6 Little-Known Facts About Greek Mythology
From Theseus’ battle with the minotaur to the epic siege of Troy, tales from Greek mythology have gripped humanity’s imagination for millennia. Likely originating with the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete (around 3000 to 1100 BCE), these stories portray the adventures and foibles of gods and heroes. The ancient Greeks looked to these myths — which were passed down orally for centuries before being transcribed — to explain everything from earthquakes to the creation of the universe. Though our scientific understanding of the world has progressed since ancient times, Greek mythology continues to shape and inspire many aspects of our culture to this day, from business to entertainment to sports. For a quick look at the history of this fascinating body of stories, here are six facts about Greek mythology.
The Amazons Were Based on the Real Warrior Women of the Steppe
The Greek myth of the Amazons — a race of warrior women descended from Ares, the god of war — has inspired countless works of art, including the character of Wonder Woman. According to the myths, these warriors lived in a city called Themiskyra composed entirely of women, located on the Black Sea. Until recently, scholars believed that the Amazons were the stuff of fiction — but a growing body of evidence suggests that the stories were inspired by real-life female warriors who roamed the grasslands of the Eurasian Steppe on horseback and wielded bows and arrows. While these women differed from the Amazons of legend in some specifics (for example, they lived alongside men), leading experts now believe that ancient Greek encounters with these warriors gave rise to the legend that spread across the world.
Greek Mythology’s Most Famous Author May Have Never Existed
Credited as the author of theIliadand theOdyssey — two of Greek mythology’s most important texts — Homer has been viewed as a towering literary figure for much of history. Traditionally, he was thought to have lived in the eighth or ninth century BCE, and was described as being blind and, by some accounts, illiterate (dictating his poems to a literate assistant for transcription). However, since the 18th century, scholars have questioned whether Homer even existed. Some academics, such as the American classicist Milman Parry, have suggested that Homer’s epic poems were the result of oral stories told by various poets and folk singers being compiled into singular texts. Other scholars have questioned historical inconsistencies throughout the poems that could imply parts of the text were written in different time periods. This debate has inspired an entire field of study around Homer’s identity, known as the “Homeric Question.” While Homer’s existence is uncertain, one thing is for sure: The Iliad and the Odyssey continue to transfix and entertain readers to this day.
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The Myth of Demeter and Persephone Gave Rise to a Secretive Cult
According to Greek myth, Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, had a daughter named Persephone who was kidnapped by Hades and brought to the underworld, leaving a heartbroken Demeter to roam the earth looking for her. Persephone was eventually released by Hades, but forced to return to the underworld for four months out of every year, during which Demeter, in her grief, would cause crops to wither and die — thus explaining the winter season.
The “Eleusinian Mysteries” were secret religious rituals practiced in the ancient Greek city of Eleusis from 1600 BCE to 392 CE that celebrated the myth of Demeter and Persephone. These rituals promised to remove initiates’ fear of death, and despite virtually every important thinker in antiquity — including Socrates, Plato, Plutarch, and Cicero — participating, what actually happened during the ceremony remains a mystery. And for good reason: Initiates were sworn to secrecy on pain of death. While some have speculated that the rituals may have involved a symbolic reenactment of the myth of Demeter and Persephone, and that hallucinogens may have been involved, we may never know the truth of what happened at Eleusis.
The Ancient City of Troy Actually Existed
Homer’s Iliad tells the story of the 10-year siege of Troy, and centers on the mythical hero Achilles. Until the 19th century, it was widely believed that, like the gods and heroes that inhabit the Iliad, the city of Troy itself was a piece of fiction. But archaeological excavation has revealed that Troy was a real city located in modern-day Turkey at a site called Hisarlik. To date, 10 archaeological layers of Troy have been discovered, spanning at least 4,000 years. However, while modern scholars agree that Troy did exist, the size, population, and stature of the ancient city continue to be a source of debate.
The Olympic Games Have Roots in Greek Mythology
Historians agree that the ancient Olympic Games began in 776 BCE, as part of a religious festival in honor of Zeus. But the ancient Greeks believed that the Games themselves had mythological origins. According to one myth, Zeus created the Games to celebrate his victory over Cronus in their struggle for the throne. More than a thousand years later, the same mythology led to the ancient Olympics’ demise. In 393 CE, the Roman Emperor Theodosius (Greece lost its independence to Rome in the second century BCE) abolished the Games due to their association with the pagan worship of Zeus. The Olympics remained inactive until a French educator named Pierre de Coubertin launched a plan to revive the tournament in 1894, leading to the first Games of the modern era in 1896.
The Most Famous Temple to Athena Exploded in the 17th Century
Every year, tourists from around the world flock to see the Parthenon, an ancient Greek temple to the goddess Athena. Built in the fifth century BCE and located atop the Acropolis in Athens, the Parthenon once housed a 40-foot statue of Athena made of ivory and gold, as well as stunning sculptures depicting scenes from Greek mythology. It stood intact until the 17th century, during which Athens was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, which was at war with several European countries. As part of the war effort, the Turks used the Parthenon to store gunpowder. During a Venetian attack on Athens in 1687, the Parthenon was struck by a mortar shell, causing a massive explosion that blew up the center of the building. Thankfully, parts of the Parthenon remained standing, and modern efforts to restore and preserve the architectural marvel continue today.
