Religion of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
The ancient Greeks were an active, energetic people who were not afraid to explore the real world, although it was inhabited by creatures hostile to man who instilled fear in him.
In their search for protection from terrible elemental forces, the Greeks, like all ancient peoples, went through fetishism - a belief in the spirituality of dead nature (stones, wood, metal), which was then preserved in the worship of beautiful statues depicting their many gods. But the Greeks switched to anthropomorphism quite early, creating their gods in the image and likeness of people, while endowing them with indispensable and enduring qualities - beauty, the ability to take on any image and, most importantly, immortality. The ancient Greek gods were in every way similar to people: kind, generous and merciful, but at the same time vengeful and treacherous. Human life inevitably ended in death, but the gods were immortal and knew no limits in fulfilling their desires, but still above the gods was fate - Moira - predestination, which none of them could change. Thus, the Greeks, even in the fate of the immortal gods, saw their similarity with the fate of mortal people.
The gods and heroes of Greek myth-making were living and full-blooded beings who directly communicated with mere mortals who entered into love alliances with them, helping their favorites and chosen ones. And the ancient Greeks saw in the gods creatures in whom everything characteristic of man manifested itself in a more grandiose and sublime form.
Of course, this helped the Greeks, through the gods, to better understand themselves, comprehend their own intentions and actions, and adequately evaluate their strengths. Thus, the hero of the Odyssey, pursued by the rage of the powerful god of the seas Poseidon, clings with his last strength to the saving rocks, showing courage and will, which he is able to oppose to the elements raging at the will of the gods in order to emerge victorious.
The ancient Greeks directly perceived all the vicissitudes of life, and therefore the heroes of their tales show the same spontaneity in disappointments and joys. They are simple-minded, noble and at the same time cruel to their enemies. This is a reflection real life and real human characters of ancient times. The life of gods and heroes is full of exploits, victories and suffering. Aphrodite is grieving, having lost her beloved, beautiful Adonis; Demeter is tormented, from whom the gloomy Hades kidnapped her beloved daughter Persephone. The suffering of Prometheus, chained to the top of a rock and tormented by the eagle of Zeus for stealing the divine fire from Olympus for people, is endless and unbearable. Niobe, who lost all her children, was struck by the arrows of Apollo and Artemis, is petrified by grief.
A sense of responsibility to oneself for one’s actions, a sense of duty towards loved ones and to one’s homeland, characteristic of Greek myths, were further developed in ancient Roman legends. But if the mythology of the Greeks amazes with its colorfulness, diversity, and richness of artistic imagination, then the Roman religion is poor in legends. The religious ideas of the Romans, who were essentially a mixture of various Italian tribes formed through conquest and treaties of alliance, were based on the same basic data as those of the Greeks - fear of incomprehensible natural phenomena, natural disasters and admiration for the productive forces earth (Italian farmers revered the sky as a source of light and heat, and the earth as the giver of all kinds of benefits and a symbol of fertility). For the ancient Roman, there was another deity - the family and state hearth, the center of home and social life. The Romans didn't even bother to make up any interesting stories about their gods - each of them had only a certain sphere of activity, but essentially, all these deities were faceless. The worshiper made sacrifices to them, the gods had to show him the mercy that he expected. For a mere mortal there could be no question of communicating with a deity. Usually, the Italic gods manifested their will by the flight of birds, lightning strikes, and mysterious voices emanating from the depths of a sacred grove, from the darkness of a temple or cave. And the praying Roman, unlike the Greek who freely contemplated the statue of the deity, stood with part of his cloak covering his head. He did this not only in order to concentrate on prayer, but also so that he would inadvertently not see the god he was calling upon. Begging God according to all the rules for mercy, asking him for leniency and wanting God to heed his prayers, a Roman would have been horrified to suddenly meet his gaze with this deity.
Religion was an organic part of Greek culture and had a great influence on it. Just like other peoples of antiquity, the Greek religion determined the foundations of worldview, morality, forms and direction of artistic creativity, its various manifestations in literature, architecture, sculpture, painting, even philosophy and science. Rich Greek mythology, which developed back in the archaic period, numerous tales about the relationships of gods, heroes among themselves and people created a rich arsenal of images that became the starting point for the development of artistic types of strong people who opposed the blind forces of nature, against the powerful gods themselves, served as the basis to create wonderful Greek literature of the 5th–4th centuries. BC e.
In ancient times, Mother Earth was especially revered by the Greeks. This reflected both the influence of matriarchy left in the past and the importance of agriculture as the main branch of the people’s economy. The earth goddess Gaia was considered the mother of all living things. Later, the cult of the earth also included the veneration of Rhea, Demeter, Persephone and many others. smaller deities associated with soil cultivation, sowing and harvesting. The gods seemed to the Greeks to be busy with one kind of work or another: Hermes and Pan - watching over herds, Athena - growing an olive tree, etc. Therefore, in order for a person to successfully perform k.-l. matter, it was considered necessary to appease one or another deity by sacrificing fruits, young animals, etc. To him, there was no hierarchy among the gods in ancient times among the Greeks, which testified to the fragmentation of the Greeks. tribes
Temple of Athena at Paestum. Photo: Greenshed
In religion the beliefs of the Greeks retained remnants primitive religions- remnants of fetishism (for example, the veneration of stones, especially the so-called Delphic omphalos), totemism (eagle, owl, cow, etc. animals were constant attributes of the gods, and the gods themselves were often depicted taking the form of animals), magic. Great importance in D.-g. R. had a cult of ancestors and the dead in general (see Cult of Ancestors), in connection with the Crimea there was also a cult of heroes - half-humans, half-gods. In the later, “classical” era, in the cult of the dead, an idea appeared about the life of the souls of the righteous on Champs Elysees(see Elysium).
