Modern humans first appeared some 200,000 years ago, but the first writing system was only invented some 5,500 years ago in Ancient Sumeria. This means there’s a 195,000 year prehistoric period where we have almost no idea what sort of gods people worshipped, much less what their names were. Since the prehistoric gods are forever …
Dyēus: The First God in World History (+ 3 Other Candidates) Read More »
Did fairies have kings or queens? Or as a matter of fact, did they even have gods and goddesses they might have worshipped to obtain their powers? The answer is not always straight forward. This is because fairies have a very, very long mythological history where most fairy tales usually mix and match different elements …
The 7 Fairy Queens and Goddesses & The Stories Behind Them Read More »
Poseidon is known today as the god of the sea from Greek mythology. Unfortunately for him, he was only the second greatest god in the Greek pantheon, just behind his brother Zeus. Zeus’s primacy in the Greek religion thus overshadows Poseidon, and so most people today are more familiar with Zeus’s (mis)deeds. However, Poseidon himself …
11 Poseidon Stories, Myths & Legends from Greek Mythology Read More »
Hades is one of the three leading gods of Greek mythology, alongside his brothers Zeus and Poseidon. Hades was primarily known as the God of the Underworld, but his complete roles and functions in Greek religion are complex and nuanced. So, what exactly are Hades’s powers and abilities? In short, Hades had complete control over …
The 7 Greatest Powers & Abilities of Hades in Greek Mythology Read More »
Poseidon is commonly ranked as the second most powerful god in Greek mythology, just behind his brother Zeus. In popular culture, he is known as the Greek god of the sea, but his complete functions and roles in ancient Greek religion are much more surprising than first meets the eye. So, what exactly are Poseidon’s …
11 Poseidon Powers and Abilities in Greek Mythology Read More »
Greek mythology is a complex blend of stories and beliefs, most homegrown within the Greek lands but many others imported from neighboring regions, especially Asia Minor. Most of the time, the end result is a chaotic mishmash that historians struggle to make sense of. The Corybantes are a perfect illustration of this cultural puzzle. The …
All about Corybantes: Greek Dancers Protecting Zeus Read More »
Astarte was a highly-regarded mother goddess, associated with the moon, who was worshiped under different names throughout the Middle East, including Ishtar in Mesopotamia and Ashtart or Asherah by the Phoenicians and Canaanites. The Greeks referred to her as Astarte and associated her to their own goddess of love and fertility, Aphrodite. Many clay plaques …
Acanthus is a thistle like plant found in warmer climates. According to the Ancient Greeks, the acanthus flower was said to be a nymph loved by Apollo called Acantha, however the god eventually changed her into the acantha flower. The sinuate, notched leaves of two kinds of acanthus in the Mediterranean region provided the pattern …
Erysichthon had the wicked audacity to cut down the tallest oak in a grove sacred to Ceres. His servants shrank from the sacrilege when he ordered them to fell it; whereupon he seized an ax himself and attacked the mighty trunk around which the dryads used to hold their dances. Blood flowed from the tree …
Greek Myth of Erysichthon: Man Cursed with Endless Hunger Read More »
Procne, the elder of the two sisters, was married to Tereus of Thrace, a son of Ares, who proved to have inherited all his father’s detestable qualities. The two had a son, Itys, and when he was fve years old Procne, who had all this while been living in Thrace separated from her family, begged …
Story of Philomela (The Nightingale in Greek Mythology) Read More »