1. Ancient Greek Religion

2. The Twelve Olympians

3. The Twelve Olympians
- a family of gods and goddesses

4. The Twelve Olympians - a family of gods and goddesses
- lived on Mount Olympus

5. The Twelve Olympians - a family of gods and goddesses
- lived on Mount Olympus
- each ruled a different area of life or nature

6. The Twelve Olympians - a family of gods and goddesses
- lived on Mount Olympus
- each ruled a different area of life or nature
- had human forms and human characteristics

7. The Twelve Olympians - a family of gods and goddesses
- lived on Mount Olympus
- each ruled a different area of life or nature
- had human forms and human characteristics
- immortal: lived forever

8. Zeus- Ruler of all gods and Humanity
• He ruled the Olympians. 
• He was the god of the sky, lightning and  thunder carrying a  thunderbolt as his symbol. 
                                              • He married Hera, his                                                 sister, which was a                                                    family habit.                                               • He fathered many                                                    children with various                                                 goddesses and                                                            mortals.

9. Hera- Goddess of Marriage & Childbirth
• She was the wife of Zeus
• She was the protector of marriage and the home. 
• She was associated with the peacock, because of her great beauty.
• She and Zeus were always 
  quarreling. 
• She was called the queen of 
  intriguers, a vindictive   and jealous wife, who     frequently tricked her 
  husband, Zeus.

10. Apollo- Sun God; God of Music & Poetry
• He was the twin brother of Artemis and the most handsome of the gods.
• He was also the god of the healing arts and of medicine.
• He drove his chariot across the sky to pull the sun each day.
• His son, Phaethon, drives Apollo’s sun chariot with disastrous results.

11. Artemis- Goddess of Hunting & Wilderness
• She was the twin sister of Apollo.
• She was a huntress, who always carried a silver bow and arrows.
• She ruled over the untamed places of the earth.

12. Athena- Goddess of Wisdom and War
 • She was born full grown out of the head of Zeus.
• She taught man to use tools and taught his wife to spin and weave.
• She was the best-loved goddess on Olympus.
• She hated Ares, god of war, often defeating him in battle.

13. Ares- God of War •He was a ruthless and
murderous god, who displayed the worst of  humanity’s traits.
• He, along with grief, strife, 
panic, and terror, roams the 
earth.
• Ironically, he was a coward, 
who fled the field of battle.

14. Aphrodite- Goddess of Love
• She is the goddess of desire born from sea foam. Another myth credits her mother as Dioneand her father as Zeus.
• After all the gods on Mount Olympus courted her,                                                 she married Hephaestus,                                              the ugliest of the gods.
                                          • Because she was judged                                                the most beautiful of all                                                the goddesses on Mount                                                Olympus by Paris, the                                                    other goddesses                                                          envied her.

15. Hermes- Messenger of the Gods
• He was the mischeivous  son of Zeus and Maia. • As a baby, he made a lyre
and pipe for his half- 
brother, Apollo.
• He carried Apollo’s 
golden staff 
and flew around the heavens and earth on 
winged sandals.

16. Poseidon- God of the Sea and Earthquakes
• He built an underwater palace with a great pearl and coral throne.
• He was a difficult god, changeful and quarrelsome, but created many curious forms for his sea creatures.
• He invented the horse for his sister Demeter, whom he loved.

17. Demeter- Goddess of Fertility
•She was the goddess of growing things.
• She was the mother of Persephone, whose father was Zeus.
• Her daughter was kidnapped by Hades and taken to the Underworld for six months of the year causing the change of seasons.

18. Worship of Gods

19. Worship of Gods
- they gave thanks to the gods, hoping to receive          blessings

20. Worship of Gods
- they gave thanks to the gods, hoping to recieve          blessings
- tried to avoid angering the gods

21. Worship of Gods - each city-state honored one god or goddess
- each city-state had at least one main temple

22. Worship of Gods - each city-state honored one god or goddess
- each city-state had at least one main temple

23. Worship of Gods - each city-state honored one god or goddess
- each city-state had at least one main temple
- sacrifice animals

24. Worship of Gods - each city-state honored one god or goddess
- each city-state had at least one main temple
- sacrifice animals
- offerings of food

25. Worship of Gods
- festivals

26. Worship of Gods -the Olympics: festival for Zeus ~ all city-states
    ~ every 4 years

27. Worship of Gods -the Olympics: festival for Zeus ~ all city-states
    ~ every 4 years

28. The Oracles
- the Greeks turned to the gods for signs or advice

29. The Oracles - the Greeks turned to the gods for signs or advice
- oracles: sacred sites where they believed the gods                    spoke to them

30. The Oracles
- answers could come through dreams, or spoken          through a priest or priestess

31. The Oracles
- answers could come through dreams, or spoken          through a priest or priestess
- a gift or offering was 
  required in exchange for an 
  answer

32. The Oracles
- answers could come through dreams, or spoken          through a priest or priestess
- a gift or offering was 
  required in exchange for an 
  answer
- the answers were often in the
  form of a riddle
                                 
                                - famous and powerful leaders                                      would even come to the oracles
                                - the words of the oracles were                                      taken very seriously by all                                          Greeks