Classical mythology is the study of Greek and Roman gods, heroes, and folktales. It explains natural occurrences through supernatural means. The Homeric epics, Iliad and Odyssey, blend the stories of soldiers and heroes with gods and goddesses. Roman mythology appropriated Greek myths and gods.
Classical mythology is the collective myths and religious structures of the Hellenic and post-Hellenic era. This encompasses the whole of Greek mythology and also covers the transition to Roman mythology. Classical mythology as a formal academic discipline is the study of the Greek and Roman gods along with the stories and folktales of heroes performing legendary feats. The stories begin with the creation myth of the Titans, who were the progenitors of the gods and goddesses in Greek polytheism. In general, the myths and narratives that make up classical mythology deal with supernatural explanations for natural occurrences.
The Homeric epics are two of the most important texts in classical mythology. The Iliad and Odyssey deal with the Trojan War and its aftermath, blending the stories of soldiers and heroes with the gods and goddesses who influenced it. The Iliad details the events of the war in which Achilles, given a choice between a long, fruitful, anonymous life and the chance for eternal glory through death in battle, chooses the latter. The Odyssey describes Odysseus’ return journey after the end of the Trojan War. Many mythic elements are incorporated into the poem, including sorcery, giants, angry gods, and a journey to the underworld.
Many of the myths of ancient Greek culture use gods and goddesses to explain the source of objects, events or processes in the natural world. For example, the myth of Persephone and Demeter explains the yearly cycle of the seasons, especially the origin of winter. Hades, lord of the underworld, kidnaps Persephone to marry him. Demeter, goddess of fertility and agriculture, is angry and prevents crops from growing. A compromise is reached in which Persephone spends the time between autumn and spring in the underworld, resulting in the barren months of winter.
As the Greek Empire gave way to the Roman Empire, the Romans appropriated many of the Greek folktales and myths, turning them into a distinctly Roman classical mythology. Virgil’s Aeneid is similar to Homer’s epics in plot and structure, except that the hero, Aeneas, fights for the Trojans, not the Achaeans. The hero’s journey involves establishing a new home in Italy that would blossom into the Roman Empire. Many of the gods and goddesses of the Roman pantheon were borrowed from earlier Greek counterparts. For example Mercury was based on Hermes, Venus on Aphrodite and Mars on Ares.
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