With the establishment of the dominance of the tribal nobility in Greece, small local deities were pushed aside in the minds of the people by the “Olympian gods”, the location of which was considered to be the city of Olympus. These gods - Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Ares, Hermes and others - were already considered as a kind of family, having both “elders” and their supreme head - the “father” people and gods" Zeus, who embodied religion. form of the trait of a patriarchal ruler. That. a hierarchy of gods arose, reflecting the strengthened hierarchy of the emerging class society. The Olympian gods acted in the minds of the ancient Greeks as patrons of the nobility and defenders of their power. This idea left a clear imprint on Homer’s poems “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, where a broad picture of life, morals and religions is given. beliefs of that era. The palace of Zeus on Olympus depicted in the poems, sparkling with walls and floors of gold, the luxurious robes of the goddesses, as well as the constant feuds and intrigues among the gods were unique. a reflection of the life and ideals of the Greek. family aristocracy. The lower strata of the people, opposed to the aristocracy, often preferred to worship not the Olympian gods, but their old agricultural gods.
The Greeks represented gods and heroes in the images of beautiful people; this became the starting point for the development of a sculptural image of a heroized citizen, a full member of the polis collective. A beautiful divine being, according to the Greeks, lives in a beautiful home, and Greek architects directed their efforts to develop the temple building as the most perfect architectural structure and made it one of the initial foundations for the development of all Greek architecture.
To create a system of spiritual values of the ancient Greeks, a unique understanding of the nature of the deity was of paramount importance. The Greeks perceived their gods, even the highest ones, as powerful, but not omnipotent, subject to the force of a higher necessity that dominates the gods as well as people.
The known limitations of the omnipotence of the deity, a certain proximity of the world of the gods to man through the peculiar mediation of demigods - heroes, through the relationship of gods with people, in principle, elevated man, developed his abilities and opened up great prospects for creating artistic images of heroic, strong people, and for philosophical reflection on the essence man, the power of his strength and mind.
An indispensable part of religious cult in the V-IV centuries. BC e. The veneration of the main deity of a given polis began in the form of solemn processions of citizens with a statue of the deity and festive events after making a sacrifice in his honor in front of the main temple.
Among the festive activities, a feast was obligatory (usually only the entrails of animals were sacrificed, most of the carcass was used for refreshments), competitions of young athletes, and the performance of scenes from the life of gods or townspeople. Participation in the solemn procession, sacrifice, competitions and theatrical scenes of the bulk of citizens gave the festival a national character and made it an important social event.
In the 5th century BC e. In most Greek city-states (this was especially evident in Athens), the celebration in honor of the main deity - the patron deity of the city-polis began to be considered as a demonstration of the strength and wealth of the city, a review of its achievements and successes, as a manifestation of the unity of the entire city-state collective. The religious origins of such celebrations are somewhat obscured, while the social, political and ideological sides appear more clearly and fully. More and more attention is paid to gymnastic competitions and theatrical performances; preparations for them, carried out by the entire city, become a strong creative impulse. Such festivals as Panathenaea in Athens in honor of the patron goddess of the city of Athens, Dionysia in honor of the god of vegetation, viticulture, wine and fun Dionysus, Olympic festivals in honor of the supreme god of the sky, thunder and lightning Zeus, Pythian in Delphi in honor of the god Apollo, Isthmian in honor of the god of the seas and sea moisture Poseidon in Corinth, turn into major public events of not only local, but also all-Greek significance.
The most famous of them were the Olympic festivals, or Olympic Games, held every four years. The Olympic Games were originally a traditional part of the cult in honor of Zeus, in which, as in other similar religious ceremonies, athletic competitions and theatrical entertainment only complemented the cult activities. However, already in the 6th century. BC e. religious ceremonies began to be perceived as a kind of introductory part to sports competitions, acquired a pan-Greek character, and even theatrical performances were relegated to the background. In other festivals, for example at the Pythian Games, it was not sports, but musical competitions of citharas and auletes (that is, performers playing citharas and flutes) that came first. In Athens during the celebration of Panathenaia and Dionysius in the 5th century. BC e. The role of theatrical performances gradually increased (tragedies and comedies were staged), from which the wonderful Greek theater grew, which played a huge role in the social life, education and entire culture of the ancient Greeks.
The formation of city-states (polises) in Greece and the further development of slave society changed the character of the Greek people. religion. Cults of patron gods of crafts and trade arose and spread. Thus, Hephaestus became the god of blacksmiths, and Hermes became the god of trade. There was a shift in ideas about the functions of the gods: the patrons of crafts in each city were usually the gods, who were also considered the guardians of the city itself: for example, in Athens - Athena, in Corinth - Poseidon, in Delphi - Apollo. In the VIII-VII centuries. Don. e. The first temples began to be erected in honor of the gods. The heyday of temple construction in Athens dates back to the V-IV centuries. BC e. Worship as a whole was under state control. Priest corporations in Greek State affairs as a rule did not exist. Officials chosen by lot also performed the duties of priests.
In recognition of common Greek. gods and shrines associated with them were partly a manifestation of the consciousness of the unity of the Greek. people not united into one state. So, the Greek is very famous throughout. the world received the sanctuary at Olympia and the Delphic oracle. All Greeks could participate in games and competitions, which were organized periodically at such sanctuaries. The Olympic Games (Olympiads) became the basis of ancient Greek. chronology.
Along with cults intended for the entire population, secret religions arose early in Greece. societies and cults in which only initiates (mystics) were allowed to participate. The most famous are the sacraments in honor of Demeter (Eleusinian mysteries) and in honor of Dionysus (Dionysia). Those initiated into the mysteries of the Eleven Mysteries were promised, under certain conditions, salvation and bliss after death. The Dionysian participant was believed to have communed with the deity by eating raw meat from a heavily torn animal. Mystery cults in the late antique period were to a certain extent an expression of dissatisfaction with living conditions and, therefore, captured part of the lower strata of ancient Greek. society.
The Greek religion was based on various traditions and stories, often dating back to the deep past. Some deities (Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Hermes) were known back in the Mycenaean era, others (Apollo, Ares, Dionysus) were borrowed from their neighbors. In addition to the Olympian deities, revered by all Greeks, there were a huge number of gods and heroes who were worshiped only in a certain area. Peasant gods are also known, who were once idols of fertility or patrons of land boundaries. There were many different legends about the origin of various gods. At the turn of the VIII–VII centuries. BC e. the poet Hesiod brought these myths together in his poem Theogony. Around this time, the main forms of cult and rituals that were subsequently practiced took shape.
