1. Greece: Religious Beliefs

2. Overview  Polytheistic - worshipped many gods.  Believed gods communicated with them.  Through songs of birds, rustling of leaves, etc.  All gods thought to have human forms and characters.  Gods married, had children.  Gods displayed human characteristics such as love, jealousy and/or deceitfulness.

3. Private Worship  Prayers said every day at the altar in the courtyard of the home.  Offering of wine (libation) was poured over the altar during daily prayers.

4. Mount Olympus

5.  Where the most important gods dwelt in a palace. They are known as the Olympians.  It was to these gods that the Greeks built beautiful temples and sanctuaries.

6. Top Olympian Gods  Zeus  Hera  Apollo  Artemis  Hephaestus  Hermes  Athena  Demeter  Poseidon  Aphrodite  Hestia  Dionysus  Hades  Ares

7. Temples  Built for gods as their earthly homes.  Richer the city, greater the temple.  Symbols of wealth and power.  Were NOT places of worship.  Worship/rituals took place at altars outside of temples.  Example: The Parthenon in Athens.

8. The Parthenon  Built in Athens from 447-438 BCE.  Built for goddess Athena.  A peristyle (covered row of columns) surrounds the structure.  A room inside called a cella. The cella contained a 12 m statue of Athena made of gold & ivory.  Behind cella was treasury room containing offerings of jewelry, vases and statues.

12. Festivals  Held to honour, please, and persuade gods to grant their wishes.  Popular festivals had competitions in poetry, music, dance, and athletics.  Included procession of priests, worshippers, sacred objects and animals for sacrifice.  “Great Panathenaea” - important festival in Athens, held for goddess Athena.  Held every 4 years for 6 days.

13. “Antheseria”  Spring festival in honour of Dionysus.  Held in Athens.  Wine from previous harvest was put on sale and god of wine, Dionysus, was carried to his temple.

14. Myths  Stories about significant events in the lives of the gods.  Greeks firmly believed in these stories.  Now considered myths.

15. Legends  Stories surrounding great heroes of the past and the foes they fought.  Heroes accomplished superhuman deeds with the help of the gods.  Many cities had hero shrines where people could worship a local hero and ask for help in their lives.  Examples: Jason and the Argonauts, Hercules, Theseus, Odysseus, Perseus, and Bellerophon.