1. Ancient Greece & Religion
What the Ancient Greeks believed and how they worshipped

2. The Twelve Olympians

3. The Twelve Olympians: to recap
a family of gods and goddesses
lived on Mount Olympus
each ruled a different area of life or nature
had human forms and human characteristics
- immortal: lived forever

5. Worship of the gods
The Greeks were Polytheistic and did not all worship the same gods.
There were hundreds of Greek gods (perhaps around 1,000).  Some of the most famous gods were the Olympians, of course, but there were many others, like Eris, goddess of Discord

6. Worship of the gods
They gave thanks to the gods, hoping to receive blessings
They tried to avoid angering the gods

7. Worship of the gods
Each city-state honoured at one god or goddess above all
Each city-state had at least one main temple
Some small villages worshiped the main gods and their own village gods

8. Worship of the gods
Sacrifices to please the gods were a major part of every Greek's religion
Most gods preferred an animal sacrifice – generally a domesticated animal like a chicken, goat or cow – although offerings of food and wine were also common

9. When an animal was sacrificed, it was burned on top of an altar
When an animal was sacrificed, it was burned on top of an altar. After it was fully cooked, it had to be eaten on the spot - usually before nightfall.
These sacrifices were the property of the god, and had to be eaten in his/her presence.
This was especially important because the ancient Greeks believed that the god's spirit was within the animal sacrificed, and by eating the animal, the worshippers consumed his/her power.
In this way, they strengthened the connection between man and god.  

10. Festivals

11. Festivals - The Olympics: festival for Zeus ~ all city-states
    ~ every 4 years

12. Festivals Each polis had its own festival(s)
Athens had the famous Great Panathenaea to its patron goddess, Athene
Athens also staged the Anthesteria in honour of Dionysius

13. The Oracles The Greeks turned to the gods for signs or advice
Oracles: sacred sites where they believed the gods spoke to them

14. The Oracles
Answers could come through dreams, or spoken through a priest or priestess
A gift or offering was required in exchange for an answer

15. The Oracles The answers were often in the form of a riddle
                                 
Famous and powerful leaders would even come to the oracles
The words of the oracles were taken very seriously by all Greeks

16. Dating back to 1200 BC, the Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in all Greece. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the centre (literally the navel) of the world.
People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo. Her answers, usually cryptic, could determine the course of everything from when a farmer planted his seedlings, to when an empire declared war.