The Greek religion started with polytheistic beliefs. The beliefs in ancient Greek gods and goddesses started long before most religions. There was not one city or place where the religion rose. Seeing as there were many different gods, each one had a job of protecting a particular city or an emphasis on healing a certain ailment. After the Roman Empire conquered Greece, the Romans took the Greek beliefs and spread them throughout Europe. Thus, this expanded the ancient Greek religion.
The role of the Greek religion has played a major part in social development. Due to the Greek religion, it brought the different city-states together to create the ancient Olympic games, which included: track, field, wrestling and boxing. This is an event we still practice today. These games were preformed every four years in order to impress the gods. In addition to the games, over 1/3 of the yearly calendar was devoted to celebrations and festivities. These festivities were in tribute to the gods. They brought together the city-states for a common purpose of feast and entertainment.
As a result of the religion, it also brought the idea of immortality, that the gods they worshipped were immortal but not infallible. This later raised questions for intellectuals, artist and philosophers, one of these philosophers being Socrates. He was a man who not only questioned the Greek religion but also the government. Through this he taught others about his views and how he thought such beliefs were not true. This enabled others to start questioning not only the religion but also the government. In doing so this changed the social development of Greece by others questioning the previous fundamentals and traditions.
There were many identifiable sacred places such as temples. This is where priest lead ceremonies that worshiped the gods. The most well known of these temples being the Parthenon. But homes also had the ability to be a sacred place by private individuals. The Greek religion was aloud to be practiced anywhere. Most people only attended temples in search of healing. Although, people also left offerings at temples as a form of gratitude or in hopes of an answered prayer.
Religion did not have a major connection to the ancient Greek government, but religion did have some connection. The Greek gods influenced human actions that the government could base rules and laws off of. This is because people were open to religion and worshiping. Because the Greek gods were fallible, it made it hard to base ethics off of the religion. One important aspect to the Greek life was the Agora. The Agora took place after worship, and was where the government had no say or control over the distribution of goods. It was also where people of the town could discuses issues with customs or the government.
My belief is that the ancient Greek religion played a major part in ancient Greece and the culture. It started the idea of Greek gods and people having any form of belief system. Due to the belief in Greek gods the Olympic games were created as tribute. My belief is that everyone needs some form of belief system to try and strive towards something better. Whether your belief is in sync with your surrounding peers or not, it at least get you thinking about something greater. Without the idea of the Greek gods, it may not have provoked Socrates to question the beliefs of what was out there.
Britton, P. (2014). Time Maps. Civilization: Ancient Greece. Retrieved from
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Greeks
Lloyd, J. (2013). Ancient History. Greek Religion. Retrieved from
http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Religion/
N.A. (2014). Ancient Civilizations. Ancient Greece. Retrieved from
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/5h.asp
White, D. (2002). The Ancient Greek World. Religion and Death. Retrieved from
http://www.penn.museum/sites/greek_world/heroes.html
The role of the Greek religion has played a major part in social development. Due to the Greek religion, it brought the different city-states together to create the ancient Olympic games, which included: track, field, wrestling and boxing. This is an event we still practice today. These games were preformed every four years in order to impress the gods. In addition to the games, over 1/3 of the yearly calendar was devoted to celebrations and festivities. These festivities were in tribute to the gods. They brought together the city-states for a common purpose of feast and entertainment.
As a result of the religion, it also brought the idea of immortality, that the gods they worshipped were immortal but not infallible. This later raised questions for intellectuals, artist and philosophers, one of these philosophers being Socrates. He was a man who not only questioned the Greek religion but also the government. Through this he taught others about his views and how he thought such beliefs were not true. This enabled others to start questioning not only the religion but also the government. In doing so this changed the social development of Greece by others questioning the previous fundamentals and traditions.
There were many identifiable sacred places such as temples. This is where priest lead ceremonies that worshiped the gods. The most well known of these temples being the Parthenon. But homes also had the ability to be a sacred place by private individuals. The Greek religion was aloud to be practiced anywhere. Most people only attended temples in search of healing. Although, people also left offerings at temples as a form of gratitude or in hopes of an answered prayer.
Religion did not have a major connection to the ancient Greek government, but religion did have some connection. The Greek gods influenced human actions that the government could base rules and laws off of. This is because people were open to religion and worshiping. Because the Greek gods were fallible, it made it hard to base ethics off of the religion. One important aspect to the Greek life was the Agora. The Agora took place after worship, and was where the government had no say or control over the distribution of goods. It was also where people of the town could discuses issues with customs or the government.
My belief is that the ancient Greek religion played a major part in ancient Greece and the culture. It started the idea of Greek gods and people having any form of belief system. Due to the belief in Greek gods the Olympic games were created as tribute. My belief is that everyone needs some form of belief system to try and strive towards something better. Whether your belief is in sync with your surrounding peers or not, it at least get you thinking about something greater. Without the idea of the Greek gods, it may not have provoked Socrates to question the beliefs of what was out there.
Britton, P. (2014). Time Maps. Civilization: Ancient Greece. Retrieved from
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Greeks
Lloyd, J. (2013). Ancient History. Greek Religion. Retrieved from
http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Religion/
N.A. (2014). Ancient Civilizations. Ancient Greece. Retrieved from
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/5h.asp
White, D. (2002). The Ancient Greek World. Religion and Death. Retrieved from
http://www.penn.museum/sites/greek_world/heroes.html