1. Edit Hamiltons’ Mythology An Introduction to Greek and Roman Myth

2. Ancient Greece History of Greece: complicated Disunified Comprised of warring city-states, each with its own culture and history Myths largely emerged from Athens (dominant city-state which encouraged intellectual and artistic pursuits)

3. Greatest Greek Epics Epic: A long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style The Illiad and Odyssey by Homer Written during the Greek Middle Ages (1100-700 BC)

4. ATHEN’S GOLDEN AGE The Persian War (490-479 BC) gave Athens great glory Overseas trade prospered Athen and Sparta principal cities Athenian culture blossomed Aeschlyus Sophocles Euripides Myth, Literature, and drama flourished

5. Roman Expansion 200 BC: emergent civilizations in Rome began expansion. By 140’s BC the entire Greek empire had become a Roman province Romance adopted much of Greek culture Important Roman literary figures Virgil Ovid

6. 12 Primary Gods All live together on Mount Olympus Zeus: Chief of the Olympians Hera: Zeus’ wife (and sister) Athena: Zeus’ daughter Hermes: Zeus son Aries: Zeus son Apollo and Artemis: brother and sister (also Zeus children Poseidon: Zeus brother Hades: Zeus brother Hestia: Zeus Sister Hephastius and Aphrodite: sometimes considered Zeus’ children

7. Other Important Gods Demeter: Zeus sister Dionysus: Zeus’ son Both live on earth rather than Mt. Olympus

8. Creation of Universe Originally darkness and chaos Swirling energy of Earth and Heaven gave birth to many children Mostly monsters Eventually gave rise to Titans: race of gods in human form Zeus and siblings defeated all the Titans and became lords of the universe

9. Heroes and Humans New Gods created humankind and manipulated new creatures Zeus often came to earth in some magical form and raped women, creating first heroes among humankind Many of these half-divine heroes along with a few all-mortal peers went on to found the dynasties of Greece

10. Notable Heroes Theseus Hercules Cadmus Achilles Aeneas

11. Myths Explain phenomena that the Greeks observed in the world around them To explain nature: qualities of flowers, lightning, landscapes, and so on. “Early Science” Also portray a rich, complex social and ethical fabric, profound issues of the human condition Scholars consider Greek tragedies to be sophisticated in their psychology and writing