Greek Religion : Ancient Greeks

The Greek Society believes in many Gods. The first one that I will talk about is Zeus. Zeus is The God of The Sky, Thunder, Lightning, and Justice. Zeus made sure that justice was always served. So he made sure that there was justice everywhere. And if someone was doing wrong he would punish them deeply.

The ancient Greeks with their brilliant and imaginative spirit created a complete order of things that functioned harmoniously in the infinite world that contained them. Although its exact origins are lost in time, Greek religion is thought to date from about the 2d millenium B.C., when the culture of Aryan invaders fused with those of the Aegean and Minoan peoples who had inhabited the region of Greece from Neolithic times [1]. The beginning and the genesis of this world occupied the ancient Greeks in much the same way it did the early people of every civilization. Greek religion was at the beginning a blend of Minoan, Egyptian, Asian, and other elements, but it subsequently evolved along with Greek thought.

Ancient Greece has been a religion- centered culture since the earliest period of habitation in Greece, the Pre-Mycenaean/Mycenaean period. Also through to the Dark Ages to the Classical period. It is a religiously centered civilization, and did have significant changes in the how it was incorporated into people’s daily lives. Religion is important to know about the Ancient Greeks because through it we are able to understand how they lived their lives.

“ The religion of Greek people is an important aspect of the Greek culture.”(Religion in Greece Source:www.greeka.com) Greek religion was a form of polytheism, which meant that they believed in many deities. Because religion was not built around a book, they expressed it in many forms. Greek theatre was performed on many different occasions, including special occasions. Greek religion was both private and

In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal, direct, and present in its citizens’ daily lives. During this time, they participated in animal sacrifices and offerings, created myths to explain the beginning of the human race and gave reverence to their gods by building temples which controlled the urban landscape. They also participated in local festivals and sporting and artistic competitions. Religion was never out of the presence of ancient Greece’s citizens. While they may have made up their own mind on the terms of their religious beliefs, some may have been completely confused if these gods actually existed. There were certain fundamental beliefs that must have been sufficiently widespread, in order for the Greek government to function. In ancient Greece, gods existed, they influenced human concerns, and they welcomed and responded to acts of godliness and worship.

When people wonder about Ancient Greece the first thing that comes to their minds is Greek mythology; gods and goddesses that have helped shape many historical events. “In ancient Greece, stories about gods and goddesses and heroes and monsters were an important part of everyday life.” (“Greek Mythology.”) The civilization showed that numerous characters and stories helped shape Greeks. The beliefs the Greeks had with mythologies was they understood the meaning behind all the characters that are known today. However, to the Greeks, they were not just characters, these were their gods and goddesses who gave them meaning and understanding of the world around them. Worshiping the gods and goddesses helped them with their religious rituals and the temperament of the weather. A famous wine-jar that was made during this time period was “Achilles killing the Amazon Queen Penthesilea, 540-530 BCE, black-figured amphora”. (Khan Academy) The civilization that they lived in grew around their worship and achievements.

The religious beliefs of ancient Greece civilizations may have been why ancient Greek women were allowed more freedom and privileges in their roles in their society. The religion of Ancient Greece was Mythology. Unlike other religions of ancient times in which the leaders or gods were typically men, in Greek Mythology there were gods but goddesses as well.

Greeks went to temples to present sacrifices to please the gods or to ask for the judgment of the gods on a problem. Greeks thought the gods had control over a aspect of there life and to get help they had to please the gods. They thought that if the gods were happy good things would happen to them. the Greeks believed that the gods controlled all parts of society.

