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Research Paper On Ancient Greek Religion

Decent Essays

In the Ancient Greek world religion was present in all aspects of life. Religion was never far from the mind of an ancient Greek with formal rituals, myths to explain the origins of mankind, temples which dominated the landscapes, city festivals, national sporting and artistic competitions.

Greek religion was spread over many centuries and many different cities and stated. Incorporated into the religion was a large variety of beliefs, which included,
- fate,
- The universe: The ancient Greeks view earth as ‘a flat disk floating on the river of Ocean.’
- Spirts, monsters and other mythological beings: Many mythological and monstrous creatures that populated myths include; amazons (race of female warrior), Kered (evil female spirits), medusa (a winged female monster with hair made of snakes), Satyrs (half man, half goat nature spirits who dwelled in woods …show more content…

GODS

Ancient Greek religion contained a number of gods, each representing a certain portion of the human condition, and even ideas such as justice and wisdom. The most important gods, were the Olympian gods led by Zeus, they were believed to have resided on Mt. Olympus and would have been reconisible across Greece.

In the Greek imagination, literature and art the gods were given, both bad and good, human bodies. Just ad ordinary people they married, had children and fought.

Gods were called upon for help in certain situations and they became patrons for cities. Some gods were imported from abroad and incorporated into the Greek pantheon whilst rivers and springs could take on a very localised personified form.

TEMPLES

The temple was the place where, on special occasions, religion took on a more formal tone. Gods were worshipped at sacred stied and temples in major Greek communitied in ceremonied carried out by priests and there

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