1. World History I, Spring 2013 Essential Question: What was the role of religion in Greek and Roman life?

2. The Role of Religion Greek Religion Roman Religion Greek mythology provided explanations of natural phenomena, human qualities, and life events. Greeks did not fear their gods, but saw them as superhuman: powerful but with flaws. Do you think that Greek gods and goddesses still remain part of our cultural knowledge and understanding? Evolved from Etruscan nature worship Most worship was private Roman families normally worshipped ancestral spirits and house gods E.g. Vesta, goddess of the hearth

3. Gods Zeus/Jupiter Ruler of the Olympian Gods God of the Sky Had a bad habit of turning himself into animals and taking human lovers E.g. Hercules was the demigod son of Zeus Jupiter was an Etruscan god that the Romans gave Zeus’s characteristics

4. Gods Poseidon/Neptune God of the Sea & Earthquakes Along with Athena, vied for the patronage of Athens, but lost.

5. Gods Athena/Minerva God of Wisdom, War, and Weaving Virgin goddess who never consorted with mortals Sprang from the head of Zeus Patron goddess of Athens

6. Greek Gods Hera/Juno Married to Zeus God of marriage Also a child of Kronos and sister of Zeus Did not like Zeus’s affairs with mortal women and often took this out on the child of that union, e.g. Hercules

7. Greek Gods Apollo/Apollo Son of Zeus God of Music, Poetry, the Sun, and Prophecy The Oracle at Delphi was given her power by Apollo

8. Greek Gods Artemis/Diana Twin sister of Apollo God of childbirth, hunting, and animals Maiden divinity who never married Devotees to this goddess took vows of chastity

9. Greek Gods Aphrodite/Venus Daughter of Zeus God of Love and Beauty Aphrodite was born out of sea foam that had mingled with the mutilated parts of the Titan Ouranos Married to Hephaestus, but quite promiscuous

10. Sources Farah, Mounir, and Andrea Berens. Karls. World History, the Human Experience: The Early Ages. New York, NY: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, C2003., 2002. Print. chapters 4 and 5 Athena and Neptune story: http://151.12.58.141/virtualexhibition/contest.html Information on the gods: http://www.theoi.com/greek-mythology/olympian- gods.html http://www.theoi.com/greek-mythology/olympian- gods.html