Greek theology encompasses beliefs and accounts of gods and goddesses prior to Christianity in Greece. Ancient Greeks did not refer to their religious beliefs as Greek theology, but rather held them as a matter of fact. The Twelve Olympians and additional deities and demigods played important roles in Greek religion.
Greek theology, much like modern theology, varies in definition based on the context and era in which the term is used. As an area of public discourse, discussion, or debate, Greek theology, known in antiquity as theologia, was the analysis of all things relating to divinity. In terms of the modern interpretation of Greek religion, Greek theology encompasses a variety of accounts and beliefs regarding gods, goddesses, and other deities prior to the emergence of Christianity in Greece. Some of the earliest recorded texts concerning both analysis and belief in deities were written in Greek, forming the basis for future understandings of both Greek and modern theology.
Unlike in modern times, the ancient Greeks did not refer to their religious beliefs as Greek theology. Rather, the Greeks held certain religious conceptions regarding gods and other divine matters as a matter of fact, arguing on philosophical grounds instead of religious truths. Before the emergence of the term theologia, Greek writers and educators often published philosophical works concerning divine beings and society’s associated beliefs in divinity. Few ancient Greeks differentiated between philosophers and theologians until well-known philosophers, such as Aristotle and Plato, made the distinction. The progression of Greek theology as an area of discourse continued, with writers such as Plutarch promoting the application of the word theologians to any philosopher primarily concerned with the divine.
Modern theologians typically use the term Greek theology to refer to the religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks, often referred to as Greek mythology. Citizens of Ancient Greece believed in the Twelve Olympians, a pantheon of deities including Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus/Hestia, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Poseidon, and Zeus. These twelve deities resided on Mount Olympus, while another deity, known as Hades, resided in the underworld. Each god or goddess was representative of various aspects of Greek life, including love, war, pestilence, good fortune, death, weather, and other attributes that the Greeks could not have otherwise explained.
Along with the Twelve Olympians, ancient Greek theology also included additional deities and demigods. While these divine beings played important roles in Greek religion, they were considered minor deities because they did not reside on Mount Olympus. Gods and demigods included Aura, Dione, Eris, Iris, and Kratos, to name a few. Many of the additional gods, demigods, and deities have been attributed to unions between deities or deities and humans. Others have been attributed to humans who were granted or punished by the gods with godlike powers.
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