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At the time, religion was a necessity for an empire to flourish because often times they created moral standards for people to follow not only in their daily lives, but also in their government. The Roman Empire had several religions before Christianity arose so in the beginning, the idea of a monotheistic religion was rejected. It was looked down upon because it was based on the idea of a “kingdom” of heaven. As it spread more and more, it started to become more widely accepted because of its philosophy of an orderly world and concern for social welfare. This led to most of Rome now believing in one socially interactive God.
These previous religions mostly included ones from Mesopotamia. However, in the new religion that was made, there was not a huge difference from spiritual Gods to things in the real world. Some Gods included: God of the fire, God of the rain, God of the water, God of the corn, God of the sky, and God of the sun There were also agricultural Gods A lot of people sacrificed themselves to these Gods, too
They were also said to bring the good and the evil to the Greek people. One god that over powered all other gods and goddesses was Zeus. He played many roles in the Greek community and helped out in many ways. Although Zeus is best known as the leader of all gods, he is also known for his mythical influence on the modern day
The Aztec rise to power and formation of an imperial state was both rapid and spectacular. Aztec domination extended from the Tarascan frontier about a hundred miles north of present-day Mexico City southward to the Maya area. The people were forced to pay tribute, surrender lands, and sometimes do military service for the empire. Aztec society had changed in the process of expansion and conquest. The loose association of clans, which was the previous form, the Aztec Empire transformed into a stratified society under the authority of a supreme ruler.
The Resemblance and Distinctness in Hades and Hel Myths and legends served as bases for cultures of old and largely reflect the civilization they derive from. An undeniably extensive part of a culture is the gods that they prayed to and feared. Nations used gods and aspects of gods to demonstrate their way of life, terrors, ambitions, and to explain the strange occurrences in life. A great example of this reflection comes from the lore of the Nordic and Greek people. The Nordic goddess Hel and the Greek god Hades serve as prime examples of what these cultures had in resemblance and in polarity.
They associated each of their gods with a different aspect of life or nature. For example Zeus was the king of the gods, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, Dionysus was the god of wine, and the list goes on. The ancient Greeks erected massive temples to these gods for worship. Each god or goddess had his or her own temple for sacrifices or offerings. They Greeks believed sacrifice was necessary to appease the gods and keep everyday life fruitful and peaceful.
The Resemblance of Gods and Humans Throughout all religions, gods have always been seen as superior in every way possible. The division between humans and gods has always been prevalent and prominent. However, when the actions and motives of these gods are truly analyzed, it will become evident that the gods of Greek Mythology merely behave as humans with supernatural powers.
In many societies, ancient and modern, religion has played an important role in shaping people to pursue their destiny. In books two and four of the Aeneid by Virgil, the Trojans and Aeneas do exactly the same. Through the epic of book II , Aeneas goes on to explaining the war between the Trojans and the Greeks. Book IV focuses on Queen Dido and her deep love for Aeneas and the importance of god 's word to Aeneas, which is problematic for for Dido. Virgil proves how in the Roman culture the Romans put god in front of themselves and what they believe.
Greek mythology has been one of the most complicated subjects in the field of religion and mythology. This is due to the complex relations and interactions which exists in the history of Greek gods and the humans who lived in ancient Greece. Different versions of the existence and the establishment of the superior beings were developed, which at times created suspense for readers through their interactions. The various tales which exist explain the various connections between different gods, how they relate to one another, the ideological order in which they came into existence as well as the interactions they had with humans. These tales form the basis of various religious beliefs and practices since it is perceived that it is through the interactions of the gods that humans came into existence, a situation which created the dependent relationship between mortals and gods.
They are allowed to interfere with humans in certain ways to certain extents, they have rules, and by punishing/rewarding humans, they create an order of morals/hierarchy so they serve a purpose as well. This presentation of the gods reveals that the Greeks see them as powerful, smarter, and "magically" significant beings. I think that the story shows that they see the Gods to be like us, but with power and authority.
There were also gods of lesser things such as love and scribal arts. Looking at Mesopotamia’s geography, you can see how it might have served as inspiration for deities. The Euphrates and Tigris rivers surrounding Babylon could’ve been inspirations for the many water gods like Apsu, Enki, and Tiamat, as could the Persian Gulf located nearby. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods are depicted as harsh and wrathful because they decide to wipe out the human race with a flood just because they make too much noise (Ward p.20). The gods’ destructive nature is likely based off the chaos caused by flooding from the Tigris and Euphrates.
Critical analysis of the Pantheon. The pantheon is a nearly 2000-year-old roman temple that still inspires architects and artist alike. The structure was originally built in c. 27 BCE and dedicated by Marcus Agrippa. Comprised of a 142ft wide 142ft tall rotunda under a coffered concrete dome connected to a Greek style porch.
For human’s deities are omnipotent, authoritative, dominant and immortal. If there is a need for supplication due to conflict or complication, humans turn towards the divine. Within the Iliad there are various gods who scheme a very significant role in the war of Trojan. The gods are very present, always observing, influencing guiding and most importantly, interfering in the actions of the humans. Athena, Apollo, and Zeus are three very influential divines and their interactions with human characters, along with interference towards the warfare is seen throughout the Iliad.
Each god and goddess had a unique/specific purpose, much like the roman and Greek mythology. For example: Ra, the god of the sun; Isis, the goddess of nature and magic; Horus, the god of war; and Osiris, the god of the dead (source 5). The gods and goddesses were worshipped in temples run by the priests, that were not open to the public. Due to this the citizens would have small statues to worship the gods. The citizens would also wear charms and amulets for protection against evil, according to source 5.
Ancient people being unaware about the outside world created for themselves the hierarchy of Gods to ask for protection and support. Example: Paganism had a tendency to be polytheistic. People worshipped a variety of gods and goddesses, spirits representing national and local heroes, as well as natural phenomena. Pagans also honored their ancestry and ancestors.