Greek Gods Essay

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The ancient Greek people were greatly religious. They worshipped gods who they believed appeared in human form and were empowered with superhuman strength and imortality. The Iliad and the Odyssey are the earliest examples of Greek literature, records of mens interactions with various gods and goddesses whose characters and appearances had little change in the years that followed.
Greece attributed these epic novels to Homer(not simpson), a poetic man at the end of the 8th century BCE Each Greek city was usualy under protection of one or more gods who were worshipped with special emphasis, for example
Athens to the goddess Athena. While many sanctuaries worshiped more than a single god, usually one god such as Zeus to olympia or a linked pair of gods, like Demeter and her daughter Persephone at Elausis dominated the cult place.in the other arts, various painted scenes on vases, stone, and bronze sculptures display the major gods. The gods and goddesses are shown either by themselves or in a traditional mythical situation in which they interact with humans and a large range of minor deities, demi-gods and mythical characters.

Trade was a fundamental to the ancient Greek world and following territory expansion, an increase in population movements, and inventions in transport, goods could be bought, sold, and exchanged in one part of the Mediterranean which their origins were in a completely different and far away region.
Food, raw materials, and manufactured goods were not only made available to Greeks for the first time but the export of such classics as olives, wine and pottery helped to spread Greek culture around the world.

In greece and the aegean, local, regional, and international trade exchan...

... middle of paper ...

...tury. BCE.
The political and cultural disposition of the two citys occupied the opposite ends of the spectrum (so to speak). Sparta was a closed society governed by an oligarchy led by two kings, and occupying the southern end of the Peloponesus, organized its affairs around a powerful army that protected the Spartan towns from both external invasion and internal revolution of the helots. Athens on the other hand grew to an exploring, open society, a Democracy that thrived through commercial activity. The period of Perikles’ leadership in Athens is described as the Golden age.
It was during this period that the massive construction project, that included the acropolis, had begun.

sources http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/115/ http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/greece/history-timeline
http://www.penn.museum/sites/greek_world/religion.html

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