Greek Mythology Greek Mythology

Folk Stories of the Greek gods and Folk Stories of the Greek gods and goddessesgoddesses

Where in the world is GREECE?Where in the world is GREECE?

•The capital city is The capital city is AthensAthens•It is famous for It is famous for beautiful beaches beautiful beaches and sea! and sea!

The ClimateThe Climate

The Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea affects the Sea affects the Greek climate:Greek climate:

• cooling the air in cooling the air in summersummer

• providing warmth providing warmth in winter. in winter.

AgricultureAgriculture

Olive grove in rocky Greek soil

AgricultureAgriculture

• Good climate but bad terrain (very Good climate but bad terrain (very mountainous)mountainous)– Hilly ground: grapesHilly ground: grapes– Rocky soil: olivesRocky soil: olives– Good soil: corn and wheatGood soil: corn and wheat

• Sea was very importantSea was very important– Homer describes various fishing Homer describes various fishing

methods using hooks, nets, and methods using hooks, nets, and harpoon in both the harpoon in both the IliadIliad and the and the OdysseyOdyssey

The Ancient The Ancient Greek People:Greek People:

Religion and EducationReligion and Education

Temple of Apollo Oracle at Delphi

What is Greek What is Greek Mythology?Mythology?

• Greek Mythology is a collection of Greek Mythology is a collection of stories that Greeks used to explain stories that Greeks used to explain their world.their world.

• Greek myths are Greek myths are fictionfiction, but the , but the Greeks believed they were true.Greeks believed they were true.

The Greeks and Their The Greeks and Their BeliefsBeliefs

• The Greeks had many gods.The Greeks had many gods.

• The Olympian gods were mostly The Olympian gods were mostly portrayed as physically strong, beautiful portrayed as physically strong, beautiful and intelligent.and intelligent.

• Both good and evil comes from the gods.Both good and evil comes from the gods.

• Heroes and monsters came from the Heroes and monsters came from the gods.gods.

The gods and goddesses The gods and goddesses of Mt. Olympusof Mt. Olympus

• Mt. Olympus was the Mt. Olympus was the largest mountain in largest mountain in Greece. It was the Greece. It was the home of the gods and home of the gods and goddesses.goddesses.

• gods and goddesses gods and goddesses were immortal, they were immortal, they could not die.could not die.

• No humans were No humans were allowed on top of Mt. allowed on top of Mt. Olympus, but the Olympus, but the Olympians were Olympians were allowed on Earth.allowed on Earth.

Mt. OlympusMt. Olympus

Greek godsGreek gods

• ZeusZeus’’s court s court included scores of included scores of subordinate subordinate deities who had deities who had various various responsibilitiesresponsibilities

Apollo:Truth, Light,

Music, Healing

Poseidon: Sea,

Earthquakes

Athena: Wisdom, War

• Chief godChief god

• Lord of skyLord of sky

• God of thunder & God of thunder & lighteninglightening

• Wife and sister of Wife and sister of ZeusZeus

• Goddess of Goddess of marriage, marriage, protector of protector of childbirth & heroeschildbirth & heroes

• Portrayed as Portrayed as extremely jealous extremely jealous and meanand mean

•God of the sea and earthquakes

• god of light, music and god of light, music and poetrypoetry

• most beautiful godmost beautiful god• also the god of also the god of

medicinemedicine• taught people the art taught people the art

of healingof healing• fine marksmanfine marksman• could predict the futurecould predict the future

• ZeusZeus’’ favorite favorite• goddess of goddess of

wisdom, strategy, wisdom, strategy, protector of cities protector of cities and civilizationsand civilizations

• goddess of goddess of handicrafts and handicrafts and artart

• ZeusZeus’’ graceful, happy son graceful, happy son • Very mischievous and trickyVery mischievous and tricky• ZeusZeus’’ messenger messenger• Wore winged sandals and a Wore winged sandals and a

winged capwinged cap

• Goddess of love and Goddess of love and beautybeauty

• Goddess of desireGoddess of desire• Wherever she Wherever she

walked flowers walked flowers sprang up beneath sprang up beneath her feether feet

• she appeared from she appeared from the foam of the seathe foam of the sea

• Her son is Eros Her son is Eros (Cupid)(Cupid)

The Greek gods and goddessesThe Greek gods and goddesses

HomerHomer

• Epic: a long poem which Epic: a long poem which tells a story involving gods, tells a story involving gods, heroes, and heroic exploits heroes, and heroic exploits

• IliadIliad: Greek perspective on : Greek perspective on the war against Troy in the the war against Troy in the 1212thth Century B.C. Century B.C.

• OdysseyOdyssey: Experiences of : Experiences of the Greek hero Odysseus the Greek hero Odysseus as he sailed home after as he sailed home after the Trojanthe Trojan

The walls of Troy VIThe walls of Troy VI

In Search of the Trojan War, pp. 74

Troy VI from the NorthTroy VI from the North

In Search of the Trojan War, pp. 204

Reconstruction of Troy VI - 13Reconstruction of Troy VI - 13thth century century

In Search of the Trojan War, pp. 204

Trojan WarTrojan War• About 1200 B.C., the About 1200 B.C., the

Mycenaeans fought the Trojan Mycenaeans fought the Trojan War with the city of Troy in War with the city of Troy in AnatoliaAnatolia

• At the same time, foreigners At the same time, foreigners invaded the Mycenaean invaded the Mycenaean homelandhomeland

• From 1100 to 800 B.C., chaos From 1100 to 800 B.C., chaos reigned throughout the eastern reigned throughout the eastern MediterraneanMediterranean

• In the absence of a centralized In the absence of a centralized state or empire, local state or empire, local institutions took the lead in institutions took the lead in restoring political order to restoring political order to GreeceGreece– City-statesCity-states The Trojan Horse