Ancient Greek Religion

Agenda Ancient Greek Civilization – key characteristics What is Greek Mythology? Greek Mythology in Modern Culture The Origin of the Gods  Creation of the World  The Titans  The Olympians Greek God and Goddesses presentations

Ancient Greek Geography Ancient Greece was a selection of small, independent communities. These communities were cut off from one another by the mountainous terrain of the region. Each community was called a city-state or polis and had its own hinterland – surrounding farmland Each city state functioned as a mini-country  Government, laws, and army Although these city states often battled one another, at times they came together for protection against foreign enemies.

City-States Athens was the largest and most powerful city-state Although ancient Greece consisted of many independent city-states, its common customs, traditions, language, ancestry, religion, and way of life united its people into one great civilization. There were several large Greek city-states, including: Athens Thebes Mycenae Sparta Delphi

What is Greek Mythology? Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own practices. These stories tell important lessons about emotional themes such as greed, lust and honour. Each god or goddess ruled over certain areas of the Greeks’ lives and gave them a sense of shared identity.

Why Should We Study Greek Mythology? The Ancient Greek culture has been kept alive by the oral and later written stories handed down through thousands of years. Modern plays, novels, television programs, movies and even advertisements refer to Greek gods, goddesses, heroes and their stories. Adventurous and exciting stories delight and entertain us.

Greek Mythology in Modern Culture Can you name some expressions people use today that have their origins in Greek mythology?  Trojan Horse  Herculean effort  Achilles Heel  Opening a Pandora’s Box  Olympic Proportions  Midas touch  Titanic

The Beginnings of Greek Mythology 1. The First Beings 2. The Creation of Monsters and Titans 3. The Titans vs. The Olympians 4. The Parthenon of Greek Gods and Goddesses

The First Beings The Greek myths start by trying to answer the question, “How did we get here?” The story is that the world began with a great darkness, called Chaos. Out of this darkness came Gaia, the Earth, and Uranus, the heavens. The offspring of Gaia and Uranus were giant gods called the Titans.

The Creation of Monsters and Titans The coupling of Gaia and Uranus produces the one-eyed Cyclops race and other monsters, as well as the twelve Titans. The youngest and most powerful of the Titans was Cronus. Cronus hated his father and, with his mother’s encouragement, overthrew his father to become ruler of the universe. In time, Cronus feared that his own children would rebel against him, so each time his wife Rhea gave birth, Cronus ate the child. At one point, Rhea tricked Cronus by giving him a stone to eat while she hid the baby Zeus.

The Titans vs. the Olympians When Zeus was older, he gave his father a drugged drink which caused Cronus to vomit up Zeus’s brothers and sisters. In the war that followed, Zeus and his siblings defeated the Titans. Zeus and his siblings were called the Olympian gods because they were believed to live on Mount Olympus. The brothers Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to determine who will rule.

The Olympian Gods The Olympians are a group of 12 gods that ruled after the overthrow of the Titans. The ancient Greeks built great temples and sanctuaries to their gods. They held festivals in their honour, with processions, sports, sacrifices and competitions. The importance of staying on the god’s good side is emphasized in the Illiad and the Odyssey  The main characters in both poems, Hector, Agamemnon, all believe that glory gained in battle is the greatest good. 

Who Were the Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus?

The Family Tree of the Olympic Gods