Dionysus and his retinue. Marble relief, 4th century. BC e. Louvre, Paris
The world of the gods in the minds of the Greeks is a reflection of the world of people. Zeus and other gods live in luxurious palaces on Olympus and gather for a common feast, during which they consult and argue with each other. The gods are completely anthropomorphic, they are capable of experiencing human passions, including the ability to love, suffer and hate. They are immortal, their power exceeds human power; often interfere in people's destinies and endow them with happiness or unhappiness, not so much in fairness as according to personal whim. The gods are fickle, they can turn away from the one they just helped, but with generous donations you can win their hearts to your side.
However, even the gods are not omnipotent. Their lives, like the lives of people, are controlled by impersonal fate (Ananka). For people, it determines birth, life expectancy and death, and even the gods cannot change it. They only have the power to postpone for some period the fulfillment of what was destined. Because of political fragmentation and the absence of an influential priestly class, the Greeks did not develop a unified system of religious dogmas. Instead, there existed in parallel a large number of very similar, but not identical, religious systems. All Greeks recognized the same gods, had general principles faiths that concerned ideas about fate, the power of the gods over the world, the position of man, his posthumous fate, etc.
At the same time, there was no canon that would determine the forms and content of the main legends, as well as cult practices, which varied significantly in different areas.
The temple was considered the house of the god, and the statue installed in it was the body of the god. Access to the interior of the temple was open only to priests and servants. The main cult activities took place outside. Altars on which sacrifices were made were also erected outside the temple, often in front of its facade. Both the building itself and the area surrounding it (temenos) were considered sacred and enjoyed the right of inviolability.
Rituals and sacrifices did not require special preparation; anyone could perform them. Each individual independently determined the nature and principles of his faith, provided that he did not deny the gods at all.
This freedom was an essential prerequisite for the emergence of secular knowledge about the world, which Greek philosophers could develop without fear of incurring the wrath of political or religious authorities.
Ancient religion (Ancient Greece, Rome, Scythia)………………………3
List of references………………………………………………………15
Ancient religion (Ancient Greece, Rome, Scythia)
Ancient Greece
Greece is a country of peasants who adhere to ancient customs; Greek lifestyle, the importance of agriculture for holidays; natural calendar; Demeter, the Corn-Mother, and her festivals; the holiday of autumn sowing - Thesmophoria; harvest festivals - Falicia and Kalamaia; holiday before the start of the harvest - Fargelia and farmak; first fruits and their meaning; bucoliasts; panspermia and kernos; growing olive trees; fruit harvest festival - Galoi; flower festival; Aithesteria - blessing of new wine and Athens All Souls' Day; grape harvest holidays; Dionysus and wine; phallus; May branch - Iresion; boys carrying swallows; other varieties of the May branch are thyrsus and crown; sustainability of rural customs.
The religion and mythology of Ancient Greece had a huge influence on the development of culture and art throughout the world and laid the foundation for countless everyday ideas about man, gods and heroes.
The religious ideas and religious life of the ancient Greeks were in close connection with their entire historical life.
Already in the most ancient monuments of Greek creativity, the anthropomorphic nature of Greek polytheism is clearly evident, explained by the national characteristics of the entire cultural development in this area; concrete representations, generally speaking, prevail over abstract ones, just as in quantitative terms humanoid gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines prevail over deities of abstract meaning (who, in turn, receive anthropomorphic features).
Religion ancient Greece has two main characteristics: Polytheism (polytheism). With all the many Greek gods, 12 main ones can be distinguished. The pantheon of pan-Greek gods emerged in the classical era. Each deity in the Greek pantheon performed strictly defined functions: Zeus - the main god, ruler of the sky, thunderer, personified strength and power. Hera is the wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage, patroness of the family. Poseidon is the god of the sea, brother of Zeus. Athena is the goddess of wisdom and just war. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, born from sea foam. Ares is the god of war. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt. Apollo - god sunlight, bright beginning, patron of the arts. Hermes is the god of eloquence, trade and theft, the messenger of the gods, the guide of the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Hades, the god of the underworld. Hephaestus is the god of fire, the patron of artisans and especially blacksmiths. Demeter is the goddess of fertility, patroness of agriculture. Hestia is the goddess of the hearth. The ancient Greek gods lived on the snow-capped Mount Olympus. In addition to the gods, there was a cult of heroes - semi-deities born from the marriage of gods and mortals. Hermes, Theseus, Jason, Orpheus are the heroes of many ancient Greek poems and myths.
The second feature of ancient Greek religion is anthropomorphism - the human-likeness of the gods. What did the ancient Greeks mean by deity? Absolute. Cosmos is an absolute deity, and the ancient gods are those ideas that are embodied in space, these are the laws of nature that govern it. Therefore, all the advantages and all the shortcomings of nature and human life are reflected in the gods. The ancient Greek gods have the appearance of a person, they are similar to him not only in appearance, but in behavior: they have wives and husbands, enter into relationships similar to humans, have children, fall in love, are jealous, take revenge, i.e. they have the same advantages and disadvantages, as mortals. It can be said that gods are absolutized people. This trait greatly influenced the entire character of ancient Greek civilization and determined its main feature - humanism. Ancient culture grows on the basis of the pantheism of the ancient Greek religion, which arises as a result of a sensual understanding of the cosmos: ideal gods are only a generalization of the corresponding areas of nature, both rational and irrational. This is fate, recognized as a necessity, and it is impossible to go beyond it. From this we can conclude that ancient culture develops under the sign of fatalism, which ancient man overcomes with ease, fighting fate like a hero. This is the meaning of life. Therefore, the cult of the hero is especially characteristic of ancient Greek culture. In antiquity there is an amazing synthesis of fatalism and heroism, arising from a special understanding of freedom. Freedom of action gives rise to heroism. Pantheism and the cult of heroes are most clearly expressed in ancient Greek mythology.
