Why greeks worshiped gods

The most famous impiety trial involved the philosopher Socrates, who was charged in B. Impiety also included acts of sacrilege, such as stealing from a sanctuary or destroying property within a sanctuary. It was a capital offence to cut down the sacred olive tree on the Acropolis, because the tree belonged to Athena. Betraying the state was also an act of impiety because the gods were involved in the welfare of the state.

Learn more about the huge influence of Greek mythology on Western art. The Greeks were wary not to exhibit hubris , an overweening pride or presumptuousness, because hubris engendered nemesis or retribution, that bought downfall.

They believed that good fortune invited trouble, because it made the gods extremely jealous. Herodotus told a wonderful story to prove that point. A tyrant called Polycrates had everything going his way, and knew he was in danger, so he consulted his friend, Amasis, pharaoh of Egypt, about what to do. Amasis advised him to throw away his most prized possession.

Polycrates got on a boat, removed the ring that he valued so much, and tossed it into the sea. A few days later, a fisherman caught a huge fish which he presented to Polycrates who had it cut open and there, in its stomach, was the ring. Amasis broke off all contact with Polycrates, knowing that a man so fortunate was bound to come to a sticky end, which of course he did in short order.

Another danger to watch out for, was the ancient equivalent of a virus that only religious observance could contain. Miasma was released in a variety of ways, all in some way connected with bodily functions. It was most lethal when released as a result of a voluntary or involuntary homicide.

Contact with the dead was also polluting, as was giving birth. The principal disinfectants were salt water, sulphur and, most of all, the blood of a pig. It was sometimes alleged that Greek religion represented a purely contractual arrangement between gods and humans, and that spirituality was absent from the lives of the Greeks. Learn more about the great philosophical tradition within ancient Greece.

He has two words to describe those who attempt to do so - the first is "kooky", the second, "ridiculous".

Parker points to historical inconsistencies. Prometheus, for example, was only a relatively minor figure in ancient Greek religion, he says, and never had a major festival dedicated to him. Other historians say these groups are idealising an ancient religion that had little to do with ethics or morality.

It is simply an acknowledgement of the gods, in the hope that the gods will help you," he says. Animal sacrifice was by far the most important part of any ancient Greek religious ritual, with the throat of a live bull slit with a knife at the altar outside the temple. But most of the revivalists make simple offerings of flowers, fruit, milk and honey.

The ancient Greeks were also famed for drama and tragedy, and a night-time torch-lit theatrical production Prometheia is the main event at the Mount Olympus festival. The performance combines classic drama with lessons about what the ancients have to teach us, all these centuries later.

Followers are all too aware they are seen as outsiders by some in society, but insist that attitudes in Greece are changing. No-one has accurate figures for the number of followers, but numbers have swelled since their first gathering on the mountain 17 years ago, and the movement claims to have hundreds of thousands of supporters.

It's clear they are in their element here on Olympus. After the show closes, the Hellenes dance and frolic under the moonlight. Athena was said to have been the favourite child of Zeus. Over time Athena became known as the goddess of war, representing more civilised aspects of battle such as skill, wisdom and justice. Of all the ancient Greek gods, Apollo is the only one to have the same name in Roman mythology. Beautiful and athletic, he is considered the embodiment of kalos kagathos, a phrase used in ancient Greece to refer to gentlemanly conduct in a military context.

Hephaestus was, according to myth, either born lame or became lame in childhood. He seemed to displease his parents, Zeus and Hera, who each threw him out of Olympus at different intervals.

Ill-tempered and vengeful, Poseidon was considered one of the most tempestuous gods of the Olympians. He was god of the sea, earthquakes, storms and — perhaps rather curiously — horses.

Known for her deftness with a bow and her ability to turn herself — and others — into animals, Artemis was one of the most venerated of Greek deities. Demeter was said to have taught humans how to sow and plough food, thereby putting an end to their formerly nomadic existence.

But just as her powers could be fruitful, so too could they be disastrous: she was believed to bestow famine upon those who displeased her. As goddess of fertility, she also possessed the ability to gift women with a good or bad pregnancy.

As king of Mount Olympus the home of Greek gods Zeus was father of both gods and mortals alike. He was believed to be omnipotent and was known for having many lovers much to the chagrin of his long-suffering wife, Hera. Rachel Dinning is digital section editor at HistoryExtra. Sign in. Back to Main menu Virtual events Masterclasses. Ancient Greeks had no common religious text underpinning their belief system.

A statue of Athena, goddess of war, handicraft and reason. The deities of ancient Greece existed within a hierarchy.