We explain what Greek mythology is and which gods make up these ancient stories. We also explain their origin and main characters.
What is Greek mythology?
Greek mythology is made up of the set of stories, myths, and legends that were created in Ancient Greece (c. 1200 BC–146 BC), considered the cultural cradle of Western civilization.
It is captured in a diverse set of texts that have survived to this day, which reveal how the ancient Greeks explained the world, practiced their religion, and represented their culture and values. Many themes from Greek mythology also survived in sculptures, illustrations, ceramic decorations, and other art forms. You must read about Greek Culture once.
The stories that make up Greek mythology were initially disseminated orally, as in many cases they predated the invention of writing. These stories were recited by aedi (artists who sang epic poems accompanied by the lyre).
The myths were passed down from generation to generation and were later recorded and adapted in writing.
Some mythological stories founded Greek literature, particularly the epic poems attributed to Homer: the Iliad and the Odyssey, whose events take place during the Trojan War and the years following the conflict. Also Hesiod’s poems on the genesis of the world, the gods, and the Greek kingdoms: the Theogony and Works and Days.
Another important source for understanding these myths is the plays of the great playwrights of Ancient Greece: Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus. These plays recount episodes related to mythical and heroic tradition, particularly in the form of tragedies: tales of the fall of heroes, in which the gods often intervene. Maybe you should definitely read about Meteorology once.
KEY POINTS
- Greek mythology is the collection of stories about the gods, heroes, and other mythical figures of the ancient Greek worldview.
- The main figures of Greek mythology are the Olympian gods, led by Zeus, and heroes such as Heracles, Achilles, and Odysseus.
- Originally, Greek tales were oral but were later written down in literary works such as those of Homer and Hesiod.
- Some of their themes include the origin of the world, the genealogy of the gods, the struggles between gods and humans, and certain reflections on morality and values.
Origin of Greek Mythology
There are various theories about the origin of Greek mythology. Some establish that the narrated events derive from real events that were increasingly linked to the divine. Others suggest that they were simply interpretations of myths included in older sacred texts, or even that they were allegories of a nature cult.
However, it is known that the ancient Greeks were partly inspired by the imagery of other neighboring civilizations in Asia Minor and the Near East, and by pre-Hellenistic civilizations in the Aegean, such as the Mycenaean and Minoan.
Gods of Greek Mythology
The ancient Greeks believed in a diverse pantheon of gods. According to mythology, the most important gods resided on Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. After defeating their progenitors—the previous generation of gods, known as Titans—the Olympian gods assumed control of the world.
There were twelve major Olympian gods, although this list varies according to different sources, so there are more than twelve names associated with Olympus. These gods had their counterparts in Roman mythology, where they took on other names. Although they were gods, they had attitudes and desires that coincided with those of humans.
Other Characters from Greek Mythology
Apart from the Olympian gods, some of the most important characters in Greek mythology were:
- Heracles (Hercules in Roman mythology): Son of Zeus and a mortal princess, he was a demigod hated by Hera, Zeus’s wife, who forced him to perform twelve labors. He was the most admired of the Greek heroes, noted for his strength.
- Helen of Troy: Daughter of Zeus and considered the most beautiful woman in Greece, she was abducted or fled from the palace of her husband Menelaus with the young Trojan Paris, an event that sparked the Trojan War.
- Achilles: Son of the mortal Peleus and a nymph, he was invulnerable except for one of his heels. He was one of the heroes of the Trojan War, where he died when an arrow struck him in the heel. Persephone: Daughter of Zeus and Demeter, she was kidnapped by Hades to be his wife. She agreed to a deal with him: she would spend part of the year in the underworld and the other part on earth with her mother, giving rise to the seasons.
- Odysseus (Ulysses in Roman mythology): He was a king and hero of Ithaca who participated in the Trojan War and undertook a long journey back home, recounted in the Odyssey attributed to Homer.
- Oedipus: He became king of Thebes after mistakenly murdering his own father and marrying his mother, with whom he had children. Upon learning of his crimes, he gouged out his own eyes and went into exile.
References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, which ensure reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- Graves, R. (1985). Greek Myths. Hyspamerica.
- Grimal, P. (1981). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Mythology. Paidós.
- Pollard, J. R. T. & Adkins, A. W. H. (2023). Greek mythology. Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Pomeroy, S. B. et al. (2001). Ancient Greece. Political, Social, and Cultural History. Criticism,