In this or that cult, this or that writer or artist, one or another general or mythological (and mythographic) ideas are connected with this or that deity. Such connections are explained not only from the creative moment, but also from the conditions of the historical life of the Hellenes; in Greek polytheism one can also trace later layers (eastern elements; deification - even during life). In the general religious consciousness of the Hellenes, there apparently did not exist any specific generally accepted dogma. The diversity of religious ideas found expression in the diversity of cults, the external environment of which is now becoming increasingly clear thanks to archaeological excavations and finds. We find out which gods or heroes were worshiped where, and which one was worshiped where or where which one was worshiped predominantly (for example, Zeus - in Dodona and Olympia, Apollo - in Delphi and Delos, Athena - in Athens, Hera in Samos, Asclepius - in Epidaurus) ; we know shrines revered by all (or many) Hellenes, like the Delphic or Dodonian oracle or the Delian shrine; We know large and small amphictyony (cult communities).
In the ancient religion of Ancient Greece, public and private cults were distinguished. The all-consuming importance of the state also affected the religious sphere. The ancient world, generally speaking, knew neither the internal church as a kingdom not of this world, nor the church as a state within a state: “church” and “state” were concepts in it that absorbed or conditioned each other, and, for example, the priest was the one or state magistrate.
This rule could not, however, be carried out with unconditional consistency everywhere; practice caused particular deviations and created certain combinations. Further, if a well-known deity was considered the main deity of a certain state, then the state sometimes recognized (as in Athens) some other cults; Along with these national cults, there were also individual cults of state divisions (for example, the Athenian demes), and cults of private significance (for example, household or family), as well as cults of private societies or individuals.
Since the state principle prevailed (which did not triumph everywhere at the same time and equally), every citizen was obliged, in addition to his private deities, to honor the gods of his “civil community” (changes were brought by the Hellenistic era, which generally contributed to the process of leveling). This veneration was expressed in a purely external way - through feasible participation in certain rituals and celebrations performed on behalf of the state (or state division) - participation to which in other cases the non-civilian population of the community was invited; then, both citizens and non-citizens were left to seek satisfaction of their religious needs, as they could, wanted and were able.
One must think that in general the veneration of the gods was external; the internal religious consciousness was, from our point of view, naive, and among the masses superstition did not decrease, but grew (especially at a later time, when it found food for itself coming from the East); But in an educated society, an educational movement began early, timid at first, then more and more energetic, with one end (negative) touching the masses; religiosity weakened little in general (and sometimes even - although painfully - rose), but religion, that is, old ideas and cults, gradually - especially as Christianity spread - lost both its meaning and its content
Ancient Rome played a key role in the history of European and world culture. The complex of countries and peoples, which we still denote with the words " Western Europe", in its original form was created by Ancient Rome and actually exists within the former Roman Empire.
Many fundamental spiritual ideas and norms of social life, traditional values, socio-psychological stereotypes transmitted by Rome to Europe for more than one and a half thousand years, right up to the 19th century, formed the basis and arsenal, language and form of European culture. Not only the basics of law and government organization, not only a stable set of plots and artistic images were adopted by Europe from antiquity through Ancient Rome, but the very beginnings of its social existence - the idea of democracy, civil responsibility, separation of powers, etc. – came from the same source.
Ancient Roman culture was initially formed within the Roman community; later it assimilated Etruscan, Greek, and Hellenistic culture.
Its initial stage covers the XIII-III centuries. BC e., and the cultural space of early Roman society was Etruscan cities, Greek colonies in Southern Italy, Sicily and Latium, on whose territory in 754-753. BC e. Rome founded. By the end of the 6th century. BC e. Rome developed as a city-state of the Greek type. The first circus for gladiator fights was built here; craft and construction equipment, writing, numbers, toga clothing, etc. were inherited from the Etruscans.
Roman culture, like Greek culture, is closely connected with religious ideas.
A significant place in the culture of the early era was occupied by a religion that was animistic (recognized the existence of spirits), and also contained elements of totemism - the veneration of the Capitoline she-wolf, which, according to legend, fed the brothers Romulus and Remus - the founders of the city. The deities were impersonal and sexless. Over time, from obscure deities poor in mythical content, more vivid images of Janus - the god of the beginning and the end, Mars - the deity of the sun, Saturn - the god of sowing, etc., took shape. The Romans switched to anthropomorphism (from the Greek anthropos - man, morfe - species). The Roman pantheon was never closed; foreign deities were accepted into its composition, since it was believed that new gods strengthened the power of the Romans.
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….….3
Section I. Evolution of Ancient Greek Religion……………………………………………………….4
Section II. Religious life of Ancient Greece……………………………………….8
Section III. Sacrifices and processions are forms of veneration of the Gods in Ancient Greece......19
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………22
List of references………………………………………………………..…23
Introduction
The religion of Ancient Greece is one of the earliest and most significant religions in the world.
The relevance of this topic in our time is very great, because every person on Earth knows that it was Ancient Greece that served as the beginning of our beautiful world. And many are concerned with questions: how exactly did the process of formation of ancient Greek culture take place, how did the religion of the ancient Greeks arise, and in general, what is the religion of Ancient Greece?
The purpose of the study is to show the essence of the ancient Greek religion, to consider the most basic and influential Gods of Ancient Greece.
The goal requires the following tasks: to consider the evolution of the ancient Greek religion, to determine the pantheon of Gods of Ancient Hellas, to become familiar with the mythology of Ancient Greece, to consider the burial rite and forms of veneration of the Gods.
The subject of the study is the religious life of Ancient Greece, the pantheon of Gods, cults and rituals of the Greeks.
The study consists of 3 sections. The first examines the evolution of ancient Greek religion. In the second and third - the religious life of the ancient Greeks: Gods, legends and myths, burial cults, sacrifices and other forms of veneration of the Gods.
