The ancient Greeks believed that Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in mainland Greece, was the home of the gods.Īncient Greek religious practice, essentially conservative in nature, was based on time-honored observances, many rooted in the Bronze Age (3000–1050 B.C.), or even earlier.
Other important deities were Aphrodite, the goddess of love Dionysos, the god of wine and theater Ares, the god of war and the lame Hephaistos, the god of metalworking. Hermes ( 25.78.2), with his winged sandals and elaborate herald’s staff, the kerykeion, was the messenger god. Apollo’s twin sister Artemis, patroness of hunting, often carried a bow and quiver. His main sanctuary at Delphi, where Greeks came to ask questions of the oracle, was considered to be the center of the universe ( 63.11.6). Judging from his many cult sites, he was one of the most important gods in Greek religion. Youthful Apollo ( 53.224), who is often represented with the kithara, was the god of music and prophecy. The owl and the olive tree were sacred to her.
#Erebus greek god statue full
Wise Athena, the patron goddess of Athens ( 1996.178), who typically appears in full armor with her aegis (a goatskin with a snaky fringe), helmet, and spear ( 07.286.79), was also the patroness of weaving and carpentry. Hera, Zeus’s sister and wife, was queen of the gods she is frequently depicted wearing a tall crown, or polos. Foremost was Zeus, the sky god and father of the gods, to whom the ox and the oak tree were sacred his two brothers, Hades and Poseidon, reigned over the Underworld and the sea, respectively. There were twelve principal deities in the Greek pantheon. The art of Archaic and Classical Greece illustrates many mythological episodes, including an established iconography of attributes that identify each god. Greek myths explained the origins of the gods and their individual relations with mankind. The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods, each with a distinct personality and domain.
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