Greek Gods and Goddesses, Human Characteristics to Myth

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Greek gods and goddesses were created by ancient Greek cultures as a way to explain why and how things in their world were happening. At the time of their inception, they were not written down and so the history of the gods was passed verbally from one generation to the next. Often, Ancient Greek cities erected giant temples in honor of the specific god or goddess their city was dedicated to. These temples were used for worship as well as sacrifices to pay homage to the god.

Since most ancient societies of the time had their own set of gods and goddesses, many of the names are nearly interchangeable. Zeus is almost always the supreme god and then his followers trickle down with various names. These gods held human characteristics and were said to have mingled amongst the humans at times, but always returning to their home. Each god or goddess was given their own aspect of life to be responsible for. There is Aphrodite the goddess of love,  Ares the Greek god of war,  Poseidon the god of the sea and many more.

Amongst the first documented stories of Greek mythology were Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. The Iliad focuses on the Trojan Wars and how the gods influenced each side of the war. The Odyssey is the sequel to the Iliad, depicting the Greek hero, Odysseus’ long trek home from the Trojan wars. These stories documented, for one of the first times, the history of Ancient Greek mythology.

Greek mythology had a huge influence on the culture, life and art of the time. Artists were constantly making paintings, vases, sculptures and temples in honor of certain gods. Citizens spent portions of their days honoring the gods in order to not anger them. Any catastrophe suffered by a family or city was said to be because the people angered the gods.

Greek mythology still influences art and culture today. Artists look at ancient Greek sculpture and art for inspiration. These items have survived thousands of years, many mostly intact. The ancient society must have been doing something correctly. Literature and movies are still influenced by these ancient stories as well.  The stories behind each Greek god began as oral traditions, but have become some of the most studied and published works in human society.