Greek Culture, Politic, & Religion

Culture:

Basically, the Ionians (Merchant Traders / Sailors) fused with their Aegean forerunners the Minoans and Mycenaean’s who supplied the gods, heroes, and stories of the Iliad and the Odyssey to become a strong nation of intelligent, creative, and resourceful people.

Greek Civilization was philosophical: 'Man is the Ultimate measure', 'Know Thyself' (place in the cosmos) along with the Romans they trigger the Renaissance and highly influence western civilization.

Education was available for all Greek Men. Oracy was stressed over Literacy. The animal side of man leads to war and the godly side of man leads to art. The teaching style was Socratic, or discussion based.

Greece was a Male Centric society, warlike, aggressive, isolationist. Women were relegated to the home and to raising the young. All men served in the military and remained in the “reserves” until no longer of age to be of service.

Politic:

Greek politics were originally an Ostocracy (To be Ostracized): utilizing an annual purge of unwanted persons. Those with the largest amount of black stones in their jar (no votes) were “voted out” of the tribe. Greece was also originally a kingdom of multiple “tribes” (much like Scottish clans) the first revolution between tribes in Athens persuades Claestanaes to institute Democracy to ‘control’ the seven tribes politically. Important Greek Political Concepts:  Polis ('City State', Country of Citizens, Men only)  Democracy (One Person, One Vote)  Republic (Representation)  Dike ('Right' or Justice, No justice = no peace)  Fate (Gods are as unpredictable as Man and men's fortunes) Solon (408 BCE) Establishes Democracy and the Ten Tribes of Attica. Political City States create a division of power (eg. Attica / Athens)

Greek Religion

Polytheistic (many Gods) used to explain the unexplainable and to govern over the uncontrollable (nature, time, death, the cosmos, etc.)

Creation of the Gods initiates in the Void / The”Cosmos” when Chaos and Night begat Love and Day. Love and Day then form Gaea (Earth Mother) and Ouranos (Heaven Father) both of which are monsters. Gaea and Ouranos begat four forms of children: Monsters, Cyclops, Giants, and Titans. The monsters had 50 heads, 100 hands and one thousand eyes, the Cyclops were giants with one eye, and the giants were immense. The Titans however were born in the form of man and begat the Olympians. Through interaction with man, the Olympians create the lesser gods of Olympia and of Earth to help manage man’s affairs and fate. To the Greeks their Gods were both benevolent and meddlesome. Many prayers were offered up to ask the Gods NOT to intercede. The Greek gods, like man, were fickle and unpredictable. It is important to note that the Greek gods were born from and idea and lay in stark contrast to the monsters of their parents creation. This duality is the initial basis for the struggle of man against the monster in western literature. It is also the basis for the concepts of the hero, the ‘journey’, good, and evil in romantic writing.

Titans (Elder Gods): Chronus (Time) Ocean (The world-river)) Tethys (Lakes / Rivers Hyperion (Sun, Moon & Dawn) Mnemosyne (Memory) Themis (Justice) Iapetus (Atlas / Prometheus)

Olympians: Zeus (Heaven / Father) Hera (Marriage / Mother) Posiedon (Kingdom of the Sea) Hades (Kingdom of the Dead) Hestia (Goddess of the Hearth) Ares (God of War) Athena (Goddess of civilization & knowledge) Apollo (God of Light / Truth) Aphrodite (Goddess of Love & Beauty) Hermes (The Messenger) Artemis (Goddess of the Hunt) Hephaestus (God of Fire)

“ Other” Gods: (Lesser Gods) Eros (God of jealousy, longing, hymen) Hebe (Goddess of Youth) Iris (Goddess of the Rainbow) Muses (9 Total) Graces (splendor, mirth, cheer)

Kingdom of the Sea: Triton (The Trumpeter) Naiads (Attendants) Kingdom of the Dead: Persephone (Queen of the Dead) Charon (Ferryman of the Styx) Cerebus (Watchdog / 3 heads) Erinyes (Furies / Devils) Sleep & Death

Lesser Gods of Earth: (Mortals turned “Godlike”) Demeter (Goddess of Corn) Dionysus (God of Vine) Pan Sileni (2 legged Horse Men) Satyrs (Goat Men) Centaurs (4 legged Horse Men) Gorgons (Medusa & Sisters) Graiae (3 witches / One Eye) Sirens Fates