The Ancient Scribe

Posted By The Ancient Scribe on April 28, 2010

In the ancient era, the Greek religion had attained the shape of early Paganism, and so a lot of their traditions reflected the practices of Pagans, such as Witchcraft or Wicca. The ancient Greeks were polytheistic in nature since they worshipped numerous Gods, as they strongly believed that their gods would protect their states and guide them in their actions. The Greek Gods formed the most important part of the Greek religion, and they always made sure to please their gods to protect themselves from hardships and oppression.

They worshipped their Gods in order to bring good luck to their communities and families. To impress their gods, the Greeks participated in various ceremonies, rituals, rites and sacrifices at their temples and shrines, where the statues of the gods were erected, and sacrifices used to take place. Their rituals also included a strong faith in the fact that there is life after death, and that the soul of a person continues to live even after death.

Technically, the history of the ancient Greeks is lost, if we talk of the assembled cults of the pre-Greek population of the peninsula. The Greeks were influenced religiously by the Minoan civilization, which had a highly flourishing society. Greek religion was based on rituals and they also had flexible beliefs. We come to know about Greek religion through the numerous legends and tales written by famous Greek authors. However, Greek religion was not all about myths and stories. It also consisted of city-state organization with divinities of their own. Religion played an important role, not only in the normal day-to-day lifestyle of the Greeks, but it was equally important in the fields of agriculture, societal organization, and most importantly, warfare.

These features of the Greek religion are quite similar to the religious beliefs of the Pagans. For the Greeks, the Twelve Pantheon Gods were the most important of them all, including their idols like oracles, lesser divinities, demi-gods and heroes. The Greeks believed in numerous Gods, and so they created a polytheistic society. The Greeks had faith in the power of their divinities to control the forces of nature and society, and they lived on Mount Olympus. The Greeks had a culture related to the earthly forces, and they worshipped the nature and the earth. The Greeks prayed to different Gods for their varied needs in life. The ancient Greek religion essentially was inspired and influenced by the religious features of the Pagans.

Related posts:

1. Greek Mythology: The Role of Rituals and Beliefs (Part II)
2. Greek Gods: Their Beliefs and Rituals
3. Egyptian Gods: Showing a Different Face of Egyptian Mythology
4. Norse Religion: Of Asgard and Valhalla
5. Celtic Mythology: Reflecting the Myths of Celtic Life

Category: Ancient History
Tags: greek, mythology, pagan