Ancient Greek Mythology

Ancient Greek Religion

Ancient Greek Mythology

Ancient Greek religion represents all religious beliefs, cults, and rituals of the population in between 2100 and 1900 BCE which settled the southern area of the Balkan Peninsula, as well as islands in the Aegean Sea. Immigrants had, together with the natives who happened to be there, accomplished the most complex pre-Christian religion of Europe. Ancient Greek religion had an influence on the understanding of the various peoples who inhabited the Mediterranean and the Black Sea coast, especially those living in the Apennines. As Christianity became one of the dominant religions, many characters from Greek mythology have emerged as important factors of that religion, or saints. This big influence of Greek religion can be explained by its humanism, as well as its ability to assimilate with other religions. Ancient Greek religion may be reconstructed on the basis of literary, historical, mythological and archeological sources. Literature represents the most reliable source. Almost all sources, from Homer to Julian the Apostate, contain mythological and religious components. Archaeological research has enabled the detailed study of their shrines and objects used in rituals. Greek fine art is mainly related to religion and myths. Thanks to all this, we succeeded in  examining even local cults and religion, except the secret, mystical cults, because their participants were bound to silence. The earliest phase of this religion is linked to the Middle Bronze Age (1900-1550 BCE) We can observe the history of Greek religion through four phases: Homeric or geometric period (of about 1200th-800th BCE) This period is called Homeric because we can mostly learn about it from Homer and Hesiod's poems. It was the period of immigration and the final stabilization of the Greek tribes. Homer created in his work the world of gods and heroes, who are primarily described to satisfy the aristocracy. This world is different from the one in later epochs, mostly because of the fact that it has no room for the irrational and mystical. There are some connections between previous Mycenaean period and this period. For example, they took many deities from Mycenaean such as Zeus, Poseidon, and Apollo. Under the influence of Eastern religions, they established the pantheon of twelve Olympian gods. The basic characteristic of the gods in this period was anthropomorphism. The gods are subject to feelings, injuries, and have other disadvantages. They are not omnipotent and omnipresent. Even Zeus, the supreme god, must comply with the will of Moira, or fate. People are fully subordinate to the will of the gods and depend on their mood. 

Homer’s poems indicate that, at this period, the cult of the dead was not developed. Instead, it emphasizes the idea that souls of the dead are residing in the Kingdom of the Dead, ruled by Hades and Persephone. 

However, archaeological findings suggest otherwise; during this period the dead were buried with food and drink which gives us the idea of continuing the life in the grave. Unlike Homer, Hesiod introduces the dimension of time in the static world of the gods, and creates the history of the world from the very beginning. He systematized mythological material and introduced the gods who were unknown to Homer, such as Hestia, Prometheus, and Pandora. 

That is how the myth of the shift of the ruler of the world, from Uranus, over Chron, to Zeus and his posterity, was created. Archaic period (from 800th to 500th BCE) During this period, we can see two reli  gious movements: Dionysian-Orphic and Apollonius. 

The first was the cult of the god Dionysus, who is perhaps more established in the Mycenaean. Members of this cult were mostly women, called maenads. 

Maenads were practicing sparagmos / dismembering the wild animal / and eating raw meat with the aim of becoming one with the god, Dionysus. 

The cult of the god Apollo developed as a response Dionysian-Orphic cult. 

This cult is different from the previous one, as it called for reason and order. This period begins with the first Greek colony or polis. Each polis had its own patron deity, which was perfect for the flourishing of local cults, but also Greek shrines, deities, and cults. 

This period is characterized by a special construction of temples that were built on the Acropolis and Agora, or in the city center, as a stand-alone facility. The temples were dedicated to the gods and represented their home. 

An important novelty is the introduction of a cult of hero. A hero and his heroic acts constituted the legendary history of the polis. Classical period (from 500th to 338th BCE) 

Greek philosophy, in this period, attempted to explain many phenomena, which were attributed to the myth or the divine forces, as natural. Philosophers such as Anaximander and Xenophanes and many others, believed that religion and myth were nothing but deception. On the other hand, the myth and official religion were accepted, especially after 650 BCE.  The victory over the Persians had the consequence that many of local gods raised to the rank Panhellenic deities, especially those who "helped" the Greeks to defeat the enemy. 

This way, Akkadian god Pan was widely accepted in Athens because, it was believed, that he helped the Greeks at the Battle of Marathon. Although the government took over the care of religious ceremonies, the people were still living the old religion characterized by mysticism and archaic magical rituals. 

