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Religion in just about every culture has always played an important part in the lives of mankind. It is interesting, however, to look back into time and see a past civilizations religious beliefs and practices. In some instances, we can see how our own customs in our present religion date back many centuries, even though both belief systems could be structurally different. One ancient culture that seems to draw a lot of interest in these latter days is that of the Greeks.
The literary records, artwork, and folklore have stood the test of time and help us to see into the everyday lives of these people. We can see how religion was a very important part of their lives. The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, which meant they believed in many gods and goddesses. They believed these deities ruled over their lives and could shower them with fortune or misfortune according to their own actions.
They showed homage to the gods through sacrifice, other rituals, and festivals in their honor. The deities of the ancient Greeks, a central part of their religion, are divided into three groups, the Titans, the Olympian gods, and the lesser or demi-gods. The Titans are also known as the elder gods. They ruled the earth before the Olympian gods and goddesses overthrew them. The Titans were the twelve children of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). Cronus was the youngest and the boldest of the twelve children.
His mother, Gaia, talked Cronus into overthrowing his father. She was in great sorrow because Uranus had imprisoned her other children, the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires (Hundred-handed), in Tartarus. He agreed to help his mother so he castrated his father with a sickle and threw his genitals into the sea (Burkert 297). Cronus then became the ruler of the Titans. Cronus was the sky god and also the god of agriculture and fertility. He married his sister, Rhea, and was the father of Hestia, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hera and Zeus.
Cronus created mankind during his reign, and the era was called the Golden Age. It was a very peaceful and prosperous era. Time passed and Cronus never released his brethren from their imprisonment in Tartarus. His mother grew upset and foretold of the day when one of Cronus own children would overthrow his power. Cronus was very frightened that hed lose his position, so when his children were born he swallowed them immediately. Rhea managed to trick her husband by giving him a large stone covered in swaddling cloth, instead of her last child, Zeus.
Cronus swallowed the stone. Rhea then secretly sent her son to Crete, where he was brought up (Burkert 298). When Zeus reached adulthood and was ready to attack his father, Rhea secretly gave Cronus a potion that made him disgorge his other children. Zeus released the captive Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires and they fought on his side. In the battle Cronus was de-throned by his son Zeus. Most of the Titans who fought with Cronus against Zeus were punished by being banished to Tartarus.
One of the Titans had a more severe punishment from Zeus than the others. Since Cronus was advanced in his years, he didnt actually lead the attack. Atlas lead the Titan's in battle against the younger generation. When they lost, Zeus singled out Atlas and forced him to hold the heavens on his back.
Although Cronus was the most powerful Titan during his reign, Prometheus was the wisest. When Zeus was going into battle against his father, Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus deserted the Titans and fought on Zeus side. Prometheus name means "forethought", and he also had the ability to foretell the future. Prometheus and his brother were delegated by Zeus to create man. Prometheus is also known as the protector and benefactor of man.
He gave mankind a number of gifts including fire. He also tricked Zeus into allowing man to keep the best part of the animals sacrificed to the gods and to give the gods the worst parts (Ling 24). For this Zeus punished Prometheus by having him chained to a rock with an eagle tearing out his liver. He was to be left there for all eternity or until he agreed to disclose to Zeus which of Zeus children would try to replace him. Overthrowing ones father for the throne seemed to run in the family and Zeus did not want history to repeat itself. He was eventually rescued by Hercules without giving in to Zeus (Ling 24).
Prometheus brother Epimetheus name means after thought. He was generally regarded as a slow and dim-witted deity, as compared to his brother who was considered a champion of mankind and a thoughtful rebel. Epimetheus wife was Pandora, with whom he was believed to have fathered some of the first humans. Zeus had Pandora created as a punishment for Epimetheus instead of chaining him to a mountain like his brighter brother. Epimetheus fell in love with Pandora despite his brother's warning to never accept a gift from the gods. What he didnt realize was Zeus had given Pandora a box containing all the goods and evils of the world (Ling 25).
He was tempted to open the box and finally when he couldnt resist, he lifted the lid and it let out all the evils into mankind's existence. However, all the goodness returned to the gods. Pandora, realizing what was happening, was able to close the box just in time to trap hope inside. The Olympian pantheon gods and goddesses are the most well-known of the three groups and also the most powerful over the lives of humans. The Greeks believed that they presided on Mount Olympus, the highest peak in mainland Greece. Just like the twelve Titans there are twelve gods and goddesses, which is interesting because in other religions, some in Asia Minor long before the Greek gods, twelve deities preside as well (Burkert 125).
If we look at our own Christian religions, we can take note that there are also twelve apostles, or followers, of Jesus Christ. The most powerful god on Olympus is Zeus. He is considered the lord of the sky, and a rain god. His weapon is a thunderbolt, which he uses to punish those who displease him (Flaceliere 2). Zeus was worshipped by men to aid them in several different capacities, for example, as guarantor of the sanctity of oaths and as protector of political freedom (Ling 149).
Zeus gained the highest seat by chance at Olympus by drawing lots with his two other brothers, Poseidon and Hades. Poseidon became the god of the sea, winning the second draw. Hades settled for the last position and became the god of the underworld. Zeus, however, did have his shortcomings.
Although he had a wife, Hera the goddess of marriage, Zeus had many affairs with earth women and demi-goddesses. He sired many children, some becoming Olympia deities and others demi-gods. What makes the matter even worse is that Zeus would magically morph into another form to seduce or rape a woman. The most infamous account was when he changed into a beautiful swan and raped the maiden Leda (Burkert 128).
Although Zeus was immoral and still highly respected, infidelity among the ancient Greeks was seen as a terrible abomination, especially if committed by a woman against her husband. Women were expected to be more virtuous then men. Hera is the queen of the gods and not only is she the goddess of marriage, but she is also the goddess of married women. Although she is Zeus wife, she is also his sister. Kitto says that Hera's marriage was founded in strife with Zeus and continued in strife (224). In fact Zeus had courted her unsuccessfully.
He decided to trick her by changing into a disheveled cuckoo. Hera saw the bird, felt sorry for it, and then picked it up and held it to her breast to warm it. Zeus then took his normal shape and raped her. She married Zeus to cover her shame (Kitto 224).
Hera often times is portrayed as a hen-pecking wife and stories are full of her bitterness towards Zeus mistresses and his illegitimate children. I think it is interesting, however, that Hera was the first Greek deity that had a temple erected for her. In fact, she received her temple in Olympia, long before Zeus did (Burkert 131). Hera actually planed a revolt against her husband.
After she convinced many to follow her, she drugged him and then the other gods tied him to a chair. While he was still sleeping from the drug...
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Research essay sample on The Deities Of Ancient Greeks
