Greek Deities Were Central to Original Olympic Games

August 6, 2004

Source: The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/080704dnrelgreekfaith.9d1.html

On August 6, 2004 The Dallas Morning News ran a feature article on the ancient Greek gods and goddesses, as a precursor to the upcoming Olympic Games in Athens: "You'll soon be hearing a lot about Apollo, Dionysus, Athena, and their friends and relations. The ancient Greek gods and goddesses will be front and center at the Olympic Games scheduled to start next week in Athens. The official mascots of the Games are cartoon versions of Athena and Phevos (also known as Apollo). Viewers can almost count on hackneyed references to Herculean weightlifters and boxers throwing left hooks like lightning bolts from Zeus. These days, the ancient deities are the stuff of myth and legend. But three millennia back, people really believed in Zeus, Hera and the rest of the Greek pantheon. This was religion, as unexceptional in its day as Baptists and Methodists are today. This old-time religion had plenty in common with modern faiths – and differed in some important ways. The Greeks (and Romans after them) worshiped these gods for 1,500 years or more. Some of the most important festivals lasted well into the Christian era. What was it like to be religious back then? Why did people worship these figures?" The article goes on consult classics scholars to determine what Greek religious life may have been like.