Roman and greek mythology of gods and goddesses

The Greek and Roman pantheons of gods and goddesses are a mirror reflection of one another, with a cross cultural effect on Roman culture. One can look at the gods and goddesses worshipped in a society and determine many of the cultural rules of that society as well as a variety of other customs which have important sociological implications. Societies which prize fighting will have gods of war, and will emphasize the values of fighting. Just as Americans emphasize the value of patriotism. Roman and Greek mythology have been a hallmark of the educated lady or gentleman for decades. Originally Latin and the study of Roman and Greek mythology were part of a classical education. Today the educational system has changed, however the importance of recognizing metaphors from Greek and Roman mythology has not changed. There are references in psychology from Freud to the Oedipus complex based upon Greek mythology and Oedipus Rex. There are turns of phrase in literature, such as "by Jove" which refers to the Roman God Jupiter who equates to Zeus. There are discussions in sociology when comparing Dionysian societies versus Apollonian societies, those that are more permissive versus those that are less permissive. To fail to have a basic understanding of Roman and Greek mythology is to fail to understand two of the mightiest influences on Western culture, to include government, literature, poetry, architecture, religion, law, ethics, morals, and nearly every aspect of many modern societies. This article will present the basic information about the Greek and Roman pantheons focusing on the most important gods and goddesses although this too is subject to debate. In addition it will look at how these gods differed from the gods of other cultures, and how they were more human in many aspects and thus more easily dealt with in the minds of the people in Greek and Roman society.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects about the Greek and the Roman pantheons is their accessibility. The Egyptian gods were considered more alien, and foreign, not even looking human with the heads of animals in many cases. The German gods and goddesses were quite wrathful and blood thirsty, very vengeful and not easily dealt with by humans. By contrast the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses not only reflected very human qualities, but were seen more often displaying a willingness to bargain with humans. To allow humans to make a sacrifice to them and then to grant them what they wanted. In many cases basic flaws of the gods and goddesses were human flaws that made the gods seem more down to earth. The Greek god and Father of the Gods, as well as King of the Gods, was Zeus. However Zeus despite his ability to wield the mighty lightning bolt still engaged in common adultry on his wife Hera who became jealous and enraged in many stories. She also became more of a goddess of not only revenge but also of marriage, by virtue of the myths that were told concerning Zeus' many extramarital affairs. The character and personality of Zeus and Hera was mirrored by the god and goddess in the Roman pantheon of Jupiter and Juno. The aspect of trickery was attributed to Hermes Greek god of theives, and messengers, and judges, as well as messenger of the gods and guide of the dead in some myths. Hermes was the equivalent of Mercury. The Greek god Hephaestus also known as the Roman god Vulcan was god of the forge, of smiths and armorers and artisans. Ironically enough this god was lame at birth and quite ugly but became married to the goddess of beauty Aphrodite (Greek)/Venus (Roman). What is quite fascinating about this particular god is his lameness. Culturally blacksmiths were quite valued in ancient Greece and there was a custom in many cases to lame them to prevent them from going to another village, and thus lose their services to other villages. It is interesting to note this problem reflected in the Greek/Roman god of blacksmiths. The gods and goddesses of both cultures reflected many examples of these underlying customs that are not immediately evident but vastly important to the society.

Greek/Roman Name Sphere of Influence

Zeus/Jupiter (Jove) King of the Gods

God of Lightning

Father of the Gods

Hera/Juno Queen of the Gods

Goddess of Marriage/Revenge

Posideon/Neptune God of the Ocean/Water

Brother of Zeus/Jupiter

Hades/Pluto God of the Dead/Underworld

God of Wealth, Brother of

Zeus/Jupiter

Ares/Mars God of War/Strife/Wrath

Athena/Minerva Goddess of Wisdom/Civilization

Daughter of Zeus/Jupiter

Artemis/Diana Goddess of the Moon/Huntress

Apollo(Helios) God of the Sun, the Arts

Apollo (Sol) Healing, Music, Poetry

Dionysius/Bacchus God of Wine,

Pan/Faunus God of Nature

Hermes/Mercury Messenger of the Gods

Aphrodite/Venus Goddess of Love/Beauty

Hephaestus/Vulcan God of Blacksmiths, Craftsmen

Hestia/Vesta Goddess of Hearth and Home

Demeter/Ceres Goddess of the Harvest

While there are many other gods and goddesses to be found in Greek and Roman mythology the whole Greek and Roman world was alive with these beings. There were gods and godlings and demigods and river nymphs and tree dryads and many other mythical creatures including satyrs and too many others to name. All of nature was alive, and this belief system was not only polytheistic but also animistic, that every tree, river and part of nature had a spirit or energy or life that was quite special in that belief system. Demigods such as Hercules are famous. There are numerous legends and stories of beings through Greek and Roman mythology. The story of King Midas is still a classic for many children. Understanding this incredible store of literature and legend is important for anyone to be able to grasp many of the underlying metaphors and allusions of Western culture. In the final analysis the myths of the past still are a part of the foundation of the present, and will continue to reflect the basic qualities of ethics and morals and human nature for future. To understand who we are, we must understand the myths and cultures of societies that historically are a part of who we are and will continue to be with us as a basic part of our human ancestry.