Hades is important word in many cultures. It is the name of the Greek god of the underworld as as a name given to the underworld itself.

Hades' name Greek means ‘unseen’, and it is said that he was born of two of the Titans, Chronos and Rhea. Hades three older sisters and two brothers, Poseidon and Zeus. Together with allies, the six children started a war with the Titans, in the Titans lost.

When the new gods took place among the pantheon on Mount Olympus, Hades became the ruler of the underworld. However, he was not really the evil figure that people made out to be. Instead, he was often simply passive, and even in some cases helpful to others.

Hades was not only the ruler of the underworld, but of the dead themselves. He employed demons to him keep order and became very angry when a soul tried to escape. Very few mortals were able to pass in and of Hades' realm, and those who survived a trip through the underworld considered heroes.

Although Hades is generally seen evil and horrifying, he was really more of a way for ancient Greeks to come terms with their ideas of death and afterlife. He ruled over the Elysian Fields (analogous to Heaven) as well as Tartarus (Hell), so he was not really similar to the Christian devil, as is widely believed. Instead, he represented a continuation of the soul after the body  .

Adapted from an article written by Richard Monk
(FactsMonk.com – a site with facts about everything)