Most of us are well aware of the heroics of the ancient Greek gods. But the goddesses from ancient Greek mythology are no less important in terms of popularity and symbolic significance. Just like the Olympian gods, most of the ancient Greek goddesses resided in the realms of the heavens above Mount Olympus (though there were quite a few exceptions too).

Aphrodite

What better place to begin our surreal exploration of mythical Goddesses than with the Goddess of love and fertility herself. She had a magic girdle, which would make her irresistible to every man. She was known to sometimes lend it out as well. She is said to have sprung from the blood of Uranus, when Cronus castrated him and threw his bloody organ in the sea. Many stories seem to imply a certain ditzy, \'beauty without brains\' character; but if we can lust after Kim Kardashian, surely we can lust after this Greek Goddess! Besides, it seems like there was more to her than met the eye. Her gentle, pure ways were often overshadowed by her equally fierce and whorish ways. A beautiful woman with many masks--we don\'t know about you, but that definitely gets our engines roaring!

Artemis

She is the Goddess of Hunt. In the kind of world we live in, there\'s nothing like a fiercely, independent woman, with her own quiver full of silver arrows. The daughter of Zeus and Leo, this Moon Goddess was stunningly beautiful but still swore never to marry! What makes her even more tempting and fascinating is that she was known as \'The Protector of Young Women\' as well as a midwife. More interesting still is that people worship her in completely different ways, ranging from the dark human sacrifice to women dressing up like bears and dancing!

Andromeda

This may sound like a constellation, which is in fact, exactly what this Goddess is said to have been turned into. But the fact remains that she was one of the most charismatic, striking Greek Goddesses around. Her only misfortune was to be born to the vain Cassiopeia who happened to boast that she was as beautiful as the Nereids. This angered Poseidon (Sea God) who sent a barrage of sea monsters to ravage the coastline. Upon seeing the devastation, her own mother feared for herself. So she tied Andromeda to a rock in sacrifice as an oracle instructed her to do and left her for the dead. Luckily, the hero Perseus saved her on the condition that he win her hand in marriage. There were a few more problems along the way, but ultimately, Andromeda bore him seven children and became queen of Mycenae. After her death, she was turned into a constellation, as was the sea monster who became the constellation Cetus.

Hera

Few Greek Goddesses have been depicted quite as wondrously--at least pictorially--as Hera, the Goddess of Marriage and Birth. She is also known to be a Goddess of Skies and Starry Heavens. She is, of course, described as a woman of unparalleled beauty. She wears a crown and holds a royal, lotus-tipped staff, and is often holding a royal lion or hawk as well.She comes across, time and again, through her many myths, as a woman of fiery temperament who\'s very sure of herself. Something about her seems incredibly unattainable, and we all know how much all men love that quality in a woman!

Athena

Commonly portrayed as one of the most benevolent Goddesses--strong, fair and merciful--we can\'t think of a beautiful Greek Goddess more suited to take home to your mom. Unfortunately, romance and marriage were never major themes in her life, despite her distinguished beauty--and she is also one of the three virgin Goddesses. She\'s the classic example of beauty with brains because she is the Goddess of Wisdom, Justice and War. Her birth story is incredibly powerful and goes something like this: When Metis was pregnant with Zeus\' child, he feared it would be a son more powerful than him so he swallowed her whole. Metis fashioned a robe and helmet for this daughter and the hammering of this helmet caused Zeus an awful headache. To ease his pain, he had his son split his skull open with a might ax and out came the astoundingly beautiful Athena, fully grown and wearing the robe and helmet. Zeus was so taken aback by his daughter\'s beauty and intelligence that she immediately became his favorite.

Venus

She was a true paradox in the sense that she was a Goddess of Chastity, yet she was well known for her innumerable affairs--with both mortals and immortals. The Goddess of Love and Beauty as well, her name is the only one that became entirely synonymous with the role of being a woman that all men desire!While she is worshipped as a mother, she had no real parents, and seems to have been fashioned out of a force of nature. She is the bringer of good fortune, the \'mother\' of all people and the protector of feminine chastity.

Gaia

Poetically described to be the ultimate beautiful and voluptuous woman, Gaia is in fact, Goddess of the Earth!  She brought forth a companion, Uranus, from within her own body! Being the all-encompassing Nature Goddess she was always worshipped in the open as well. The Greeks also believed that an oath sworn by Gaia was by far the most powerful one, because no one could escape Earth herself!We\'re totally picturing a Goddess version of Scarlett Johanssen, dressed in nothing but a few strategically-placed leaves. Enough said!