Greek Religion Revision
KEY – Secondary Scholars /Primary Scholars and Archaeological
evidence
4.1 Name Responsibility Attributes Depiction
The Nature of Zeus Order and Justice/ Throne, sceptre, Sturdy man with a
The Gods King of the Gods lightning bolt mature figure and
dark beard.
Hera Queen of the Gods, Wearing a crown, Beautiful woman
goddess of holding a royal
marriage lotus – tipped
sceptre,
accompanied with
a lion/hawk
Poseidon God of the sea, Trident Sturdy man with a
earthquakes, mature figure and
floods, droughts, dark beard.
and horses
Athena Goddess of wisdom Shield and spear, Stately women, armed,
and counsel of war, snake trimmed long robe, and
weaving, pottery cape and a crested helm.
etc monstrous visage
of Medusa
Artemis Goddess of Hunting bow and Young girl or maiden
hunting, quiver of arrows
wilderness, wild
animal, childbirth,
and protectors of
unwed girl
Apollo God of prophecy, Wreath and Handsome, beardless,
oracles music, branch of laurel, youth and long hair
song, poetry, bow and quiver
archery, healing, with a raven and
and protector of lyre
unwed boys
Aphrodite Goddess of love, A dove, apple, Naked and beautiful
beauty, pleasure, scallop shell and
and procreation mirror
Demeter Goddess of Bearing sheafs of Mature women,
agriculture, grain, wheat and a torch weaning a woman
and bread
Hermes God of herds Winged boots and Handsome, young,
traveller, herald’s wand beardless, athletic,
hospitality or older man with a
diplomacy and beard
astronomy
1
, Hephaestus God of fire and Holding hammer Bearded man
craftsmanship and tongs, while
riding a donkey
Ares God of war, battle Helm and spear Bearded/beardless youth
lust, courage, and
civil order
Hestia Goddess of the Holding a flower, Veiled
hearth and branch, and nettle
goddess of
sacrificial flame
Dionysus God of wine, A thyrsus, drinking Either effeminate and
vegetation, and cup and a crown young with long hair or
madness of ivy older
Homer and The Significance of Homer and Hesiod for Greek ideas about the gods:
Hesiod: The poems of Hesiod, Homer and the Homeric Hymns were the first written accounts of
the Greek gods, being hugely influential in shaping the Greek perception of the divine.
‘For Homer and Hesiod are the poets who composed theogonies and describes the gods for
the Greeks, giving them their appropriate titles, offices, and powers...’
- Herodotus Histories 11.53
Homer & his works:
- 8th or 7th BC and the Odyssey and Iliad
Hesiod & his works:
- c.700 BC & Works & Days and Theogony
What are the Homeric Hymns?
- Not composed by Homer but same style and tradition, informing Greek perception
of the gods in 700 BC, focusing on the creation of the gods
Athena in Homeric Hymn 11 & birth in 28
- Protect of cities and fearless and warrior-like. She’s protecting and punishes,
depicted as striding forward.
- Like a miracle, fully armed beside a seated Zeus.
What is learnt from Hesiod’s Works and Days and Theogony?
- How to live a good life, including worship of the gods. Teaches how to worship the
gods, ‘never pour gleaming wine to Zeus in the morning with unwashed hands. He
also explains why the gods deserve worship.
What role do the gods play in the Homeric poems?
- Gods are powerful yet governed by personal impulse and desire, picking favourites.
They also were light-relief, contrasting the severity of moral situations.
Anthropomorp The Greeks gods looked and behaved like human-beings, yet diverged in crucial aspects,
hism and the such as their immortality, but also their lack of compassion, and frequently act in immoral
scope of their ways.
power:
2
, - Scholar ‘The Greeks did not worship the gods because they were just or good, but because they
were powerful and extremely dangerous’ – Robert Garland
‘The gods are not portrayed as being amoral, but instead offer divine justice’ – William
Allan
Anthropomorphism:
- Scholar - ‘Anthropomorphism allows a closeness between gods and humans. The Greeks liked
to encounter their gods’ – Emma Aston
- ‘We should not see the writings of Homer as an embodiment of long-held beliefs on
Greek religion but as ‘self-contained poetic imaginary’, the anthropomorphic gods
make sense with the context of Homer’s stories.’ – Richard Martin
The Panathenaic amphora:
Dated – 333-332
Origin – Athens
Shape – Black figure oil container
Athena is armed, striding
forward.
Anthropomorphic depiction
The Reciprocity is at the heart of Greek society, between humans but also between gods and
Relationship mortals.
between The relationship is based on the principle of ‘do ut des’, a Latin phrase meaning ‘I give so
mortals and that you give’.
gods
Mortals Contribution Immortal contribution
- Trojan prince Hector made many - Zeus mourned his death, loving
sacrifices to Zeus. him.
- Sacrifices, libations, prayers, and - Gods aided all aspects of all,
votive offerings. marriage, health, war
- Scholar ‘The only true crime against the gods was to dishonour them’ – David Wiles
‘The gods are not just; they present a world order that we cannot understand but exists.’
ER Dodds
‘The gods expect honour like a subject owes the king’ – Jon Mikalson
‘The relationship with the gods is in many ways like those between human, hierarchical,
except gods do not act out of compassion, they take revenge just like humans but on a
bigger scale’ – Mary Lefkowitz
Epithets The Different Roles, context, function of the Olympians as reflected in their common
epithets:
3
KEY – Secondary Scholars /Primary Scholars and Archaeological
evidence
4.1 Name Responsibility Attributes Depiction
The Nature of Zeus Order and Justice/ Throne, sceptre, Sturdy man with a
The Gods King of the Gods lightning bolt mature figure and
dark beard.
