haphaistion, presumed to be a theophoric nameChadwick (1976), page 99.Trzaskoma et al (2004), page 443–446.Linear B Transliterations: a-pa-i-ti-jo.Hermese-ma-*25 or e-ma-haGarcía-Ramón, J.L., in Duhoux and Morpurgo Davies (2011), page 230.Gulizio (2000).Linear B Transliterations: e-ma-a2.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word e-ma-ha.Areiasa-re-jaepithet (Hermes as war god)Linear B Transliterations: a-re-ja.Hyperionpe-rjo-, reconstructed u-pe-rjo-neperhaps attested through the lacunose perio if it doesn't refer to ApolloLogozzo and Poccetti, p. 644Marineus(?) / / ma-ri-ne(-u?) / ma-ri-ne-we / ma-ri-ne-wounknown deity, perhaps "God of the Woolens", meaning obscure, perhaps Pan.Castleden (2003), page 122.Linear B Transliterations: ma-ri-ne, ma-ri-ne-we.Pade(?) / pa-de / pa-de-ipossibly unknown god, thought to be Cretan, Minoan in origin, or maybe Zagreus as the divine child.Linear B Transliterations: pa-de.Paeanpa-ja-wo-necould be a medical epithet of Apollo but could also very likely be a separate deityLinear B Transliterations: KN V 52+.Chadwick (1976), page 89.Poseidon / po-se-da-o / po-se-da-wo-nechief deityLinear B Transliterations: po-se-da-o.Enesidaone-ne-si-da-o-neepithet of Poseidon meaning "Earthshaker", and a similar epithet was used by Hesiod when pairing Poseidon with AmphitriteLinear B Transliterations: e-ne-si-da-o-ne.Trisherosti-ri-se-ro-etheonym, "Thrice-Hero"; thought to attest, and pertain to, the veneration of the dead or the TritopatoresPalaeolexicon: The Linear B word ti-ri-se-ro-e.Linear B Transliterations: ti-ri-se-ro-e.Wanaxwa-na-ka-te"The King"; in this case, it is considered to be a theonym in the dative case, perhaps as an epithet of Poseidon and ZeusLinear B Transliterations: wa-na-ka.Zephyrusze-pu2-roOne of the wind godsZeus / di-we / di-woGod of the skyLinear B Transliterations: di-we.Palaeolexicon:The Linear B word di-we; The Linear B word di-wo.Diktaiosdi-ka-ta-jo di-welocal epithet of Zeus on CreteLinear B Transliterations: di-ka-ta.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word di-ka-ta-jo.Glaucuska-ra-u-kocould be the theonym of the hero turned god Glaucus, but possibly just a mortalNereus(?)ne-re-ucould be the theonym of the sea god Nereus, could also be Neleus, the King of Pylos(?)

