Religion
Religion was important to the ancient Greeks because they believed that it would make their lives better while they were living. They also believed the gods would take care of them when they died. Read on to take a glimpse into Greek religion.
The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, they believed in many different gods and goddesses. The Greeks believed that these gods and goddesses controlled everything, from the waves in the ocean to the winner of a race. Each god or goddess controlled one or two major aspects of life. Greeks built temples in every town for one god or goddess. Temples were large and beautiful buildings where Greeks went to pray or sacrifice animals. The sacrificed animals were considered gifts to the gods. Greeks were especially likely to sacrifice animals at festivals in honor of the gods. The festivals included plays, music, dancing, and then a parade to the temple where they made their sacrifices and had a feast. One temple (below) still standing today is the Parthenon, built in honor of Athena, who was the goddess of wisdom and war.
The Greeks believed that all of the gods and goddesses lived at the top of Mount Olympus. As mentioned earlier, all of the gods and goddesses had specific roles. For example, Zeus was the supreme leader of the gods, Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and Poseidon was the god of the sea. Later, the Romans also worshipped these gods and goddesses but gave them different names. To see a list of the names of these gods and their duties.Romans borrowed their gods and goddesses from the Greeks and gave them new names. Below is a chart of the Greek and Roman names of the God or Goddess and a description of what they were believed to control.
Greeks Name
Aphrodite:Roman Name Venus the responsibility goddess of beauty and love
Ares: Roman Name is Mars god of war
Artemis:Roman Name is Diana goddess of huminity and childbirth
Athena:Minerva in Roman gooddess of war wisdom and crafts
Demeter:Roman name is Ceres goddess of the harvest
Hera:Roman name Juno protector of women; wife of Zeus/Jupiter
Hermes:Roman name Mercury messenger of the gods
Hades:Roman Name is Pluto god of the Underworld
Poseidon: Roman name is Neptune god of the sea
Zeus:Roman name is Jupiter king of the gods
There was another place that they could pray these holy sites were known as oracles. Here the Greeks and the priest of the temple would pray to the gods and ask a question about their futures. They believed the gods answered their questions using signs in nature. For example, at the oracle of Zeus at Dodona, you would write your question on a slab of lead then give it to the priest, who listened to the rustling leaves of sacred oak trees to tell you the god's answer.
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