1. Greek Religion and Philosophy

2. Greek Religion
Religion affected all aspects of Greek life because Greeks considered religion necessary for the well-being of the state.
Each city build temples to the gods
Most important were the twelve gods and goddesses that lived on Mount Olympus.

3. Poseidon: Zeus’s Brother God of the Sea
Zeus: King of the gods
God of the sky and thunder
Poseidon: Zeus’s Brother God of the Sea
Hades: Zeus’s brother and god of the Underworld
Aphrodite: Goddess of love, lust, beauty
Apollo: God of music,
Prophecies, poetry,
Archery, light, and truth
Associated with the sun
Ares: God of war, murder, and
bloodshed
Athena: Goddess of Wisdom,
warfare,
and reason

4. Religious Rituals Greek religion was not focused on morality.
Principally, it was focused on making the deities look favorably on people.
Ceremonies or rites were the most important element of Greek religion.
After death, the spirits of most people, good or bad, went to a gloomy underworld ruled by Hades.

5. Olympic Games
Religious festivals were used to honor the gods and goddesses.
These festivals included athletic events.
The games at Olympia honoring Zeus, first held in 776 B.C., are the basis of the modern Olympic Games.
Wrestling

6. Oracles The Greeks wanted to know the will of the gods and goddesses.
To this end, they consulted oracles, sacred shrines where priests or priestesses revealed the future through interpreting the will of the deities.
The most famous oracle was at the shrine to Apollo at Delphi
Delphi

7. Socrates
He believed the goal of education to improve the individual’s soul.
He introduced a way of teaching still used today called the Socratic method.
It uses a process of question and answer to get students to understand things for themselves.
Socrates and his pupils questioned authority.
Socrates was tried and sentenced to death
Socrates

8. Plato
Plato
Plato was one of Socrates’ students and considered by many the greatest Western philosopher.
He was preoccupied with reality and how we know reality.
Plato also believed that men and women should be treated equal
He created College

9. Aristotle Aristotle, was Plato greatest student
Aristotle was interested in observation and investigation.
He tried to find the best form of government by analyzing existing governments.
He found that A constitutional Government was best
Aristotle

10. History
Herodotus
The writing of history began with Herodotus and his History of the Persian Wars.
He understood the conflict as a war between Greek freedom and Persian despotism.

11. Thucydides
Many consider Thucydides the greatest historian of the ancient world.
Thucydides explained events by human causes more than by divine forces.
He believed studying history was beneficial for understanding the present.

12. Religion and Philosophy
Where do the gods live?
Who is the King of the gods?
What is Greek religion not focused on?
Where did the Greeks go for advice?
Which Philosopher was executed?
Who is his most famous student?
What did he create?
Who is Herodotus?
Why did Thucydides think people should study history?