Goddesses +NameNotesEnglishLinear BTransliterationCommentsFootnotesArtemis / a-te-mi-to / a-ti-mi-tePalaeolexicon: The Linear B word a-ti-mi-te.Diwia / di-u-ja / di-wi-japossibly the female counterpart of Zeus, possibly Dione in later GreekDemeter (?)(?)Damate in Linear A and BGaia(?) (?)(?)perhaps attested through Ma-Ga, meaning Mother Earth, but could also refer to Demeter, whose name also means Mother EarthDoqeia(?)do-qe-japossibly an unknown goddess but could be only a feminine adjectiveNosch, Marie-Louise, in Fischer-Hansen and Poulsen (2009), page 22.Linear B Transliterations: do-qe-ja.Eileithyiae-re-u-ti-jaattested in the Cretan Eleuthia form; perhaps Minoan in origin(?)Linear B Transliterations: KN Gg 705, KN Od 714+.Linear B Transliterations: e-re-u-ti-ja.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word e-re-u-ti-ja.Selene (?)(?)perhaps attested through meno, meaning month, related to Selene's epithet MeneEosa-wo-i-joperhaps attested through a personal name Ἀϝohιος related to the word for dawn, or dative form ĀwōiōiLuján, Eugénio R. "Los temas en -s en micénico". In: Donum Mycenologicum: Mycenaean Studies in Honour of Francisco Aura Jorro. Edited by Alberto Bernabé and Eugenio R. Luján. Bibliothèque des cahiers de L'Institut de Linguistique de Louvain Vol. 131. Louvain-la-Neuve; Walpole, MA: Peeters. 2014. p. 68.Lejeune, Michel. "Une présentation du Mycénien". In: Revue des Études Anciennes. Tome 69, 1967, n° 3–4. p. 281. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/rea.1967.3800]; www.persee.fr/doc/rea_0035-2004_1967_num_69_3_3800Nakassis, Dimitri. "Labor and Individuals in Late Bronze Age Pylos". In: Labor in the Ancient World. Edited by Piotr Steinkeller and Michael Hudson. Dresden: ISLET-Verlag. 2015 . p. 605. .Davies, Anna Morpurgo (1972). "Greek and Indo-European semiconsonants: Mycenaean u and w". In: Acta Mycenaea, vol. 2 (M.S. Ruipérez, ed.). Salamanca: Universidad de Salamanca. p. 93.Jorro, Francisco Aura. "Reflexiones sobre el léxico micénico" In: Conuentus Classicorum: temas y formas del Mundo Clásico. Coord. por Jesús de la Villa, Emma Falque Rey, José Francisco González Castro, María José Muñoz Jiménez, Vol. 1, 2017, pp. 307. .Chadwick, John, and Lydia Baumbach. "The Mycenaean Greek Vocabulary". In: Glotta 41, no. 3/4 (1963): 198. Accessed March 12, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40265918.Irisi-riperhaps attested at Pylos through îrisErinyes / e-ri-nu / e-ri-nu-weboth forms of the theonym are considered to be in the singular, Erinys, in the Arcadian myth refers to Demeter and also used as an epithet for Demeter by PausaniasLinear B Transliterations: e-ri-nu.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word e-ri-nu-we.Herae-rapossibly wife of Zeus from early onPalaeolexicon: The Linear B word e-ra.Iphemedeiai-pe-me-de-jatheonym; probably variant form of Iphimedia, name of a mythological person found in Homer's OdysseyPalaeolexicon: The Linear B word i-pe-me-de-ja.Komawenteia(?)ko-ma-we-te-japossibly unknown deity, possibly meaning "long-haired goddess"Palaeolexicon: ko-ma-we-te-ja.Leto / ra-ti-jo / ra-toperhaps attested through the forms LatiosBeekes 2009, pp 858-859. and LatoManasama-na-saunknown goddessCastleden (2003), page 112.Linear B Transliterations: ma-na-sa.Mater Theiama-te-re,te-i-japossibly "Mother of the Gods" (Rhea or Gaia?) or Mother Theia, probably mother of Helios, Selene and Eos from early on(?)Burkert (1985), page 44.Pipitunapi-pi-tu-naReconstructed as * (Píptynna); unknown deity, considered to be Pre-Greek or MinoanLinear B Transliterations: KN Fp 13.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word pi-pi-tu-na.Posidaeiapo-si-da-e-japrobably the female counterpart to Poseidon, most likely early name for AmphitritePotniapo-ti-ni-ja"Mistress" or "Lady"; may be used as an epithet for many deities, but also shows up as a single deityLinear B Transliterations: Po-ti-ni-ja.