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Classical Mythology 45
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In the beginning 30 minLesson1.1
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Creation myths 1 questionQuiz1.1
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Before the Olympians 1 questionQuiz1.2
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Family Tree 1 questionQuiz1.3
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Source 1 – The Creation – Hesiod 30 minLesson1.2
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Source 2 – The Creation – Ovid 30 minLesson1.3
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Source 3 – Typhoeus 30 minLesson1.4
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Source analysis – sources 1 to 3 30 minLesson1.5
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Research task 30 minLesson1.6
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Source 4 – Pandora 30 minLesson1.7
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Source 5 – The Punishment of Prometheus 30 minLesson1.8
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Source analysis – sources 4 & 5 30 minLesson1.9
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Research task 30 minLesson1.10
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Source 6 – The Ages of the World 30 minLesson1.11
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Source 7 – After the Flood 30 minLesson1.12
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Source analysis – sources 6 & 7 30 minLesson1.13
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The Underworld 30 minLesson1.14
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Visiting the Underworld 30 minLesson1.15
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Underworld Source 1 – Circe’s Instructions to Odysseus 30 minLesson1.16
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Source Analysis – source 1 30 minLesson1.17
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Underworld Source 2 – Pausanias (ekphrasis) 30 minLesson1.18
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Research 30 minLesson1.19
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Underworld Source 3 – Dionysus visits the Underworld 30 minLesson1.20
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Underworld Source 4 – The punishment of the wicked 30 minLesson1.21
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Source Analysis – source 3 (Aristophanes) 30 minLesson1.22
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Source Analysis – source 4 (Plato) 30 minLesson1.23
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Underworld Source 5 – Lucretius 30 minLesson1.24
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Source Analysis – source 5 30 minLesson1.25
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Underworld Source 6a – The Entrance to Hades 30 minLesson1.26
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Underworld Source 6b – The Ferry across the River Styx 30 minLesson1.27
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Underworld Source 6c – The Sibyl helps Aeneas cross the Styx 30 minLesson1.28
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Underworld Source 6d – Tartarus 30 minLesson1.29
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Underworld Source 7 – Orpheus & Eurydice 30 minLesson1.30
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Source Analysis – sources 6 & 7 30 minLesson1.31
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Names and characters from Classical Mythology 30 minLesson1.32
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Reading 1 – Interpretation and definition of classical mythology 30 minLesson1.33
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Reading 2 – historical background to Greek mythology 30 minLesson1.34
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Reading 3 – myths of creation 30 minLesson1.35
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Reading 4 – Zeus’ rise to power 30 minLesson1.36
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Reading 5 – the twelve Olympians 30 minLesson1.37
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Reading 6 – the nature of the gods 30 minLesson1.38
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AUDIO – classical mythology 1-6 30 minLesson1.39
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AUDIO – classical mythology 7-12 30 minLesson1.40
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VIDEO – Overview of Ancient Greek history, religion and culture 05 hLesson1.41
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VIDEO – Overview of Greek art – warning – mature content and nudity 30 minLesson1.42
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Classical Literature - Course Guide 2
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Classical Drama 9
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The concept of drama 30 minLesson3.1
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Tragedy 30 minLesson3.2
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Comedy 30 minLesson3.3
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Sophocles 30 minLesson3.4
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Euripides 30 minLesson3.5
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Aristophanes 30 minLesson3.6
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VIDEO – tragedy, religion, myth and rituals 30 minLesson3.7
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VIDEO – Greek drama – overview 01 hLesson3.8
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VIDEO – The chorus in Greek drama 30 minLesson3.9
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Classical Literature - Antigone 5
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Introduction – Antigone 30 minLesson4.1
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Leadership 30 minLesson4.2
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Conflict 30 minLesson4.3
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Heroism 30 minLesson4.4
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VIDEO – Antigone 03 h 30 minLesson4.5
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Classical Literature - Medea 4
A study of Euripides' tragedy, Medea. A play performed in Athens, based upon the myth of Medea, Jason and the Argonauts and the aftermath of the quest for the Golden Fleece.
