Zeus – The king of the gods. Also thunder, lightning, justice and the sky. Hera – Sister and married to Zeus. Queen of the gods, motherhood and marriage. Poseidon – Brother of Zeus. God of the oceans and earthquakes. Hades – Brother of Zeus. God of the underworld and the dead. Demeter – Sister of Zeus. Goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons. Hestia – Sister of Zeus. Goddess of hearth and home. Aphrodite – Daughter of Zeus. Goddess of sexuality, desire, love, lust and beauty. Apollo – Son of Zeus. God of the sun, light, archery, healing, music, poetry and the truth. Ares – Son of Zeus. God of war, bloodshed, frenzy and hatred. Artemis – Daughter of Zeus. Goddess of the hunt, maidens, and the moon. Athena – Daughter of Zeus. Goddess of wisdom, crafts and strategic battle. Hephaestus – Son of Zeus. Married to Aphrodite. Blacksmith of the gods. God of fire and the forges. Hermes – Son of Zeus. Messenger of the gods. God of speed, thieves and trade.

 Various festivals were held in ancient Greece. Most notable would be the Olympics which were held every twelve years to celebrate the gods.  Ceremonies were held at temples. Temples were dedicated to one or a few gods.  Often sacrifices were made to the gods. They would kill the particular animal and eat its flesh, then burn the offal (internal organs and such) for the gods.  Deposits were left for the gods such as various ritualistic items and precious gems and metals.

 In the time of the Olympian gods there were few people involved in the teaching of their religion.  There were oracles who were young woman who were said to have the power to foresee future events.  The reasoning for a lack of religious figures is because the people believed the gods to be their true rulers.

 The women of ancient Greece played a particularly small role. The majority received little to no education at all.  They were married at a young age of about fifteen to a man a few years older.  Most of their lives were spent in their husbands homes cleaning and tending to the families needs.  However the women of Sparta lived completely different lives to that of the rest of ancient Greece.  They were educated and valued because they birthed what would eventually be a great Spartan warrior.  They often owned land of their own.

 Polytheism is believed to have been created as far back as 3000 BC  Although it is impossible to establish a founder of this religion, it is easy to see how it came to be  Seasons, weather conditions, natural phenomenon's, geographical anomalies, war and the fear of death inspired the creation of all mighty beings who became the source of these occurrences

 Polytheism is the worship of more than one God  This worship is thought to have originated through Hinduism  These beliefs became the foundation of Greek society, later the Roman Empire and eventually a great portion of the modern World

 Oracles could change political systems through their interpretation of the Gods  Governments listened to such religious figures for fear of angering the gods, and there fore receiving a bad harvest, or even defeat in battle  Certain religious ceremonies such as the Olympics created a international truce and temporary ending to war

 Ancient Greece was most famous in literature for its epic poet, Homer. Homer’s most poems were none other than the Iliad and the Odyssey.  The Iliad was the tale of the more recognized parts during the last year of the Trojan War. This war was started when the Trojans stole Helen, the queen of Sparta. The Iliad goes into detail of the famous Trojan horse, where Greek warriors hid themselves in, and came out during the night and slaughtered all.  The Odyssey is in a way the sequel to the Iliad. It is the tale of Odysseus ten year long journey home after the Trojan War.

 The following video is of the seven wonders of ancient Greece.  Enjoy.  watch?v=Jjo5AV6_sHU watch?v=Jjo5AV6_sHU

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