Greek Religion And Polytheism In The Iliad

Greek Religion

The Greek religion was largely a polytheistic one. Polytheism alludes to the belief in and worship of multiple gods or deities, while monotheism is the belief in and worship of a single deity (Tridimas, 2022). The religion had no single founder. Homer and Hesiod are exemplary in founding the Greek religious customs. The Greeks worshipped multiple deities finetuned in accordance to local cities and regions. Homer’s work, the Iliad, was fundamental in establishing the Olympians. The Olympians are considered the pinnacle of Greek Gods. Tridimas (2022) posits that religion was not a faith matter to Greeks. Greeks considered Gods as exemplary in the interference of daily human affairs.

In ancient Greek religion, a pantheon of gods

For example, sailors prayed to Poseidon for safe voyages while farmers offered sacrifices to Demeter for a bountiful harvest. Tridimas (2022) captures the presence of numerous temples dedicated to different gods specific to cities and regions, discerning their polytheistic nature. Besides, various festivals and rituals specific to each god or goddess showcase the presence of different Gods. Ultimately, the diversity and polytheistic nature of the ancient Greeks are well captured in its mythology. The stories discern the relationships, conflicts, and deities' exploits, earmarking their individual roles and characteristics. For instance, the Trojan War myth captures several gods, such as Zeus, Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, and Ares, intervening, each taking sides and influencing the outcome. As such, the presence of multiple temples, religions, deities, customs, and overall myths discern the polytheistic nature of ancient

The temples served as sacred worship spaces and were designed to honor and house the gods cult statues. Architectural styles, such as the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, aimed to aesthetically please, embody the divine, and convey a grandeur sense (Osborne & Vout, 2016). Progressively, the sculptures depicted various gods, goddesses, and mythological figures, capturing their idealized beauty and power. The statues were placed in temples or public spaces, allowing worshippers to visually connect with the divine. For instance, the Zeus statue at Olympia, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is an exemplary