The reason was the pessimism and resignation in people because they had to obey the gods that governed everything, even their destinies. Conflicts between Greek cities  in the second half of the fifth-century BCE culminated during the Peloponnesian War, which led to the religious crisis. This was also due to the great tragedians, especially Euripides. At the end of the century, and during the following, the elite of Greek society moved away from traditional religion to an abstract religiosity or atheism. 

As a result, between ordinary people, emerged many cults with, even more deities. The final dissolution of religion in this period happened after the conquests of  Alexander the Great. 

His death also led to the end of this period.  

Hellenistic-Roman period (from 338 BCE to the end of the fourth century) During the Hellenistic- Roman period, philosophers continued to derogate the traditional gods and myths. 

They held that myths were exaggerated stories describing the real events and that their actors were ordinary people, not deities. Meanwhile, gods were losing their supernatural powers, and the same powers were very often attributed to the ordinary mortals. 

Since the period of the Alexander the Great, it became a common practice to raise the ruler to the level of deity. Therefore, from the traditional Pantheon, only those deities that were suitable for emerging opportunities were “revived.” This is the reason why the members of the dynasty of Ptolemy and Seleucid enjoyed divine honors.                                                         

Greek Gods  :-              

The ancient Greeks devised a rich mythology containing many accounts of gods, goddesses, and heroes. Although now widely recognized as works of great fiction, they were held up as true accounts by many Greeks living at the time. The most famous and influential gods are known as the Twelve Olympians, so-called because they were said to live on Mount Olympus, home of the deities. There is some dispute over whether Hestia or Dionysus should be considered the twelfth deity, and so brief descriptions of both are included in this section.  

Zeus ruled over all the other gods. According to Greek myth, he led the struggle against the Titans, in which the Greek Gods prevailed. 

Zeus is the God of the sky, order, and justice. He was often depicted holding a thunderbolt and is also associated with oak trees, scales, and eagles.  

Hera was the most senior of the female deities and was the goddess of family and marriage. She was married to – and was also the sister of – Zeus. Her related symbols included peacocks, crows, and cuckoos. 

According to Greek myth, she often tried to exact revenge on Zeus’ lovers and the children they bore him.   

 Poseidon was the god of earthquakes, all the seas and related events such as tidal waves. He was often shown surrounded by dolphins and depicted as carrying a trident. He was the brother of Zeus and Hades (ruler of the underworld). Demeter was the goddess of nature, agriculture, fertility, and the changes of seasons. Her symbols were related to agriculture and included wheat, poppies, and pigs. 

 Athena was a goddess associated with higher intellectual functions such as intelligence, crafts, science, and strategy in warfare. She was a daughter of Zeus, and according to legend emerged from his head a full-grown woman dressed in battle regalia. 

Apollo was a son of Zeus and twin brother of Artemis. He was associated with the arts, including music and poetry. He was also the god of medicine. The ancient Greeks regarded him a source of creative inspiration, light, and prophecy. His symbols include swans, lyres, and mice.  

Artemis was Apollo’s twin sister and another of Zeus’ daughters. She was the goddess of hunting, animals, virginity, and the moon. The snake, bear, and bow and arrow are among her symbols.          

Ares was the god of war, battle, and violence. He was often shown alongside boars, dogs, and serpents. In line with his reputation, another of his symbols is the sword and shield. 

Greek myth states that he was strongly disliked by the other deities aside from Aphrodite. 

Aphrodite was the goddess of beauty and love. Often depicted with roses, doves, and apples, she was commonly believed to be a daughter of Zeus. Although she was married to Hephaestus, she was not faithful to him and embarked on many affairs. One of her lovers was Ares.  

Hephaestus was a master blacksmith and considered the god of fires and of the forge. His symbols included anvils, fire, and tongs. He was a son of Hera, possibly fathered by Zeus. He was husband to Aphrodite and was known for being unusually faithful by the normal standards of behavior seen among the male deities. Hermes was a messenger and god of commerce. He was also a deity associated with eloquent speech, thieves, and streets. His symbols included winged sandals, a stork, and a tortoise – it was said that he invented a musical instrument using a tortoise shell. He was the product of a union between Zeus and a nymph named Maia.     

 Hestia was the goddess of family, hearth, and home. Although she was said to be among the original twelve Olympians, over time she appears to have been displaced in some retellings of the myths by Dionysus. Dionysus was the god of celebrations, alcohol, and happiness. He was also associated with the performing arts. His symbols included a cup, a tiger, and grapevine. He was the youngest of the gods, and the only one who had a human mother – he was the son of Zeus and Princess Ariadne of Crete.