A ncient Greece What were the Greek gods like Earliest Greeks like all primitive peoples feared the unknown Nature uncontrolled spirits could do them harm They saw the spirits as monsters part human part animal part imagination ID: 296983
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Slide1
Religion in Ancient GreeceSlide2
What were the Greek gods like?
Earliest Greeks, like all primitive peoples, feared the unknown
Nature (uncontrolled spirits) could do them harm
They saw the spirits as monsters: part human, part animal, part imagination
Frightening, ugly, violent, destructive, irrational
Sacrificed to please themSlide3
What were the Greek gods like?
at an unknown time, Greeks began to believe that the spirits were
anthropomorphic
– shaped like humans
Ugly spirits became extremely beautiful
Idealised men and women
In art, gods and heroes naked (as was the custom in athletic contests)
Goddesses depicted clothed (except Aphrodite), following customSlide4
What were the Greek gods like?
Resembled humans:
Ate, drank, slept, made love, produced children, had emotions (anger, compassion, jealousy, lust, spite)
More powerful than humans yet had attachments to areas:
Caves on Crete where Zeus was born, place where Aphrodite came ashore, born from the sea
Gods less frightening than original spirits
Human emotions and activities = they understand humans and their prayers for help
They could help if they wished to help
They could think – and therefore be persuaded by reasonSlide5
What the Greek gods were like
Feared by humans
Were not concerned about living good lives themselves or human
virture
/vice
Not impressed by people who tried to be honest or kind
Not good or evil
To humans they might be friendly, helpful, indifferent, hostile, destructive
Attitude could change at any time
Regular sacrifices weren’t a guarantee but ‘insurance’ against their displeasureSlide6
hubris
Weren’t bothered by human theft or murder
Got offended if ignored
Only ‘sin’ was hubris = human pride/arrogance
Unforgiveable to try to outdo gods or to boast about it
Many tales (teaching a lesson?) about people trying to ‘overstep’ boundaries between human and divine who are viciously punishedSlide7
Why pray?
Believed gods caused most things which happened to humans
Avoid their displeasure
Active assistance:
Demeter & Dionysus for fertility
Hera for pregnancy and childbirth
No god was all-powerful – still subject to law of Fate
Length or quality of a person’s life could be changed:
Achilles had to die but was given a choice: a short, glorious life or a long life as an unknownSlide8
The Olympian Gods and GoddessesSlide9
ZEUS
Last child of
Cronos
& Rhea
Married sister Hera
Had many love affairs = many children
Supreme God / King of the Olympians
Carefree & unpredictable
Responsible for laws, justice & weather
Symbol = thunderbolt
Animal = sacred eagle
Strong body, bearded faceSlide10
POSIEDONGod of the Seas
Bad tempered, moody, greedy, unfaithful
Wife =
Nereid
Amphitrite (a sea nymph)
Responsible for natural events, especially earthquakes
Strong body, bearded, flowing hair
Symbol = trident
Animals = bulls, horses, dolphinsSlide11
HADES
Ruler of the Underworld
Wife = Persephone, daughter of Demeter
Hardly ever left his gloomy kingdom
Had a 3 headed dog – Cerberus
Ferryman
Charon
worked with him
Dark, hair flopping over face, beard, good looking, strong body
Symbol = helmet to help him stay invisibleSlide12
HERA
Goddess of marriage, family, protector of married women
Wife of Zeus, had 4 children with him –
Eilithyia
, Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus
Angry about Zeus’s infidelity but couldn’t harm him so she got her own back by harming his mistresses or their children
Hated Heracles
Shown as a beautiful woman, crowned
Symbol = pomegranate (fertility)
Animal = peacockSlide13
HESTIA
Goddess of the hearth, home & family
Virgin goddess – never married, but Apollo & Poseidon both wanted to
Personified by the fire which burned in every home to cook over – never permitted to go out
Always worshipped in any temple
Widely respected by mortals & gods – kind, forgiving, neutral nature
Shown as a shy, seated womanSlide14
DEMETERGoddess of agriculture & vegetation
Peace-loving, taught people how to grow
crops
,
introduced wheat to earth
Shown as a woman with golden hair holding a sheaf of wheat
Symbols = wheat stalk & grains
Mother of Persephone
Responsible for seasonal changesSlide15
APHRODITEGoddess of love, pleasure, beauty
Married to Hephaestus but had affair with Ares
Mother of Eros
Shown as attractive young woman, semi nude
Symbols = girdle, seashell & mirror
Animal = doveSlide16
ATHENEGoddess of wisdom, skill & war
Born from Zeus’s head, fully grown
Taught humans weaving, sewing,
metalcraft
Patron goddess of ancient Athens
Shown as tall, slim woman with armour & helmet
Symbols = staff & shield (aegis) with Medusa’s head
Animal = owl, symbol of wisdomSlide17
ARTEMIS
Virgin goddess of hunting & the moon
Twin brother Apollo
Responsible for nature & fertility in nature
Hunted with arrows dipped in poison
Protector of wild animals (but she also killed them?)
