10.1 Beliefs

pp. 270-272

Essential Question:

What makes the Greek’s culture unique?

Standard 6.56

Success Criteria:

1. What is the body of stories about Greek gods and heroes?

2. Who is the king of the Greek gods, also the god of the sky, rain, and lightning?

3. Who is the god of light, sun, and poetry?

4. Who is the god of the underworld?

5. Retell the Demeter and Persephone myth.

*know all 12 gods and goddesses

Vocab: Myths, Rituals, Prophecy, Oracle

Myths

• Traditional stories about gods and heroes. Used in Greek religion.

• Explains a culture’s beliefs or nature

Who were the Greek Gods?

Greeks believed in many gods and goddesses - polytheistic

gods were NOT all-powerful

gods marry and have children (act like children sometimes)

12 most important gods and goddesses lived on Mt. Olympus

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCm8W5RZes3 mins

Zeus

Zeus is the king of all the

gods. He divided up the

world with his brothers,

Hades and Poseidon.

Zeus becomes ruler of the

sky and earth. Zeus has

many children all of whom

have powers. However,

Zeus has more powers

than anyone else.

Hades

Hades is the lord of the

dead in the Underworld.

He’s so scary that people

would not even say his

name. Guests in the

underworld are greeted by

his three-headed dog. His

brother, Zeus tricked the

beautiful Persephone into

marrying Hades. Her

mother, Demeter, goddess

of agriculture, makes a

deal with Hades so

Persephone only has to

stay with Hades for part of

the year causing winter

weather.

Poseidon

Poseidon was god of

the sea and brother to

Zeus and Hades. In

Homer’s famous

Odyssey he punishes

Odysseus because

Odysseus blinded his

son the Cyclops. He

is able to cause

storms with the use of

his trident, 3 pronged

spear. Earthquakes

are believed to be

caused by his wrath

as well.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus is the god of

metalworking and is

married to the unfaithful

Aphrodite. He forges all

the weapons for the gods.

He works beneath the

Earth’s surface. His

smashing of steel into

molten lava creates

earthquakes and

volcanoes

Athena Athena is the

firstborn and favorite

child of Zeus. She is

known as the

goddess of wisdom.

According to the

myth, she busts out

of his head fully

grown and dressed

for battle. She often

uses her intelligence

to rescue Greek

heroes. She is the

protectress of the

city, Athens and has

the Parthenon built

for her as a temple.

ApolloApollo is god of the sun and twin to Artemis. His daily task is to drive the sun

across the sky. During the Trojan War he helps the Trojans and helps kill

legendary Greek warrior, Achilles.

Ares

Ares is known as the god

of war, not for his skill

but because he liked all

the violence. His parents

were Zeus and Hera. He

is father to the twins,

Remus and Romulus.

Romulus will eventually

become the 1st king of

Rome.

Artemis

Artemis is the goddess of

the moon and hunting.

Artemis, being a female,

would seek revenge if she

felt someone wronged her.

Hera

Hera was married to Zeus

and is therefore queen of the

gods. Most of her time is

spent causing trouble for all

of her husband’s girlfriends

and their children. She is

most famous for trying to

destroy Hercules. Her

sacred animal is the

peacock.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite is the

goddess of love and

beauty. She plays a part

in starting the Trojan

War. In order to win a

beauty contest she

bribes Paris with the

most beautiful woman in

the human world, Helen.

When she runs away

with Paris the Greeks

go after her and thus

begins the war.

Each city-state chose a god or goddess as its protector.

• Which god or goddess did Athens choose as its protector?

• Which god or goddess did Sparta choose as its protector?

• Which god or goddess did Delphi choose as its protector?

The ancient Greeks believed the gods and goddesses controlled nature.

Apollo’s chariot pulls the sun across the sky each day

Poseidon causing major storms for sea travelers

Myth: Demeter and Persephone

Myth: Helios and Phaeton

Titans

• P. 271 • BEFORE the gods and goddesses…

• The Greeks believed the Titans existed before the gods of Olympia.

• The Titans were the children of Gaia (mother earth) and Uranus.

• One of their children was Cronos.

• The Greeks believed Cronos fathered the gods.

• Afraid they would take the Titan’s power, Cronos ate all of his children except Zeus. Zeus killed Cronos and freed his siblings.

