Greek Mythology Overview

Ancient religions are not based on doctrine or faith, but rather on practices and rituals.

Myth can explain a society's history, beliefs, and values to itself and to others.

Divine myths are stories involving supernatural beings that explain natural phenomena or societal customs.

Legends tell stories of human actions in the past, often with a historical basis.

Folktales are fictional stories with recurring themes and motives found across diverse cultures.

A pattern in myths where the young generation replaces the old, often leading to a restoration of fertility and vitality within the community.

A type of myth that emphasizes the importance of replacing old leadership with new leadership to ensure the well-being and stability of the community.

The practice of using symbolic representations to explain concepts or events that are difficult to grasp directly.

A cultural and social framework explaining societal rules and behaviors, often presented as justification for beliefs and practices.

A method of understanding myth that focuses on the underlying structures and patterns within the story, rather than individual elements.

A method used in structuralism to understand myths, where contrasting concepts are interpreted as key elements of the story.

The process of interpreting myths by identifying recurring themes and motifs across different cultures.

The analysis of myths by focusing on the psychological motivations and symbolic meanings of the characters and events.

Identifying divine myths, legends, and folktales as distinct categories is misleading, as they often overlap and share elements.

Tales that recount historical events, often embellished with heroic deeds and legendary figures.

Traditional stories with recurring motifs and themes found in diverse cultures, often featuring fantastical characters and events.

The period of time between 1150-825 BCE in ancient Greece, characterized by limited written records and the decline of Mycenaean civilization.

The period of time in ancient Greece between 825-480 BCE, characterized by the rise of city-states, the development of the Greek alphabet, and the flourishing of poetry and philosophy.

The period of time in ancient Greece between 480-323 BCE, considered a golden age of culture, philosophy, and art, marked by the rise of Athens and the Persian Wars.

The period of time in ancient Greece between 323-30 BCE, marked by the conquests of Alexander the Great and the spread of Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean.

The Minoans were a Bronze Age civilization on Crete (2200-1450 BCE) who were NOT Greek speakers but influenced the development of Greek culture.

The Indo-Europeans were a group of people who migrated from central Asia to Europe around 2100 BCE. They interacted with and eventually conquered the Minoans.

The study of myths by understanding the historical and cultural context they originated from.

A creation myth that describes the birth of the universe and its order.

A Greek word meaning 'origin/birth of the gods'.

A narrative that follows a specific direction, often leading to a climax.

The state of being without form or order, often depicted as a state of emptiness.

The primordial state of life, full of fertility and ability to reproduce without male intervention.

The offspring of Ouranos and Gaia, including the Titans, Cyclops, and Hecatonchires.

The act of castrating a father figure, often associated with the rise of a new generation of gods.

A mythical figure, sometimes depicted as a mare, born from the union of Demeter and Poseidon, known for being a local deity of Arcadia.

A Babylonian creation epic that tells the story of how the world was created, featuring a conflict between the primordial gods and their offspring in which Marduk emerges as the supreme deity.

The supreme deity in the Enuma Elish myth who defeats Tiamat, the primordial goddess of chaos, establishing order and creating the world as we know it.

The creation myth of the Hittite civilization, featuring a cyclical battle between the gods Kumarbi and Teshub, symbolized by the struggle between the young generation and the old.

Zeus overcame his father, Cronus, by freeing his siblings who had been swallowed by Cronus. Zeus then defeated the Titans in a battle known as the Titanomachy.

Zeus's regime was challenged by Typhon, a monstrous creature with 100 dragon heads, known for his terrible roar. Zeus, in a final test of his power, defeated Typhon by remaking the cosmos.

A myth found in different cultures that explores a recurring theme of conflict between the younger generation and their elders, often involving challenges to authority and power.

The personification of 'cleverness,' Metis was swallowed by Zeus. He did this to prevent another younger generation from usurping him, as he had usurped his father.

Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare, was born from Zeus's head after he swallowed Metis.

Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility, was married to Zeus and gave birth to Persephone, known as Kore.

Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, bore the nine Muses, who were daughters of Zeus. The Muses were the goddesses of inspiration and the arts.

The Three Fates were daughters of Zeus and Themis. They were tasked with deciding the length of human lives by weaving and cutting strings.