Represented armed with bow & arrows, wearing short
chiton
Sacred animals = snake & deer
Symbol = bowSlide18
APOLLO
God of the sun, light, music & prophecy
Played the lyre beautifully
Twin of Artemis
Patron god of city of Delphi – known for the oracle (priestess who would tell the future)
Shown as good looking, strong young man
Symbols = lyre & tripod
Sacred plant = laurel treeSlide19
HERMES
God of trade, messengers and luck
Wore winged sandals & carried messages
Only god allowed to visit Heaven, Earth & the Underworld
Had a tendency to lie & steal so became god of thieves & cheats too
Quick witted & especially helpful to his father Zeus
Shown as young man with travellers hat and cloak
Wears winged sandals
Carries staff with snakes wound round itSlide20
ARESGod of war & violence
Had secret love affair with Aphrodite
Difficult personality & fought with other gods & goddesses
Lived on Olympus & had a throne covered in human skin
Accompanied by Eris – goddess of discord
Symbol = spear
Animal = dogsSlide21
HEPHAESTUS
Blacksmith - God of metal working
Married to Aphrodite
Kind & loving god but was ugly & crippled so Hera (his mother) threw him off Mt Olympus
Lived & worked underneath Mt Etna – a volcano
Created weapons & armour for the gods & goddesses including thunderbolts for Zeus
Symbols = fire, axe, pincers, hammerSlide22
DIONYSUS
God of wine, joy, theatres
Son of Zeus & human princess
Semele
Known for being
lighthearted
& helpful
Didn’t live on Mt Olympus but travelled the world instead
Shown as handsome young man with longish hair & ivy/vine wreath on head
Carries staff (
thyrsos
) showing vine leaves & pine cone
Symbols = grapes, vines
Animal = pantherSlide23
Write down the names of the 14 major Greek gods & goddesses. Next to each, write:Slide24
Greek
Gods
&
Goddesses
Write
an
interview
with
Aphrodite
to
appear
on
This
Is
Your
Life
show
on
tv.
You
are
Athene
.
Write
an
open
letter
to
the
Athenians
explaining
why
you
are
without
doubt
the
best
divinity
to
be
patron
of Athens.
Debate ONE of
the
following
statements
:
“Artemis
is
a
goddess
of
contradictions
.”
“Artemis has
to
be
respected
but
cannot
be
loved
.”
Defend
this
statement
with
as
many
reasons
as
possible
:
“
Apollo
was
the
god
of
civilisation
.”
In
what
ways
was
Hephaestus
different
from
all
the
other
Olympians
?
Why
do
you
think
that
was
the
case?
Compare
the
behaviour
&
experiences
of
the
followers
of
Dionysus
with
that
of
followers
of pop
stars
in
recent
years
.
Compare and
contrast
in a
list
or
poster
:
Aphrodite
& Artemis
Athene
& Hermes
You
are
an
ancient
Greek
.
Name
your
favourite
divinity
and
explain
why
you
like
and
worship
your
choice
.
Sketch
both
sides
of
an
ancient
coin
.
An
Olympian
on
one
side
and
an
incident
from
his
/
her
tales
on
the
other
.