In Roman religion it was crucial “to serve the gods and ensure goodwill” (The Roman Republic). The English word “Religion” comes from the Latin word “Religio” (Overview of Religion). Latin was the ancient language of Rome, but for the Roman’s the translation meant something very different from what we understand it as today. To the Romans, “Religio” translated to “ the fear of gods” (Overview of Religion). Romans invested much of their time serving the gods, performing rituals and sacrifices in honor of them. On the contrary Greek religion did not prefer to execute rituals as much as the Romans. Greeks were more lenient when honoring the gods. They did not have a theological dogma: a part of theology dealing with truths of faith concerning God and God's work. Their many gods had different purposes and works they performed. The Greeks relied more on the verbal spread of the religion rather than having a written form. Although different, both religions had forms of praising and honoring their gods. Greek and Roman religion have many differences and similarities that impacted each group of people.

Greek Mythology is a collection of myths and teachings that originated from the ancient Greeks. Tales of Greek Mythology are usually related to gods or heroes, the nature of the world, and the significance and origin of the Greek culture and ritual practices. Greek Mythology was part of the polytheistic religion in ancient Greece. Many scholars study the myths in an attempt to understand the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization. The scholars also wanted to gain knowledge of the nature of myth-making itself. The earliest Greek myths were part of an oral tradition that began in the Bronze Age. Greek mythology is made up of several different gods and goddesses. Greek myths attempt to explain the origins

The Anavysos Kouros, created around 530 B.C.E. in the Greek artistic period, depicts the religious aspect of Greece during the Ancient Mediterranean era. Arranged in “polis” (city states), the citizens of Greece followed this pre-dominant method of political organization. Aristocratic rule managed the Greek cities. The extremely urbanized society participated in heavy trade, which allowed the Greek economy to prosper. The religion of Ancient Greece emphasized multiple gods, worship, and afterlife. Thus, the Greeks believed in the existence of many gods and goddesses, which reflected the polytheistic nature of Greece. Zeus served as the king of the gods in the hierarchy of Greek religion and twelve major gods made up the Greek throne, coexisting with many minor gods. Some deities controlled elements of the world such as the sky, or the sea, while others controlled a more abstract aspect such as the hearth. Conclusively, The Greeks believed that the gods took the rituals and sacrifices as a gift as public festivals honored all the gods and hoped it would reap success in their lives. As a result, religion played a large role in the society of Ancient Greece.

gods and goddesses that all played a part in the everyday life of the average

Greek Mythology played a monumental role in the structural development of ancient Greece, not only as a society, but as individuals. Surprisingly, their religion was not exactly one of originality. In fact, their religion was loosely based on earlier cultures’ religions. It bears many strikingly similar resemblances to some of the oldest recorded religions in history. Ancient Greek religion is a type of polytheism called “Monarchial Polytheism.” That is, they believe in several different gods and deities but there is a supreme ruler above all of them. In order to fully understand how similar the mythological systems of religions have been throughout the years, you must look back towards the earliest of recorded civilizations. Polytheism

Religion was a big thing in ancient Greece. It was personal but also present everywhere in Greece. The Greeks were polytheistic which means a belief in many gods. Each god that the Greeks believed in was in charge of an emotion or some piece of nature. The main gods lived in Mount Olympus. The main gods and goddesses were Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia, Demeter, Hermes, Aphrodite, Ares, and Hephaestus. Athens was named after the goddess Athena who is the goddess of war, arts, crafts, and wisdom. During this time goddesses were dominant so Greek woman had a big influence on religion. Since women were more soft spoken and had a higher voice than men they would whisper to the gods or sing softly to them. Women in ancient Greece were seen as oracles because of this.

Like the Egyptians, Greek civilization had multiple gods that were immortal and very powerful, but there were twelve major gods that were the most important. Some of these gods and goddesses were Zeus, Hera, Athena, and Apollo to name a few. They were believed to reside on Mt. Olympus. Greek gods were immortal. The people of Greece built temples (much like the pyramids that were in Egypt), and gods were worshipped at these temples. Ceremonial rituals or any other special occasions took place here also. Most of the temples were constructed to honor a god, and they were sacred in their being. They sacrificed animals, held festivals, and sporting events. It is apparent that the Greeks adapted some similar qualities from Egyptian religion, but they are still unique in their own way.