Greek & Roman Mythology

Greco-Roman Mythology?• Why do we study the mythology of the Greeks

and Romans together?– The Greeks were one of the oldest societies in the

Mediterranean area.– The Romans conquered Greece and took many

Greeks as slaves, particularly for the tutors & household servants.

– The Greek religion, language and cultural features were absorbed into the Roman culture.

– Only minor changes were made, but other gods and goddesses from other cultures were also incorporated. (Janus, God of Doors)

Definition of Mythology• Myths are accounts of the deeds of a god or of a

supernatural being. • It relates a supposed historical event, or it serves to explain

some practice, belief, institution, or natural phenomenon.• Mythology is defined as a system of myths shared by a

culture.• We separate Myths and Legends by stating that legends are

based upon real events & people, just greatly exaggerated. • I propose a simpler definition:

– Myths relate to gods & goddesses and the origin of things, while legends deal with heroes & heroines and their deeds.

Polytheism vs. Monotheism

• Polytheism is a belief in more than one god. – “Poly” – “Theo” – “Ism”– A doctrine of many gods– All the ancient cultures practiced this type of belief.

• Monotheism is a belief in only one god.– “Mono” – “Theo” – “ism”– A doctrine of one god. – Other than a brief attempt at monotheism by the

Egyptians, Judaism is the first monotheistic system.

The Greek Origin of the World

• In the beginning, there was Chaos (void, nothingness, dark).• Out of Chaos came Father Sky (Uranus) & Mother Earth

(Gaia).• Father Sky ruled the heavens and wielded a powerful sickle

shaped like the crescent moon.

The Hecatonchires • The first children of Uranus

and Gaia were the one-handed Hecatonchires (Hekatoncheires).

• Their names were Briareus the Vigorous, Cottus the Striker or the Furious, and Gyges the Big-Limbed.

• The Hecatonchires represent the gigantic forces of nature that appear in earthquakes and other convulsions or in the motion of sea waves.

• Uranus bound them in Tartarus.

The Cyclopes

• Next were the “wheel-eyes,” the Cyclopses.

• They were Arges, Brontes, and Steropes.

• Uranus bound them in Tartarus due to their bad looks.

The Titans

• These were the golden children, perfect in every way to their parents.

• They ruled the world. • There were 12 Titans.• Chief among the Titans was Cronus (Kronos).

The First Generation Titans

• Oceanus (Ruler of the Seas/World Ocean)

• Hyperion (Titan of the Sun)• Coeus (Titan of Intellect)

• Cronus (King of the Titans)• Crius (Titan of the

Leadership)• Iapetus (Titan of Mortal

Life)

• Tethys (Titaness of the Waters and Oceans)

• Theia (Titaness of Sight)• Phoebe (Titaness of

Brilliance and the Moon• Rhea (Mother of the Gods)• Mnemosyne (Titaness of

Memory)• Themis (Titaness of Law,

Justice, and Order)

• The second generation of Titans consisted of Hyperion's children Eos, Helios, and Selene and Iapetus's sons Atlas, Prometheus, and Epimetheus.

The War of the Titans

• Cronus wanted the power of his father Uranus.

• He and his brothers waited at the four corners of the world to catch and hold their father.

• Cronus took his father’s sickle and cut his power from him.

• Cronus assumed his father’s role as ruler of the Heavens.

Paranoia

• Cronus was very concerned that his power would be taken like he took his father’s.

• As Rhea gave birth to their children, Cronus consumed them whole. Since the gods are immortal, they simply remained imprisoned.

• Rhea was so upset by her children’s imprisonment that she tricked her husband by swapping a large stone for her youngest son, Zeus.

• She hid Zeus in a cave on Mt. Ida in Crete. He was cared for by a nymph and magical goat while creatures made noise so Cronus wouldn’t hear the baby’s cries.

The War of the Titans (Titanomachy)

• Zeus secretly entered the court of Cronus on Mt. Othrys and forced/tricked him into throwing up his children.

• The gods fled and gathered support. Some of the children of the Titans joined their side.

• Prometheus, who had the ability to see the future, knew the gods would win. His brother Epimetheus joined the gods.

• The battle was close. Rhea suggested that the gods release the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes from Tartarus.

• The Cyclopes created great weapons for the gods.

• The gods beat the Titans.• Many of the Titans were bound in Tartarus, but

some were just punished. Atlas was made to hold up the heavens.

The Olympians

The First Six

The following children were the children of the Titans:

• Hestia – goddess of hearth and home• Demeter – goddess of the harvest• Hera – goddess of marriage• Hades – god of the underworld• Poseidon – god of the seas• Zeus – god of the heavens

Hestia

Demeter

Hera

Hades

Poseidon

Zeus