Hera Queen of the Gods, Wearing a crown, Beautiful woman
goddess of holding a royal
marriage lotus – tipped
sceptre,
accompanied with
a lion/hawk
Poseidon God of the sea, Trident Sturdy man with a
earthquakes, mature figure and
floods, droughts, dark beard.
and horses
Athena Goddess of wisdom Shield and spear, Stately women, armed,
and counsel of war, snake trimmed long robe, and
weaving, pottery cape and a crested helm.
etc monstrous visage
of Medusa
Artemis Goddess of Hunting bow and Young girl or maiden
hunting, quiver of arrows
wilderness, wild
animal, childbirth,
and protectors of
unwed girl
Apollo God of prophecy, Wreath and Handsome, beardless,
oracles music, branch of laurel, youth and long hair
song, poetry, bow and quiver
archery, healing, with a raven and
and protector of lyre
unwed boys
Aphrodite Goddess of love, A dove, apple, Naked and beautiful
beauty, pleasure, scallop shell and
and procreation mirror
Demeter Goddess of Bearing sheafs of Mature women,
agriculture, grain, wheat and a torch weaning a woman
and bread
Hermes God of herds Winged boots and Handsome, young,
traveller, herald’s wand beardless, athletic,
hospitality or older man with a
diplomacy and beard
astronomy
1
, Hephaestus God of fire and Holding hammer Bearded man
craftsmanship and tongs, while
riding a donkey
Ares God of war, battle Helm and spear Bearded/beardless youth
lust, courage, and
civil order
Hestia Goddess of the Holding a flower, Veiled
hearth and branch, and nettle
goddess of
sacrificial flame
Dionysus God of wine, A thyrsus, drinking Either effeminate and
vegetation, and cup and a crown young with long hair or
madness of ivy older
Homer and The Significance of Homer and Hesiod for Greek ideas about the gods:
Hesiod: The poems of Hesiod, Homer and the Homeric Hymns were the first written accounts of
the Greek gods, being hugely influential in shaping the Greek perception of the divine.
‘For Homer and Hesiod are the poets who composed theogonies and describes the gods for
the Greeks, giving them their appropriate titles, offices, and powers...’
- Herodotus Histories 11.53
Homer & his works:
- 8th or 7th BC and the Odyssey and Iliad
Hesiod & his works:
- c.700 BC & Works & Days and Theogony
What are the Homeric Hymns?
- Not composed by Homer but same style and tradition, informing Greek perception
of the gods in 700 BC, focusing on the creation of the gods
Athena in Homeric Hymn 11 & birth in 28
- Protect of cities and fearless and warrior-like. She’s protecting and punishes,
depicted as striding forward.
- Like a miracle, fully armed beside a seated Zeus.
What is learnt from Hesiod’s Works and Days and Theogony?
- How to live a good life, including worship of the gods. Teaches how to worship the
gods, ‘never pour gleaming wine to Zeus in the morning with unwashed hands. He
also explains why the gods deserve worship.
What role do the gods play in the Homeric poems?
- Gods are powerful yet governed by personal impulse and desire, picking favourites.
They also were light-relief, contrasting the severity of moral situations.
Anthropomorp The Greeks gods looked and behaved like human-beings, yet diverged in crucial aspects,
hism and the such as their immortality, but also their lack of compassion, and frequently act in immoral
scope of their ways.
power:
2
, - Scholar ‘The Greeks did not worship the gods because they were just or good, but because they
were powerful and extremely dangerous’ – Robert Garland
‘The gods are not portrayed as being amoral, but instead offer divine justice’ – William
Allan
Anthropomorphism:
- Scholar - ‘Anthropomorphism allows a closeness between gods and humans. The Greeks liked
to encounter their gods’ – Emma Aston
- ‘We should not see the writings of Homer as an embodiment of long-held beliefs on
Greek religion but as ‘self-contained poetic imaginary’, the anthropomorphic gods
make sense with the context of Homer’s stories.’ – Richard Martin
The Panathenaic amphora:
Dated – 333-332
Origin – Athens
Shape – Black figure oil container
Athena is armed, striding
forward.
Anthropomorphic depiction
The Reciprocity is at the heart of Greek society, between humans but also between gods and
Relationship mortals.
between The relationship is based on the principle of ‘do ut des’, a Latin phrase meaning ‘I give so
mortals and that you give’.
gods
Mortals Contribution Immortal contribution
- Trojan prince Hector made many - Zeus mourned his death, loving
sacrifices to Zeus. him.
- Sacrifices, libations, prayers, and - Gods aided all aspects of all,
votive offerings. marriage, health, war
- Scholar ‘The only true crime against the gods was to dishonour them’ – David Wiles
‘The gods are not just; they present a world order that we cannot understand but exists.’
ER Dodds
‘The gods expect honour like a subject owes the king’ – Jon Mikalson
‘The relationship with the gods is in many ways like those between human, hierarchical,
except gods do not act out of compassion, they take revenge just like humans but on a
bigger scale’ – Mary Lefkowitz
Epithets The Different Roles, context, function of the Olympians as reflected in their common
epithets:
3
