The Culture of
Ancient Greece
Greek Mythology
• Main Idea: The Greeks believed that gods and
goddesses controlled nature and shaped their lives.
– Myth = traditional stories about gods and heroes
• Expressed Greeks’ religious beliefs
• Gods and goddesses controlled nature.
• The Greeks had gods and goddess for everything. They controlled the
natural and human world
• The 14 main gods are a family that live on Mt. Olympus. They are
human-like: they look human and act human, but they are powerful
gods
The Olympians
• Zeus - was the most powerful of the
gods. Should he have to bring order,
he would hurl a thunderbolt. Zeus
shared his powers and ruled with
other great gods.
• Hera - was the wife of Zeus, and thus, the Queen. Hera
was the goddess of marriage, children, and the home
- Poseidon - was very powerful. He
could raise his hand and a new island
would appear! The Greeks were
terrified of Poseidon. All the Greeks,
but especially those who lived in
coastal towns, brought special gifts to
the temple for Poseidon, to keep him
happy.
• Hades - was NOT the lord of death. His job was to run the
Underworld, where you go when you die. He was a good
ruler. Parts of the Underworld were very nice, like the
Elysian Fields, where heroes dwelled after they died. Parts
were not so nice. Those were for people who were not so
nice during their lifetime. His pet was the three headed dog
Cerberus
Ares – was the god of war and the son of Zeus and
Hera. He tall and handsome but cruel and vain. Ares
could not bear to suffer pain.
Hermes - was Zeus' son and the messenger
of the gods. Hermes was noted for his
pranks as well as for his speed
Dionysus – God of Wine and fun things,
like parties
Apollo - Nearly everyone was fond of Apollo. He was the god of
music, reason, and light. All the people of ancient Greece
brought gifts to Apollo, and asked for advice in exchange.
Artemis - was the daughter of Zeus and was Apollo's twin sister.
Artemis was very different from her brother. Artemis was cold
and pitiless. The only thing she loved besides her family were her
floppy-eared dogs. Artemis was the goddess of the hunt.
Demeter – Goddess of the
Harvest and things that grow
Athena - was born directly out of Zeus' brain. She did not
have a mother. Zeus loved all his children, but if he had to pick
a favorite, it would probably have been Athena, the goddess
of wisdom. She was the patron god of Athens
Hestia - was an important goddess, but not very famous. She
was the goddess of hearth and home. Every day, when the
ancient Greek women gathered in the central courtyard of
their homes, to do their sewing and cooking, they knew that
Hestia was keeping watch over them.
Hephaestus – is the God of fire,
the forge, and volcanoes. He was
the son of Hera and Zeus, and
husband to Aphrodite. He is the
only Olympian who limps. Some
say he was born with a limp.
Others say Zeus, in a fit of temper,
flung him off Mount Olympus
when he was just a baby.
Aphrodite - Some say her parents were unknown, and
that she was born of sea foam. Others, like the poet
Homer, say she was a daughter of Zeus. She was the
goddess of love and beauty. She was an essential
element of many Greek myths. Aphrodite could be
kind or merciless.
Olympics
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Held every 4 years
In honor of Zeus
Only Greek men could participate
NOTHING interfered with the
games, not even war
Track for races
Temple of Zeus
Wrestling
Sanctuaries
- A place of religious importance and that is sacred to the
gods.
• Greeks believed people had a fate or destiny, meaning they
believed certain events would happen no matter what.
• Believed in prophecy (predictions about the future)
• To find out about the future, visited an oracle, which was a person
who spoke for a god/goddess.
• Most famous oracle was at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi
Greek Poetry and Fables
• Main Idea: Greek poetry and fables taught Greek
values.
– Epics – earliest Greek stories that were long poems
about heroes
• First great epics of Greece = Iliad and the Odyssey
– Written by the poet Homer
– Both epics based on stories from the war between
Greece and the city of Troy
• Homer’s stories taught courage and honor and
the importance of being loyal to your friends.
• Also to value the relationship between
husband and wife.
Aesop
• A Greek slave who made up famous fables
which are short tales that teach lessons and
end with morals.
Greek Drama
• Main Idea: Greek drama still shapes entertainment
today.
• Drama – story told by actors who pretend to be
characters in a story
– Examples today – movies, plays and TV shows
• Greeks held rituals & drama festivals in hope that the
gods would grant good fortune to them.
• Performed as part of Greeks’ religious festivals
• Two kinds of drama – tragedy and comedy
• Tragedy – person struggles to overcome difficulties, but
fails. Story usually ends sadly
• Aeschylus – first to introduce having two actors with
conversations between two people. Also had, costumes,
props and stage decorations.
• Sophocles – used three actors and painted scenery
• Euripides – Took Greek drama beyond heroes and gods and
used real-life situations. Showed war as cruel and women and
children as victims.
• Comedy – story ends happily
– Aristophanes (“Aristo-funnies”)– made fun of leading
politicians and scholars. Encouraged the audience to
think as well as laugh.
Greek Art and Architecture
• Main Idea: Greek art and architecture expressed
Greek ideas of beauty and harmony.
– Wanted people to see reason, moderation, balance
and harmony in their work and hoped their art would
inspire people.
• Most important architecture was the temples
dedicated to the gods or goddesses.
– Best known temple – Parthenon in honor of Athena
• Greek buildings were supported by large columns
– Three different styles of columns:
• Today the same columns are used in churches and
government buildings, as well as schools.
• Sculpture – used to express Greek ideas.
– Favorite subject for sculpture was the human body.
– Tried to show their ideal version of perfection and
beauty.