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word po-ti-ni-ja..Potnia Athenaa-ta-na-po-ti-ni-jaPotnia At(h)ana, early variant name of AthenaPotnia Hippeiapo-ti-ni-ja,i-qe-jaMistress of the Horses; later epithet of Demeter and AthenaPotnia of Sitossi-to-po-ti-ni-jaMistress of Grain; Bronze Age reference to DemeterLinear B Transliterations: si-to-po-ti-ni-ja.Potnia of the Labyrinthda-pu2-ri-to-jo,po-ti-ni-jaPotnia, at Thebespo-ti-ni-ja,wo-ko-deof no attested name or title, other than that offers are made to her house, her premises likely the SphinxLinear B Transliterations: wo-ko-de.Potnia, of unidentified Pylos sanctuarypo-ti-ni-jaunknown local(?) goddess of pa-ki-ja-ne (*Sphagianes?) sanctuary at PylosLinear B Transliterations: pa-ki-ja-ne.Potnia, of uncertain A place or epithetpo-ti-ni-ja,a-si-wi-jaMaybe Aphrodite as/or Astarte when she was introduced into Greece/Aphrodite identified with Astarte(?)Linear B Transliterations: a-si-wi-ja, a-*64-ja.Potnia, of unknown E place or epithete-re-wi-jo-po-ti-ni-jaanother name for Hera(?), or maybe an early reference to Eris, but uncertainPotnia, of unknown N place or epithetne-wo-pe-o,po-ti-ni-jaPerhaps Nike(?) or Nyx(?), highly unlikelyPotnia, of unknown U place or epithetu-po-jo-po-ti-ni-jaPerhaps Euphrosyne(?), highly unlikelyPotnia, of unknown ? place or epithet(?)-a-ke-si,po-ti-ni-jaPerhaps Hecate(?), highly unlikelyPreswa(?)pe-re-*82 or pe-re-swagenerally interpreted as an early name of PersephoneBurkert (1985), pages 45, 364.Qerasia(?)qe-ra-si-jaunknown goddess, perhaps Minoan in origin or possibly connected with thērLinear B Transliterations: qe-ra-si-ja.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word qe-ra-si-ja.Qowia(?)qo-wi-jaepithet for Hera, possibly meaning "She of the Cow(s)" or "cow eyed"Palaima (2006), page 66.Wanasso(?)wa-na-so-i"The Two Queens", possibly Demeter and Persephone; *wanassojin(?) regarded as a dative dual formPossible goddesses(?)(?)(?)A possible sun goddess, predecessor to Helios(?), and possibly related to Helen(?). No unambiguous attestations of words for "sun" have yet been found, though the Mycenaean word for "sun" is reconstructed as *hāwélios.

Heroes, mortals and other entities or concepts NameNotesEnglishLinear BTransliterationCommentsFootnotesProteuspo-ro-te-ucould be the theonym of the sea-god Proteus, but probably just the anthroponym of a nobleman(?)Linear B Transliterations: po-ro-te-u.Palaeolexicon: The Linear B word po-ro-te-u.Deucalionde-u-ka-ri-jocould be Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, but probably just the anthroponym of a nobleman(?)Theseuste-se-ucould be Theseus, the King of Athens, but probably just the anthroponym of a nobleman(?)Achillesa-ki-re-ua wealthy, high-ranking warrior at Knossos recorded as owning a chariot and two sets of armorHectore-ko-toon multiple tablets; typically listed as a regular craftsman or workerTantalusta-ta-romost likely a regular random mortalCastorka-toused as an everyday personal nameAjax(?)ai-wauncertainAugeasa-u-ke-waking of Elis(?)Alectryon a-re-ku-tu-ru-wopossbibly a regular workerOresteso-re-tason of Agamemnon in myth, recorded as a real shepherd in the Pylos archivesEteoclese-te-wo-ke-re-we-i-joprince of Thebes(?)Glaucuska-ra-u-kocould be the theonym of the hero turned god Glaucus, but possibly just a mortalClymenusku-ru-me-nomythological king of Orchomenus, name appears several times in Mycenaean talliesNeleus(?)ne-re-uKing of Pylos(?), could also be the theonym of the sea god Nereus(?)Pandaruspa-da-roa prominent Trojan archer in the Iliad, found on Mycenaean administrative tallies

List of Mycenaean deities

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