Worshiping Many Gods: Understanding Ancient Greek Beliefs

Ancient Greeks found religion to be important as they believe it bettered their lives and the way they live. They also worshipped gods as they believed they would care for them when they died. Ancient Greeks beloved these many gods as they thought they controlled every part of their life, they believed happy gods rewarded them and angry gods punished them. (Barrow, 2013) A huge chunk of their Greek lives where spent praising the gods in some type of way. The Greeks held festivals, and build temples/sanctuaries where they could pray, make sacrifices, and give offerings. They also had many jobs such as priests. They believed they had the power to contact the gods in a safe and trusted way (Mylearning.org, n.d.)

In Ancient Greece there were many gods and goddesses. So many that there was a god or goddess for almost everything. As mentioned before the ancient Greeks found pleasure In devoting such a large part If their lives as they felt It bettered their life. Their motives behind following these gods and goddesses were very strong as they were also almost considered an outlier for not taking part in the religion. This is why they worshiped many gods as they wanted to please as many gods as they could. (HISTORY, 2009)

All 12 Olympian gods and goddesses lived at Mount Olympus: Zeus and his wife Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Hester, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus, and Ares. Since Hades lived in the underworld, he never visited Mount Olympus so was not considered an Olympian. These Olympians fought in a ten-year battle between the older gods and young Olympians called the Titanomachy. As the older gods had beaten the Olympians Zeus knew he would need reinforcements. This is where the 12 Olympians came in, fought, and won the war. The winners of this war would get the reward of living on top of Mount Olympus. (Geller, 2016)

Many parts of Ancient Greece have had a major influence on modern-day life. Many famous brands have taken names from famous Greek gods. For example Nike, the brand Nike took its name from the Ancient Greek goddesses of speed; Nike. Another example would be the goddess: Pandora. This was the Greek goddess of gifting hence why the jewelry brand was named, Pandora. (Hetherington, 2019) Another influence Ancient Greek had on modern society was myths. One example would be the myth of Achilles' heal. According to the upcoming myth, Achilles' mother had dipped baby Achilles in a river names Styx, grabbing on only by his heel, and he became invincible wherever the water touched him, which was everywhere excluding his heel. This was then discovered as his only weakness by his opponents. This is why the saying “it’s my Achilles' heal” is talking about their weakness. ('Achilles', 2011)

In conclusion, religion was an integral part of Ancient Greek culture as they believed that it improved their lives and brought them closer to their gods. They worshipped a multitude of gods and goddesses, with the 12 Olympians being the most important, and built temples and sanctuaries to honor them. The Greeks believed that the gods controlled every aspect of their lives, and they worked hard to please them through festivals, sacrifices, and offerings. The impact of Ancient Greek culture can still be seen today in the names of famous brands and the influence of their myths on modern language. Overall, the religion and mythology of Ancient Greece remain a fascinating and important part of human history.

Bibliography

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