Section I. Evolution of Ancient Greek Religion
An important place in the development of world civilization is occupied by ancient culture, which in its origins is connected with the religious ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Like all other religious systems, the religion of the ancient Greeks went through its own development path and underwent certain evolutionary changes along the way. Historians who study the culture and life of the peoples who inhabited Ancient Greece note that in the pre-Homeric period the most common were totemic, fetishistic and animistic beliefs. The world around man was perceived by the ancient Greek as inhabited by various demonic forces - spirits that were embodied in sacred objects, creatures and phenomena that lived in caves, mountains, springs, trees, etc.
The mythology of the ancient Greeks was one of the most remarkable phenomena in the culture of the Mediterranean peoples. But neither this mythology nor the religion were homogeneous and went through a complex evolution. Researchers identify three main periods in the development of ancient Greek mythology: chthonic, or pre-Olympian, classical Olympian and late heroic.
First period. The term "chthonic" comes from the Greek word "chthon" - "earth". The earth was perceived by the ancient Greeks as a living and omnipotent being that gives birth to everything and nourishes everyone. The essence of the earth was embodied in everything that surrounded man and in himself, which explains the worship with which the Greeks surrounded the symbols of deities: unusual stones, trees and even just boards. But the usual primitive fetishism was mixed among the Greeks with animism, leading to a complex and unusual system of beliefs. In addition to gods, there were also demons. These are vague and terrible forces that have no form, but have terrible power. Demons appear from nowhere, interfere in people's lives, usually in the most catastrophic and cruel way, and disappear. The images of demons were also associated with ideas about monsters, which at this stage of the development of Greek religion were probably also perceived as creatures possessing divine power.
In such ideas about the gods and in the special veneration of the Earth as the Great Mother, echoes of ideas are visible different stages the development of Greek society - both from a very early time, when man, who did not separate himself from nature, created images of human animals, and the period of matriarchy, when the dominance of women in society was reinforced by stories about the omnipotence of the Earth-Progenitor. But one thing united all these views - the idea of the indifference of the gods, of their deep alienation. They were perceived as powerful beings, but more dangerous than beneficent, from whom one must pay off rather than try to gain their favor. This is, for example, the god Pan, who, unlike Typhon or the Hectanocheirs, in later mythology did not turn into the final monster, but remained a god, the patron of forests and fields.
It is associated with wildlife, and not with human society, and, despite its tendency to have fun, can instill unreasonable fear in people. Goat-footed, bearded and horned, he appears to people at midday, when everything freezes from the heat, at an hour that was considered no less dangerous than midnight. He may be both kind and fair, but it is still better not to meet with the god Pan, who has retained the half-animal appearance and disposition of the original creatures of Mother Earth.
Second period. The collapse of matriarchy, the transition to patriarchy, the emergence of the first Achaean states - all this gave impetus to a complete change in the entire system of mythology, to the abandonment of old gods and the emergence of new ones. Like other peoples, the gods-personifications of the soulless forces of nature are replaced by the patron gods of individual groups in human society, groups united along a variety of grounds: class, estate, professional, but they all had one thing in common - these were people who did not try to get along with nature, and those who sought to subjugate it, transform it into something new, make it serve man.
It is no coincidence that the most ancient myths of the Olympic cycle begin with the extermination of creatures who were probably worshiped as gods in the previous period. The god Apollo kills the Pythian dragon and giants, human demigods, sons of the gods destroy other monsters: Medusa, Chimera, Lernaean Hydra. And Zeus, the king of the gods of the Cosmos, triumphs in the final victory over the ancient gods. The image of Zeus is very complex and did not form immediately in Greek mythology. Ideas about Zeus developed only after the Dorian conquest, when newcomers from the north gave him the features of an absolute ruler god.
In the happy and orderly world of Zeus, his sons, born from mortal women, complete the work of their father, exterminating the last monsters.
Demigods and heroes symbolize the unity of the worlds of the divine and human, the inextricable connection between them and the beneficial attention with which the gods watch people. The gods help the heroes (for example, Hermes - Perseus, and Athena - Hercules), and punish only the wicked and villains. Ideas about terrible demons are also changing - they now look more like just powerful spirits, inhabitants of all four elements: fire, water, earth and air.
Third period. The formation and development of the state, the complication of society and social relations, the enrichment of ideas about the world surrounding Greece inevitably increased the feeling of the tragedy of existence, the conviction that the world is dominated by evil, cruelty, meaninglessness and absurdity. In the late heroic period of the development of Greek mythology, ideas about the power to which everything that exists—both people and gods—are revived. Rock, inexorable fate reigns over everything. Even Zeus himself bows before her, forced either to forcefully extort predictions of his own fate from the titan Prometheus, or to come to terms with the trials and torments that his beloved son Hercules must go through so that he can join the host of the gods. Fate is even more merciless towards people than towards the gods - its cruel and often senseless commands are carried out with inevitable precision - Oedipus turns out to be cursed, despite all his efforts to escape from the predicted fate, Anchises, the grandfather of Perseus, also dies, hiding from the will of fate, and even the whole the Atrid family cannot escape the blind verdict of fate, being involved in an endless series of murders and fratricides.
And the gods are no longer so merciful towards people. The punishments of those who violated their will are terrible and unjustifiably cruel: Tantalus is forever tormented by hunger and thirst, Sisyphus is obliged to constantly lift a heavy stone up a hellish mountain, Ixion is chained to a rotating fiery wheel.
In late Greek society, religion gradually declined, degenerating into the simple performance of rituals, and mythology became simply a treasury of images and plots for the authors of poems and tragedies. Some philosophers even denied main role gods in the creation of the world, representing this cosmic act as a fusion of primary elements or elements. In this form, the Greek religion existed until the campaigns of Alexander the Great, when in the Hellenistic empires it entered into a multifaceted and mutually enriching interaction with the religions of Ancient Asia.
Thus, the religion of the ancient Greeks was one of the most remarkable phenomena in the culture of the Mediterranean peoples. But it was not homogeneous and went through a complex evolution. There are three main periods in the religion of the ancient Greeks: chthonic, classical Olympian and late heroic.
