Worshipping of the gods
gods
● Ancient Greek world there was no word for religion - so engrained
in everyday life that it is not viewed as anything separate, just how
they live, gods are always around them, controlling every decision
● Polytheistic religion- Greeks believed in many gods
● Anthropomorphic- gods can turn into humans and have their
characteristics (emotions)
● So many myths and stories about the gods to make them more
relatable to humans- make them want to worship more
● Don't go to temple because you have to, but it is just part of the
daily life and ritual
● Zoom in on 5th Century Athens
● Reciprocal relationship w
Greek Gods
● Gaia, Mother Earth
● Uranus, Sky
● Myth - they meet and have children, one child is the Titan, Cronos
● Cronos is the father of Zeus, and receives a prophecy that one of
his children will overthrow him so he eats all his children
● Rhea, his wife, secretly had Zeus, who overthrew him father and
castrated him (his genitals were thrown into the ocean, how
Aphrodite was apparently born)
● Zeus then ruled Mount Olympus
● Zeus and sister/wife Hera have 2 children, Ares and Hephaestus
● Poseidon and Hades are brothers of Zeus (regurgitated by
Cronos) - picked by random by pebbles as to which domain they
rule
● Hestia and Demeter other sisters of Zeus - Hestia disappeared
from Olympus when Dionysus was born so there is still 12
Olympian gods
● Athena , Apollo and Artemis (twins), Dionysus, Hermes - other
non-legitimate children of Zeus
, Gods:
● Aphrodite - love, beauty, pleasure and procreation
● Athena - tactical warfare, wisdom, hand crafts
● Demeter - harvest
● Hera - marriage, family, childbirth and women
● Artemis - huntress, moon, wild animals, vegetation, chastity and
childbirth
● Hestia - hearth and home
● Hermes - messenger, travellers, herald of the gods, protector of
travellers, thieves, merchants and orator
● Ares - war, spirit of battle and courage
● Zeus - sky, lightning, thunder, law and order, xenia, King of gods
● Poseidon - earthquakes, sea, storms, horses
● Hephaestus - fire, volcanoes, forging and blacksmithing,
metalwork
● Dionysus - wine and theatre
● Apollo - sun and light, the archer, poetry, healing, music, plagues,
prophecy
Places of worship
When going to worship a god all aspects you need to worship are in the
same place
Acropolis- hill in Athens that has all places of worship for Athena
Parthenon:
Athene Parthenos (maiden)
Devotes herself to the city and warfare
Statue presents her as a virgin goddess
Athene Nike temple:
Lack of wings
Can't leave; will bring them victory always
gods
● Ancient Greek world there was no word for religion - so engrained
in everyday life that it is not viewed as anything separate, just how
they live, gods are always around them, controlling every decision
● Polytheistic religion- Greeks believed in many gods
● Anthropomorphic- gods can turn into humans and have their
characteristics (emotions)
● So many myths and stories about the gods to make them more
relatable to humans- make them want to worship more
● Don't go to temple because you have to, but it is just part of the
daily life and ritual
● Zoom in on 5th Century Athens
● Reciprocal relationship w
Greek Gods
● Gaia, Mother Earth
● Uranus, Sky
● Myth - they meet and have children, one child is the Titan, Cronos
● Cronos is the father of Zeus, and receives a prophecy that one of
his children will overthrow him so he eats all his children
● Rhea, his wife, secretly had Zeus, who overthrew him father and
castrated him (his genitals were thrown into the ocean, how
Aphrodite was apparently born)
● Zeus then ruled Mount Olympus
● Zeus and sister/wife Hera have 2 children, Ares and Hephaestus
● Poseidon and Hades are brothers of Zeus (regurgitated by
Cronos) - picked by random by pebbles as to which domain they
rule
● Hestia and Demeter other sisters of Zeus - Hestia disappeared
from Olympus when Dionysus was born so there is still 12
Olympian gods
● Athena , Apollo and Artemis (twins), Dionysus, Hermes - other
non-legitimate children of Zeus
, Gods:
● Aphrodite - love, beauty, pleasure and procreation
● Athena - tactical warfare, wisdom, hand crafts
● Demeter - harvest
● Hera - marriage, family, childbirth and women
● Artemis - huntress, moon, wild animals, vegetation, chastity and
childbirth
● Hestia - hearth and home
● Hermes - messenger, travellers, herald of the gods, protector of
travellers, thieves, merchants and orator
● Ares - war, spirit of battle and courage
● Zeus - sky, lightning, thunder, law and order, xenia, King of gods
● Poseidon - earthquakes, sea, storms, horses
● Hephaestus - fire, volcanoes, forging and blacksmithing,
metalwork
● Dionysus - wine and theatre
● Apollo - sun and light, the archer, poetry, healing, music, plagues,
prophecy
Places of worship
When going to worship a god all aspects you need to worship are in the
same place
Acropolis- hill in Athens that has all places of worship for Athena
Parthenon:
Athene Parthenos (maiden)
Devotes herself to the city and warfare
Statue presents her as a virgin goddess
Athene Nike temple:
Lack of wings
Can't leave; will bring them victory always
