1. 11-2 Notes: Beliefs and Customs

2. Greek Gods and Myths Greeks were polytheistic (worshipped many gods) Gods looked like humans but were more powerful, beautiful than humans possibly could be Gods became involved in people’s lives and were sometimes cruel, selfish Gods had both divine and human qualities (powerful yet emotional) Zeus was the ruler of the gods He and 11 other major gods/goddesses lived on Mount Olympus Greeks also worshipped lesser gods/goddesses Each city had a patron god/goddess (Athena-Athens)

3. Greek Gods and Goddesses Athena – goddess of wisdom, war, patron of crafting Zeus – ruler of the gods Demeter – fertility goddess, linked with growing grain Apollo – god of archery, healing, music, poetry, and prophecy. Honored as god of the sun. Most popularly worshipped god along with Zeus. Ares – god of war Aphrodite – goddess of love Artemis – goddess of the hunt Hephaestus – god of fire Hera – wife of Zeus; protector of marriage Hermes – messenger of the gods Hestia – goddess of home life Poseidon – god of the seas, earthquakes

4. Greek Mythology Myths are stories that people tell to explain beliefs, unexplainable phenomena about their world Often shared as oral stories and later were written down Explained the creation of the world, human beings and described the gods and goddesses and their relations with each other and humans Myth of Prometheus – Prometheus steals fire from the gods, gave it to the humans, and Zeus punished him severely Achilles, Atalanta examples of other myths

5. Honoring the Gods Greeks believed it was important to honor gods to gain their favor, keep them happy Greeks created statues and built temples for the gods to live Certain days of each months were holy to different gods, goddesses, or aspects of nature People celebrated holy days with sacrifices, public ceremonies Most important festivals were for the 12 Olympian gods

6. The Olympics Games were part of religious festivals in Greece The Olympics were held every 4 years as part of a major festival to honor Zeus Took place in a stadium built in the city of Olympia Only men competed Oldest records of winners date to 776 BCE but may be older First Olympics only included a foot race Later added longer races, wrestling, long jump, javelin throw, discus throw – skills valuable to soldiers Unmarried girls competed in a festival to honor Hera – foot race in 3 different age categories

7. Early Greek Literature Greeks also told stories about ancient heroes that were often in the form of long poems (“epic poems”) According to tradition, a blind man named Homer composed these famous epics Homer’s Iliad is about the Trojan War Famous for portrayal of heroes such as Achilles Odyssey is about the Greek hero Odysseus’ return from the Trojan War Fable is a short story, usually involving animals, that teaches a moral or lesson A storyteller named Aesop is credited with writing down many fables, including the “The Hare and the Tortoise”