Section II. Religious life of Ancient Greece
2.1. Pantheon of Gods
The ancient Greek divine pantheon was the basis for the development of society not only in Ancient Greece and Rome, but also reflected the history and development of one of the first ancient civilizations of the world. Having examined the gods, deities and heroes of ancient Greek mythology, one can see the development of modern society, how it changed its perception of the universe and the world, how it treated community and individualism. Thanks to the mythological stories of Ancient Greece, it is possible to see how theology and cosmology of humanity was formed, how man’s attitude to those elements and manifestations of nature changed, which he (humanity) could not explain with the help of logic and science. The mythology of Ancient Greece is important because it pushed humanity to mental development, to the emergence of many sciences (mathematics, logic, rhetoric, and many others).
Of course, there were quite a few gods and goddesses in Ancient Greece and it is not possible to count and consider them all, but you can get to know some of them.
Zeus was the king of the gods, the god of the sky and weather, law, order and fate. He was depicted as a king, mature with a strong figure and a dark beard. His usual attributes were a lightning bolt, a royal scepter, and an eagle.
Zeus, the greatest of the Olympian gods, and the father of gods and men, was the son of Kronos and Rhea, the brother of Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, and at the same time he married his sister Hera. When Zeus and his brothers shared rule over parts of the world, Poseidon got the sea, Hades the underworld, and Zeus got the heavens and the earth, but the land was distributed among all the other gods.
Hera
Hera was the queen of the Olympian gods and the goddess of women and marriage. She was also the goddess of the sky and starry skies. Hera was usually depicted as a beauty wearing a crown and holding a royal lotus. Sometimes she held a royal lion or a cuckoo or a hawk.
The origin of her name can possibly be traced in a variety of ways, from Greek and Eastern roots, although there is no reason to seek help from the latter, since Hera is simply a Greek goddess, and one of the few who, according to Herodotus, was not introduced into Greece from Egypt. Hera was, according to some sources, the eldest daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and the sister of Zeus. However, according to many other sources, Hestia was the eldest daughter of Cronus; and Lactantius calls her sister - the twin of Zeus. According to the verses of Homer, she was raised by Oceanus and Tethys because Zeus usurped the throne of Cronus; and later she became the wife of Zeus.
At birth, Hades was thrown into Tartarus.
After the division of the world took place between him and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, after the victory over the Titans, he inherited power over the shadows of the dead and over the entire underworld. Hades is the deity of underground wealth who gives harvests to the earth.
In Greek mythology, Hades is a minor deity. At the same time, Hades is considered generous and hospitable, because not a single living soul is able to escape from the clutches of death.
Demeter was the great Olympian goddess of agriculture, grain, and humanity's daily bread. She also exercised control over the foremost of the region's secret cults, whose initiates were promised her protection on the path to a happy afterlife. Demeter was depicted as a mature woman, often wearing a crown and holding a sheaf of wheat and a torch.
Poseidon
Poseidon was the great Olympian god of the sea, rivers, floods and droughts, earthquakes, and horses. He was depicted as a mature, strong man with a dark beard and a trident. His name seems to be related to pothos, ponthos and potamos, according to which he is the god of the liquid element.
Hestia was the virgin goddess of the hearth and home. As the goddess of the family hearth, she also exercised control over the baking of bread and the preparation of family meals. Hestia was also the goddess of sacrificial flame. Cooking a communal banquet of sacrificial meat was naturally part of her cult.
Artemis
Artemis was the great Olympian goddess of the hunt, wilderness and wild animals. She was also the goddess of fertility, and the protector of girls before the age of marriage. Her twin brother Apollo was also the protector of boys. Together these two gods were also the gods of sudden death and disease. Artemis was usually depicted as a girl with a hunting bow and arrows.
Ares
Ares was the great Olympian god of war, battles, and manly courage. He was depicted either as a mature, bold warrior, armed with weapons in battle, or as a naked, beardless youth with a rudder and a spear. Due to its lack of distinctive features, it is often difficult to identify in classical art.
As in, the development of religious views in Ancient Greece went through certain periods that correspond to the periods of development of ancient Greek culture. Usually the following are distinguished.
Creto-Mycenaean(III-II millennium BC). This period ended as a result of destruction on the island of Crete caused by volcanic eruptions and floods. On the coast, the cause of destruction was the invasion of northern peoples - the Dorians.
Homeric period(XI-VIII centuries BC). At this time, the formation of the political system of Ancient Greece took place - policy. The end of the period is characterized by the creation of the famous poems of Homer, in which the main principles of the religion of the ancient Greeks can already be traced.
Archaic period(VIII-VI centuries BC). Formation of the main features of ancient Greek culture and religion.
Classical period(V-IV centuries BC). The rise of ancient Greek culture.
Hellenistic period(IV-I centuries BC). Active mutual influence of ancient Greek culture and cultures of other peoples.
The main sources of information about ancient Greek are the works Homer's Iliad" And " Odyssey" And Gay-ode "Theogony". Based on these works, we can conclude that the ancient Greek gods were divided into three groups:
In the original ideas, the dominant place was occupied by the sovereign goddess - the deity of fertility. Subsequently, she was transformed into the wife of the highest God - Geru. Then the male deity stands out - Zeus. His position is equal to that of a king among the aristocracy and ordinary subjects. Zeus and Hera form a divine couple, a model of family and sovereignty. Of the same generation as them - gods Poseidon and Demeter. The younger generation of Gods are the sons of Zeus - Apollo, Hephaestus And Ares; daughters - Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite. They are the executors of the will of Zeus and receive power over their part of the world order.
Zeus becomes supreme god in the fight against previous generations of gods: Uranus, Kronos, titans. These gods are defeated, but not destroyed. They are the personification of the elemental forces of nature. In addition to these gods, the Greek pantheon included local deities; thus, the pantheon of gods was very large. The gods were anthropomorphic in nature. They had the same character traits as humans, but differed in that they could transform into animals and were immortal.
The ancient Greeks had an idea about demons - lower supernatural forces. Demons were nymphs, satyrs, seleniums. In honor of demons, rituals and ceremonies were performed that were aimed at preventing demons from harming people. The ancient Greeks distinguished superstition And faith. Excessive demon worship (superstition) was frowned upon by society.