Statue of Cronos

Success Criteria:

1. What is the body of stories about Greek gods and heroes?

2. Who is the king of the Greek gods, also the god of the sky, rain, and lightning?

3. Who is the god of light, sun, and poetry?

4. Who is the god of the underworld?

5. Retell the Demeter and Persephone myth.

*know all 12 gods and goddesses

Vocab: Myths, Rituals, Prophecy, Oracle

Success Criteria:

1. Why did the Greeks perform rituals?

2. What is one example of a religious festival of the Greeks?

3. What does an oracle do?

4. The most famous oracle was from where?

5. Retell one of the two Apollo myths from today.

*Know all 12 gods and goddesses

Rituals p. 271-272

Religious Festivals Festival of Carneia:• Herodotus, the Greek historian, states the Spartans

intended to send the rest of their army as soon as the Carneia Festival was over. Unmentioned was the fact that the allies were also constrained from sending full armies because the Olympic Games were going on at the same time. The CarneiaFestival was an ancient Dorian festival held to worship Apollo Carneios, the most important god of the Dorians, the god of rams. It began on the seventh day of the month of Carneios (July/August) and lasted nine days. . The Spartans actually had nine festivals each year and no wars could be fought during any of them. The Carneia Festival was the most important of the nine. As a result, the Spartans arrived too late at the Battle of Marathon (490 BC), and King Leonidas was sent to Thermopylae with inadequate troops (480 BC).

Sparta would not come to aid other city-states or even their own King Leonidas in the Persian War because of Religious Festivals

Olympic Games

• Located in Olympia

• Games “for the greater glory of Zeus”

• Began in 776 B.C.

• Greeks believed their gods would be pleased if people showed skill in the arts, in athletic games, or in thinking

Oracles

•Sacred shrine where a priest or priestess spoke for a god.•Prophecy - Predict the future.•Oracle at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi was the most famous of oracles

• This site at the temple complex at Delphi was thought by ancient Greeks to be the center of the world.

Facts About the Oracle:

• The site of Delphi dates back to 1500 B.C. It was one of the most important shrines in ancient Greece.

• People came from all over Greece to meet with the Pythia. The Pythia was the priestess who served as the oracle at the Temple of Apollo. The Pythia told the future or interpreted the will of the gods. Once a Pythia died, a new one would be appointed by the temple priestesses to replace her.

• Often the Pythia’s answers were vague and mysterious. Sometimes they had to be interpreted by others at the temple so that they could be understood by visitors.

• Some scholars believe that there was a scientific reason for the Pythia’s trance-like state, visions, and mysterious advice. The Pythia’s chamber was deep in the temple complex, and had an opening in the floor. Volcanic gases often steamed into the room. These gases may have affected the Pythia’s state of mind.

• The Pythia had remarkable power, which was unusual for women in ancient Greece. She advised powerful figures on important decisions, including state matters of war and peace. In Homer’s epic The Odyssey, the main character, King Agamemnon, asks the oracle how he should proceed in his war against Troy.

Myth: Apollo and Cassandra

Myth: Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi

Turn and TalkWhat is unique about the Greek beliefs? (how were they different from

other civilizations?)

Why did the Greeks have festivals and rituals for their gods?

Why did the ancient Greeks seek advice from oracles?

1. Why did the Greeks perform rituals?2. What is one example of a religious festival of the

Greeks?3. What does an oracle do?4. The most famous oracle was from where?5. Retell one of the two Apollo myths from today.*Know all 12 gods and goddesses

Success Criteria:

Guess Who?Materials:

Game Board in plastic sheet

Dry erase markers

Instructions:

1. Team sit opposite each other with all gods upright on their Game Board on a

textbook.

2. Each team secretly chooses a Greek god on the board. Circle it with dry

erase marker. The other team will be trying to guess yours.

3. Teams try and guess which god card their opponent has drawn by taking

turns asking yes or no questions to eliminate gods on their Game Board.

Cross off cards when you know it can NOT be that card.

Example:

Team 1 asks, “Are you male?” If Team 2 answer is “No” cross of all

males. Only the females remain.

Team 2 asks, “Are you holding a trident?” If Team 1 answer is “No”

cross off Poseidon.

4. After eliminating as many gods as possible, teams start guessing the name of

their opponent’s god. Whoever guesses correctly WINS!

Team 2 asks, “Are you holding a trident?” If Team 1 answer is “yes”

Team 2 can ask, “Are you Poseidon?” If yes, Team 2 wins.

Clean your boards. Play again.

Tally games won by each team.