Greek Gods Flashcards
The responsibilities, symbols and representations in art of the Greek Gods
What is a Paradox?
Something that opposes itself
What did Greek religion centre around?
acts of worship
When would the Greeks come to their Gods?
When they needed them
Did the Greeks have the term religion?
No
What does the word ‘hiera’ mean
It means holy affairs
what is todays religion based on which makes it different to Greek religion?
It is based on faith, and people communicate to God Whenever
Why was Greek Religion complex?
There was no holy book to help them understand their religion.
What were Greek cities called?
polis/poleis
‘religion united the Greek city states’
True or False?
True
How was Greek fluid in it’s religion
There was no Religious hierarchy.
What does Dogma mean?
Philosophy, an opinion or idea
How was Dogma like in Greek religion?
There was a lack of Dogma
How was there a lack of Dogma in Greek religion?
There were no set beliefs.
A person could follow the religion how the wanted.
There was no Hierarchy in the way priests worked.
What was a benefit in not having a hierarchy in trained priests
This meant that no one could obtain power and abuse that power, meaning everyone had a fair chance.
List three similarities Between Modern and Greek Religion.
-Both believe in some sort of afterlife.
-Both celebrate to commemorate certain events.
-both have pilgrimages and go to holy places
-both have Rites of passages, which means a lot of religious aspects are involved with Birth, death, Marriage etc.
List 4 differences between Modern and Greek Religion.
- Greek was Polytheistic, while Modern is Monotheistic
- Greece had a lack of Dogma and no viewpoint while Modern religion has Dogma and a viewpoint
- Scripture: there was no scripture in ancient Greece but there a many holy books in Modern religion.
- Centralised religious authority: Ancient Greek had no hierarchy of power. Today we have things like a Pope.
- Formal Moral Code: Greece didn’t have rules to follow while modern has strict moral code.
- Concept of Conversion: You couldn’t change religion in Greece because of the lack of dogma. Today you can do so freely
What was the purpose of Greek religion according to Hesiod.
Was to please and satisfy the God’s
How do you satisfy the God’s?
By worshipping the God’s correctly
How would the Greeks worship the God’s correctly?
By giving them sacrifices and libations
Why did the Greeks want to please the God’s
They believed the God’s controlled everything, so by pleasing the God’s they would have a prosperous life with good things
What was the purpose of Greek religion?
to have a reason for everything that happened to them.
Why were people religious in ancient Greece?
So that they would have a pleasant after life
How does the Greek religion install fear in the people?
Because if they do not worship they will not have a good afterlife so people will worship to have a good afterlife
What was Zeus the God of?
God of the heavens and the skies
Who was the king of all Gods?
Zeus
which god was known as the ‘fate of men’
Zeus
True or False?
Athena was the ‘keeper of justice’
False it was Zeus
What is Zeus often depicted as?
a bearded man holding a lightning bolt
Who is often depicted holding an eagle or seated on a throne holding a sceptre?
Zeus
Who was the God of the seas?
poseidon
What was Poseidon depicted as?
a bearded man holding a trident
Who was Poseidon important to?
to the Greek sailors, they would pray to him before any journey
Who was the God of the underworld?
Hades
what type of deity was hades?
a chthonic Deity
What is a chthonic God?
a god that was connected to the earth and underworld.
Which God is depicted with a cornucopia?
Hades
What is a Cornucopia?
a horn shell that contained an endless supply of food and drink
who is the person Hades is often depicted with?
His wife Persephone.
Who was the Goddess of Marriage and women?
Hera
Who was Zeus’ wife?
Hera
Who was the Queen of the Gods?
Hera
What was Hera often depicted with?
a diadem
What is a diadem?
a crown often associated with God’s or Kings
What traits did Hera have?
she was a powerful and independent Goddess.
Who was the Goddess of war?
Athena
Who was the Goddess of wisdom?
Athena
Who was the Goddess of military intelligence?
Athena
What was Athena depicted with to represent wisdom?
an owl
which Goddess is depicted with a helmet, spear and aegis?
Athena
what is an aegis?
a breastplate or shield
What was Demeter the Goddess of?
harvest and agriculture
What is Demeter depicted with?
depicted wearing a diadem holding a bundle of wheat, grain or flowers
why was Demeter very important to the Greeks?
because Greek society was built on agriculture.
Who was the Goddess of the home and hearth?
Hestia
What is a hearth?
the fireplace kept in the home
What is Hestia depicted as?
a veiled figure
Why was Hestia very important?
because they needed fire for survival
What would the Greeks do that showed Hestia’s importance?
in every sacrifice in the home, they started with an offering to Hestia
Who was the God of metalworking, fire and craftsmen?
Hephaistos
How was Hephaistos depicted?
depicted with a hammer
Who was the Goddess of love and beauty?
Aphrodite
Which Goddess is depicted rising from a sea shell or naked?
Aphrodite
Which 3 people were able to resist Aphrodite’s influence?
Athena, Hestia and Artemis
What was Artemis the Goddess of?
Hunting, wildlife and childbirth
Which Goddess was depicted with a bow and arrow and sometimes wild animals?
Artemis
Who is twins with Artemis?
Apollo
Which goddess is the moon associated to?
Artemis
Which God is associated with the sun?
Apollo
What is Apollo the god of?
god of music, the arts, education, archery and prophecies.
How is apollo depicted?
With a bow and arrow and a lyre
What is a lyre?
a small Greek harp
which God had the biggest oracle in the Greek world?
Apollo
Where was Apollo’s oracle?
In Delphi
Who was the god of travel, trade and messenger to the gods?
Hermes
What is Hermes depicted with?
his traveller’s cap, a caduceus and winged scandals.
What is a caduceus?
a traveller’s staff ( mostly associated with Hermes)
Who are are the only Gods who can travel the underworld to consort hades?
Hermes and Dionysus
What was Ares God of?
War
What is Ares depicted with?
wearing his armour
What is Ares often represented as in terms of character?
a merciless killer, opposite of Athena
Who was the god of wine and Theatre?
Dionysus
What Dionysus depicted with?
a thyrsus, vines and Animal skin
What is a thyrsus
a staff tipped with pine cone, intertwined with ivy (associated with Dionysus)
True or False:
Dionysus was fully god.
False Dionysus was both god and mortal
What Human figures is Dionysus depicted with?
Maenads and satyrs
What were Maenads?
a female follower of Dionysus
What were Satyrs?
half man, half goat attendants of Dionysus
What type of life did the Satyrs live?
promiscuous
Why was Dionysus very popular?
because wine and theatre were very pivotal in public and private celebration.
What is an amphora?
a type of vase, which contained wine.
what was the acropolis usually reserved for?
religious buildings
What is an oracle?
an utterance given by a priest or priestess
What was an oracle supposed to be the words of ?
the words of a God
What is Thebes?
an ancient city which is the focus of many mythological stories.
What was Xenia?
a law that protected foreign travellers.
What does Xenia involve?
giving hospitality to guests even if they were strangers
Which God was responsible for Xenia?
Zeus