Among the ancient Greeks, occupied an important place ancestor cult. The Greeks believed that the dead could harm living people; and to prevent this from happening, they need to be appeased, i.e. make sacrifices. Failure to bury ashes (absence of burial) was considered especially unacceptable. There was an idea about the kingdom of the dead Aida. In Hades, dead people were divided into sinners and righteous people; sinners fell into Tartarus(similar to hell). The doctrine of posthumous existence was called orphism(named after the ancient Greek hero who visited the world of the dead).
The performance of rituals was of great importance; there were state cults. These cults were carried out periodically, as well as to commemorate particularly significant events (disasters, victories, etc.).
In the VI century. BC. a holiday was established - " Great Panathenaea" in honor of the goddess Athena. It was built for this holiday Acropolis. The ritual was performed once every four years in July-August and lasted five days. First there were night celebrations and demonstrations. Then sacrifices were made. It was believed that the gods ate the smell of meat, and people ate meat. Similar festivals were dedicated to other gods, for example "Great Dionithese" - in honor of God Dionysus. Poets and musicians composed hymns. In addition, there were mysteries - secret, hidden rituals. The uninitiated were forbidden to participate in the mysteries.
The priests of Ancient Greece did not enjoy such authority as in, they were not allocated to a special class; any citizen, for example the head of a family, could perform the ritual. A person was chosen at a community meeting to perform the rituals. In some churches, the service required special preparation, so they chose knowledgeable people. Sometimes they were called oracles, since it was believed that they were able to convey the will of the gods.
There were various religious communities in Ancient Greece. The basis of religious life was family. Families united in phratries, phratries united into phyla(primarily on professional grounds). There were also sects - secret organizations that gathered around the leader.
In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal, direct, and present in all areas of life. With formal rituals that included animal sacrifices and libations, myths that explained the origins of humanity and gave the gods a human face, temples that dominated the urban landscape, city festivals and national sports and art competitions, religion was never far from the mind of the ancient Greeks. While an individual could form his own opinion about the extent of his religious belief, and some may have been completely skeptical, some basics had to be widespread enough for Greek government and society to function: gods existed, they could influence people and they welcomed and responded to acts of piety and worship.
GODS
The polytheistic Greek religion embraced many gods, each representing a different facet of the human condition, and even abstract ideas such as justice and wisdom could have their own personification. However, the most important gods were the Olympian gods, led by Zeus. These are Athens, Apollo, Poseidon, Hermes, Hera, Aphrodite, Demeter, Ares, Artemis, Hades, Hepheis and Dionysus. These gods were believed to live on the mountain. Olympos and would have been recognized throughout Greece, although with some local variations and perhaps special attributes and associations.
In the Greek imagination, literature and art, the gods were given human bodies and characters - both good and bad - and like ordinary men and women, they married, had children (often through illicit affairs), fought wars, and in the stories of Greek mythology, they intervened directly in human affairs. These traditions were first listed only in oral form, as there was no sacred text in the Greek religion, and then attempts were made to write this oral tradition, particularly by Hesiod in his Theogony and more indirectly in the works of Homer.
The gods became patrons of cities, such as Aphrodite for Corinth and Helios for Rhodes, and were called upon to help in certain situations, such as Ares during war and Hera for marriage. Some gods were imported from abroad, such as Adonis, and incorporated into the Greek pantheon, while rivers and springs could take on a very localized personified form, such as nymphs.
PACES, RITUALS AND RIGHTS
The temple (naos - the sense of dwelling place in relation to the belief that a god lived in that place or was at least temporarily visited during rituals) was a place where religion took on a more formal tone on special occasions. The gods were worshiped at sacred sites and temples in all major Greek communities in ceremonies performed by priests and their servants.
At first, sacred places were simply a simple altar in a designated area, but over time, massive temples were built in honor of a specific god, and they usually contained a cult statue of the deity, most famously the huge statue of Athena in the Parthenon of Athens or Zeus in Olympia. Over time, a whole complex of temples for lesser gods could arise within the main temple, creating a large sacred complex, often built on an acropolis dominating the city or surrounding area. This sacred area (temenos) was separated from the rest of the community by a symbolic gate or propylon, and in fact the area was believed to belong to a specific deity, about whom we're talking about. Sacred sites also received financial donations and dedications of statues, fountains and even buildings from believers, often to celebrate a great military victory and to thank the gods, and larger sanctuaries also had permanent guardians (neokoroi) who were responsible for maintaining the site.
The temple itself, however, was not used during religious practices as they were held at a designated altar outside the temple. Ancient writers often show a reluctance to go into explicit details of religious rites and rites, as if they were too sacred to be published in the written word. What we do know is that the most common religious practices were sacrifice and libation drinking, all accompanied by prayers in honor of the god. The animals that were sacrificed were usually pigs, sheep, goats or cows and were always the same sex as the god who was being honored. The meat was then either completely burned or cooked and some was offered to the god and the rest was eaten by some or all of the worshipers or taken away to be eaten later. The actual killing of the animal was carried out by the butcher or cook (megeiras), while the young girl sprinkled the seeds on the animals' heads, perhaps symbolizing life and rebirth at the moment of the animal's death. Other such rituals involved examining the depths of animal sacrifices to identify signs that could help predict future events.
Then the priests organized religious ceremonies and said prayers. The position was generally open to everyone and once she assumed the role, especially when she wore the sacred headband, the priest's body became inviolable. Priests served a specific god, but they were not necessarily religious experts. On theological issues, a citizen could consult with exegetes, government officials knowledgeable in religious matters. Women could also be priests, which is perhaps surprising given their lack of any other public role in Greek society. Often, but not always, the priest was the same gender as the god they represented. Priestesses had the additional limitation that they were most often chosen because they were virgins or beyond menopause. On the other hand, believers may be of both sexes, and those rituals with restrictions may exclude either men or women.
SECRETS AND ORACHS
In addition to the official and public religious rites, there were also many rites that were revealed and known only by the initiator who performed them, the most famous example of which were the Mysteries of Eleusis. In these closed groups, members believed that certain activities provided spiritual benefits, including better days after tomorrow.
