Greek Mythology

Greek Culture

Religion:

Creation:

In the beginning there was only chaos, until Erebus and Nyx (Night) came out of the void. They bore love, who created Gaea(Earth) who created Uranus(Sky). Together they created The 12 Titans, 3Cyclops and the 3 Hecatoncheires (Hundred Handed Ones). However Uranus Hated the Hecatoncheires and imprisoned them in Tartarus. Gaea responded by giving the youngest titan Cronos a scythe and told him to kill his father. Cronos then married his sister Rhea and lived happily ever after… JK there was a prophecy that said his son would overthrow him, so he ate all his children even the girls. Rhea hid her 6^th child Zeus and instead gave Cronos a rock (His Eyesight…). His son then overthrew Him and Rescued his brothers and sisters. And after a big war the Gods were triumphant.

Gods and goddesses:

Major Gods:

Zeus:

King of the gods and husband of Hera, Zeus ruled the sky.

Hera:

Queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, Hera was Goddess of marriage.

Poseidon:

Lord of the sea, Poseidon was responsible for earthquakes including the one that felled Crete.

Hades:

Lord of the Underworld, Hades Ruled over the blessed and Dammed

Demeter:

Demeter controlled the seasons.

Athena:

Athena is the goddess of wisdom and had children by Joining minds.

Ares:

God of war, is said to have started fights by walking into the room.

Apollo:

God of music and healing, brother of Artemis.

Artemis:

Goddess of the hunt and maidens, sister of Apollo.

Hermes:

God of the roadways thieves and travellers.

Hephaestus:

God of blacksmiths and fire, “Husband” of Aphrodite

Aphrodite:

Goddess of love, “Wife” of Hephaestus.

Geography:

City states:

Athens:

One of the two main city states, ruled by an early democracy in which only rich men vote.

Sparta:

The other main city state, in Sparta boys and girls were trained from an early age to fight, the closest gender equality in Ancient Greece.

Corinth:

Located on the isthmus between Greece and the Peloponnese Corinth was in such an important geographical location that it was only rarely out of the limelight.

Thebes:

The most central of the Greek city states, Thebes was the most powerful city state in 4BCE

Delphi:

Home of the legendary oracle of Delphi, Greek kings and Queens came from all over Greece to consult the oracle on major attacks and what their neighbours are planning.

Rhodes:

Schools that taught many of the Greek geniuses were located here, Rhodes also had a major naval force which was enlisted by its many rulers to patrol the seas for pirates.

Crete:

Crete was an island empire and home of one of the high kings of ancient Greece until a blessing from Poseidon (an earthquake) destroyed it.