Gods of War Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hindu

Kartikeya is also known as Murugan, Skanda, Kumaran, Kumara Swami and Subramaniya. He is the son of Shiva ('The Auspicious One' - one of the three chief Hindu deities) and Parvati (the goddess of love, fertility and devotion).

Kartikeya is typically depicted with Vel, the Divine Spear, and mounted on a peacock. Sometimes he is also carrying an array of other weapons, including a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow.

Answer: Aztec

Huitzilopochtli was also the patron god of Tenochtitlan, and the primary god of war among the pantheon of Aztec gods (many of which had war among their aspects). He wielded an atlatl known as Xiuhcoatl, which happened to be the same name as a mythological serpent believed to be the spirit form of the Aztec fire deity, Xiuhtecuhtli.

There are multiple stories that explain Huitzilopochtli's origin. One is that he was the youngest of four sons of the creator couple (Tonacatecutli and Tonacacihuatl. His brothers were Quetzalcoatl and the two Tezcatlipocas.

Answer: Babylonian

Nergal was worshipped through all the Mesopotamian cultures, (Babylonia, Akkad, and Assyria). He is the son of Enlil (god of breath, wind, loft and breadth) and Ninlil (who became the goddess of the wind upon her death). Depictions of Nergal typically show him as a lion, despite the translation of his name being 'dunghill cock'.

Answer: Slavic

Svetovid (also called Svantovit or Sventovit) is usually depicted with four heads, sometimes one facing in each direction, sometimes with two facing forward and two facing back. He also carries a bow or sword in one hand and a drinking horn in the other.

Answer: Egyptian

Neith was the patron deity of the city of Sais in the Western Nile Delta of Egypt. As her symbol she had two arrows crossed over a shield. As a goddess of war, it was believed that she made the weapons of warriors and guarded their bodies when they died.

Neith is one of the most ancient deities of the Egyptian pantheon, with depictions found that date back to the predynastic periods.

Answer: Chinese

According to legend, Chi You had a bronze head, four eyes and six arms, with each hand carrying a weapon. Yet what of his legend might be based on an historical figure? Chi You is also lauded as the leader of the ancient Nine Li tribe, who fought against the Yellow Emperor Huangdi (before he became the Yellow Emperor).

Answer: Hungarian (Magyar)

Hadúr is short for Hadak Ura, which translates as 'warlord' or 'lord of the armies' in Hungarian. He is the third son of Arany Atyácska (Golden Father) and Hajnal Anyácska (Dawn Mother), with his two older brothers being Napkirály (King Sun) and Szélkirály (King Wind).

He is depicted as a great man with long hair and with armour and weapons made of pure copper.

Answer: Celtic (Irish)

Badb (or Badhbh) is part of a trio of Irish war goddesses, along with her sisters, Macha and the Morrígan. Badb would take the form of a crow during battle and sow confusion amongst the enemy, or sometimes appear before a battle (or a person), foreshadowing imminent bloodshed.

Answer: Japanese

Takemikazuchi-no-kami came into being when Izanagi, the god of creation, severed the head of the fire deity Kagu-tsuchi, splattering his blood on the rocks. It was from this blood that several gods sprang. Legend has it that Takemikazuchi-no-kami participated in the first ever Sumo match.

Answer: Etruscan

Menrva is the equivalent goddess to the Greek Athena and the Roman Minerva, although she had qualities that were different from either of her counterparts. In non-Hellenic Etruscan art, she is depicted as a lightning thrower, while Etruscan art that was influenced by Greek culture tended to show her in helmet, spear and shield.