Places could also acquire a divine connection; great oracles such as Apollo at Delphi and Zeus at Dodona may well have begun as places considered especially good for receiving signs from the gods. Such places became extremely important centers with their sacred oracles, which were consulted by individuals and city-states alike so that rather vague and ambiguous proclamations could help guide their future behavior.
FESTIVALS AND GAMES
Athletic games and competitions in music (especially kithara and lyre) and theater (both tragedy and comedy) were held during festivals such as the Athenian City Dionysia and the Panellian Games at the most important sacred sites of Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, and Isthmia to honor a specific god. These events were attended by guests from all over Greece, and the experience was perhaps more akin to a pilgrimage than a simple sports fan. Illustrating their sacred status, war was prohibited during these events and pilgrims were guaranteed free passage through Greece. However, there were also smaller festivals, sometimes attended by a very specific number of people, such as the Archephoria in Athens, which was attended only by priestesses and no more than four young girls.
PERSONAL RELIGION
Although the historical record reveals much about formal religious events and ceremony, we must remember that Greek religion was actually practiced anywhere, at any time, by individuals in very individual ways. For example, not only temples, but also fireplaces in private homes were considered sacred. People could also visit the temple any time they wanted, and it was customary to say a prayer even when they simply passed them on the street. People left offerings such as incense, flowers and food, no doubt with an encouraging prayer or gratitude for a past deed. People could also organize their own sacrifice if they had the means to do so, and they were marked by the thousands of stone relief markers found at sacred sites. In addition, temples were often visited to seek healing, especially at those sites associated with Asclepius, the god of medicine, especially at Epidaurus.
People also looked for signs from the gods in everyday life and interpreted these signs as indicators of future events. Such signs can be birds in the sky or a spoken word between friends said at a certain moment, or even a simple sneeze that can be interpreted as a favorable or unfavorable omen.
Such beliefs, and indeed some aspects of religion such as the immorality of gods depicted in art, have been subject to considerable criticism by intellectuals, artists and philosophers since the 5th century BC, but they may or may not reflect the generally accepted views of the wider population , and from the rich archaeological and written records it is difficult to believe that religion was anything like a fundamental part of life for ordinary inhabitants of the ancient Greek world.
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Paganism dominated in Ancient Greece, dating back to the last era. It was not clearly organized and did not have a unified teaching. Ancient Greek paganism, rather, was a collection of cults of various gods, each of which was responsible for one or another natural element, aspect of human life. Characteristic of ancient Greek paganism was that each god corresponded to one or another sacred animal. According to the mythology of Ancient Greece, the gods were subject to fate, like all people. The gods sometimes came into conflict with each other. In general, they may not have been ideal from a moral point of view.
For their gods, the Greek pagans built special altars on which they erected idols. 
You probably won't be surprised to learn that the Greeks made sacrifices to their deities. Most often it was food, drinks, valuable gifts. But the distinctive sacrifice for ancient Greek paganism was the hecatomb, or a whole hundred bulls! They made sacrifices to the gods to express their respect and reverence. But the Greeks also pursued their own goals: to appease the gods in order to achieve their desires and needs. Moreover, people usually ate animal meat themselves. The gods, they say, don’t need handouts, because they are already rich. But wine could be poured onto the ground, it was a libation for the gods.
It was also interesting how the sacrifices were organized. For example, if a king makes a sacrifice, then he asks for all his people. And if the head is the owner of the house, then for the whole family. All holidays and ceremonies in Ancient Greece were imbued with religious beliefs. This also applied to such an important event as Olympic Games, and simple holidays. In addition, they read special prayers for the gods, asking them for something or thanking them for something.
A very important fact is that the ancient Greeks had concepts of morality and morality. For example, they considered moderation, justice, courage, and prudence to be virtues. And in contrast to them was pride. The man was a completely free person. But he had to be able to control himself, respect himself not to the point of arrogance, and not insult others. Greek paganism gave rise to humanity, kindness, compassion, mercy, reverence for elders, and patriotism in the hearts of people. And we see a reflection of this in numerous myths and legends of Ancient Greece.
We get most of the information about ancient Greek paganism from the legendary “Iliad” and “Odyssey” by Homer. 
According to them, all the gods of Ancient Greece were divided into:
In addition to gods, the ancient Greeks also believed in lower spirits, or demons. Examples of such creatures were nymphs, satyrs, and seleniums. They could be good and evil. Therefore, they, like the gods, had to be praised and rituals performed in their honor.
The gods in ancient Greek paganism were depicted as ordinary people, in terms of their appearance. They also had human character traits, both positive and negative. They also got married, fell in love, were jealous, and fought. But the main differences between gods and people were their immortality, superiority in wisdom and strength, and the presence of supernatural capabilities. Gods in understanding ordinary people were idealized, but close to them in spirit.
The gods are most often benevolent towards humans. You can incur their wrath if you do not show them due respect and do not make sacrifices. In general, the gods can help people, put them on the right path. If trouble or misfortune happened to a person, then the reason for this was seen not in the anger of the gods, but in the guilt of the person himself. However, the gods could punish people: for betrayal, for not welcoming guests, for failure to fulfill promises. But they could both forgive and pity the person. That is, they did not have such feelings as compassion and mercy.
Holidays were organized for the gods. For example, the holiday of the Great Panathenaea was dedicated to the goddess Athena, and the Great Dionysia, respectively, to the god Dionysus.
List of the main gods in Ancient Greece:
According to legends, the gods lived on Mount Olympus. The three main Olympian gods were Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. In total, twelve gods are called Olympians. The rest are divided into gods of the water element, air, underworld. There is also a group of muses, giants, and cyclops. In short, there are very, very many creatures and gods that were in ancient Greek paganism.
The end of ancient Greek paganism came in the first half of the tenth century, when Christianity spread everywhere. However, back in the fourth century, sacrifices and the construction of pagan temples began to be prohibited. In general, we can say that paganism in Ancient Greece, although it had its own distinctive, original features, the basic concepts and principles remained characteristic of all paganism.
