Mythology Lesson

Mythology!

But more complicated

Open Ended

What is your favorite mythical creature? (Mine are hippocampus)

This is a hippocampus

(its also a part of the brain)

SWBAT Identify the attributes of Mediterranean Gods and Goddesses

Warning: Greco-Roman nudity please behave like you would at a museum.

A little on mythology:

• When we think of mythology we tend to think of Greek or Egyptian Gods (sometimes the Norse ones as well).

• We also tend to think of them as seperate.

• But religion in the Ancient Mediterranean was not clear cut.

• Therefore we have the mixing many different gods and goddesses.

• And No everyone did not just copy the Greeks.

• Some of the practices of ancient religions still exist today and many of the factors given to ancient gods still survive today (the cult of saints in Catholicism is an example).

We will start at the basics:

• A Pantheon is a group of Gods

• Greek, Roman, and Etruscan Gods look alike but act differently.

• The Romans and the Etruscans had more Gods than the Greeks (at leas by name).

• The Romans accepted all gods in their society.

• There will be many gods in Rome which came from other places (Like Mithras and Cybele

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But First: Gaia/ Terra/ Tellus

• The Earth herself

• In greek mythology she is one of the first beings and creates everything else on her own

• Including her Lover Uranus

• Most of Gaia's Creations are big natural forcess.

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Uranus/ Aion (Yes like the planet)

• Father of the Titans.

• He is the sky

• Was the first King of the Gods

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Titans: Usually represent natural forces or Ideas

• Chronos/Saturn -King of the Titans is time.

• Rhea/Ops/Magna Mater/ Cybele -Queen of the Titans and Goddess of the wild.

• Hyperion - Light

• Mnemosyne - Memory

• Themis - Natural Law

The Six children of Rhea and Chronos

• Zeus/Jupiter

• Poseidon/ Neptune

• Hades/ Pluto

• Hera/ Juno

• Hestia/ Vesta

• Demeter/ Ceres

• Extra-- Aphrodites/ Venus (Only Chronos)

The other 6 major Gods

• Athena/ Minerva- wisdom and battle

• Ares/ Mars -War

• Apollo -Sun, music, medicine

• Hermes/ Mercury- Travelers, Messengers, thieves, psychopomp.

• Hephaestus/ Vulcan - Smiths, craftsmen, inventors.

• Artemis/ Diana - Moon, hunters.