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Introduction 30 minLesson5.1
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Women in society 30 minLesson5.2
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Conflict 30 minLesson5.3
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VIDEO – Medea 02 h 30 minLesson5.4
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Classical Literature - Aeneid 6
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Heroism 30 minLesson6.1
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Leadership 30 minLesson6.2
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Fate versus free will 30 minLesson6.3
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Women in society 30 minLesson6.4
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VIDEO – The Aeneid 01 hLesson6.5
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VIDEO – Aeneas visits the underworld (book VI) 30 minLesson6.6
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Life in Classical Greece - Power and Freedom 1
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Athenian DemocracyLesson7.1
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Life in the Roman World - Power and Freedom videos 1
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VideosLesson8.1
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Life in the Roman World - Religion & Belief - Introduction 11
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Public and private religion 30 minLesson9.1
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Domestic religion (religion of the household) 30 minLesson9.2
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The household gods 30 minLesson9.3
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Belief in the Lares 30 minLesson9.4
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Janus and the spirits of the door 30 minLesson9.5
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The genius of the paterfamilas 30 minLesson9.6
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Giving birth 30 minLesson9.7
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Infancy 30 minLesson9.8
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Coming of age & marriage 30 minLesson9.9
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Source analysis 30 minLesson9.10
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Archaeological source analysis 30 minLesson9.11
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Life in the Roman World - State Religion 8
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The nature of religion – contractual, ritualistic 30 minLesson10.1
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The nature of the gods – polytheism, anthropomorphism and no moral code 30 minLesson10.2
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Rituals of worship – prayer, sacrifice, libation and votive offerings 30 minLesson10.3
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Festivals – Lupercalia and the Saturnalia 30 minLesson10.4
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Divination and interpretation – omens, birds, entrails, weather signs, dreams, Sibylline books and associated priesthoods: the augurs, quindecemviri and haruspices 30 minLesson10.5
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Vestal Virgins 30 minLesson10.6
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Imperial Cult 30 minLesson10.7
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Importance of state religion 30 minLesson10.8
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Life in the Roman World - Domestic Religion 5
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Role and worship of Vesta, the Lares, the Penates, Janus, and genius 30 minLesson11.1
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Religious rituals associated with birth and coming of age 30 minLesson11.2
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Rituals at birth — Juno Lucina, father’s acceptance of child, name giving and the bulla 30 minLesson11.3
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Rituals to mark coming of age — religious rites at lararium for boys and girls, the age at which the ritual took place, dedication of bulla, presentation of adult toga and dedication of toys 30 minLesson11.4
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Importance of domestic religion to Roman life 30 minLesson11.5
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Life in the Roman World - Mystery Religions 6
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Cult of Bacchus 30 minLesson12.1
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Cult of Mithras 30 minLesson12.2
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Cult of Isis 30 minLesson12.3
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Cult of Cybele Magna Mater 30 minLesson12.4
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Attractions of the cults 30 minLesson12.5
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Attitudes of Romans to the cults 30 minLesson12.6
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Life in the Roman World - Religious tolerance in the Roman world 3
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Attitudes towards Judaism 30 minLesson13.1
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Attitudes towards Christianity 30 minLesson13.2
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Attitudes towards Druidism 30 minLesson13.3
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Life in the Roman World - Philosophical attitudes to religious beliefs 3
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Stoicism 30 minLesson14.1
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Epicureanism 30 minLesson14.2
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Impact of philosophical thought on Roman beliefs 30 minLesson14.3
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Life in Classical Greece - Religion & Belief - Introduction 21
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General introduction 30 minLesson15.1
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VIDEO – Introduction to Greek Religion 03 h 30 minLesson15.2
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Sources of knowledge for Greek religion 30 minLesson15.3
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What religion meant to the Athenians 30 minLesson15.4
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Recap questions 30 minLesson15.5
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The main principles of Greek religion 30 minLesson15.6
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Athens – the Main Gods 30 minLesson15.7
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Embeddedness 30 minLesson15.8
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Recap questions 30 minLesson15.9
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Polytheism and piety 30 minLesson15.10
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Recap question 30 minLesson15.11
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The limitations of the Olympian gods 30 minLesson15.12
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Divine justice 30 minLesson15.13
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The gods and morality 30 minLesson15.14
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The gods and pity 30 minLesson15.15
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Source analysis – sources 30 minLesson15.16
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Source analysis – questions 30 minLesson15.17
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Source analysis – note on sources 30 minLesson15.18
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Source analysis – making comparisons 30 minLesson15.19
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VIDEO – Anthropomorphism 30 minLesson15.20
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The origins of Greek religion – Homer and Hesiod 30 minLesson15.21
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Life in Classical Greece - State Religion 23
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Contact with the gods – Introduction 30 minLesson16.1
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RITUALS OF WORSHIP 30 minLesson16.2
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Contact with the gods – Prayer 30 minLesson16.3
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Contact with the gods – Sacrifice 30 minLesson16.4
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Contact with the gods – Libation 30 minLesson16.5
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Contact with the gods – Votive offerings 30 minLesson16.6
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BUILDING OF WORKSHIP – The Parthenon 30 minLesson16.7
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DIVINATION & INTERPRETATION 30 minLesson16.8
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Divination & interpretation – Oracles 30 minLesson16.9
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Divination & interpretation – Omens 30 minLesson16.10
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Divination & interpretation – Entrails 30 minLesson16.11
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Divination & interpretation – Weather signs 30 minLesson16.12
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Divination & interpretation – Dreams 30 minLesson16.13
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Divination & interpretation – Delphi 30 minLesson16.14
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Divination & interpretation – Dodona 30 minLesson16.15
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SELECTION & ROLE OF PRIESTS 30 minLesson16.16
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Contact with the gods – Priests 30 minLesson16.17
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Contact with the gods – Temples 30 minLesson16.18
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Contact with the gods – Essay and extracts 30 minLesson16.19
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FESTIVALS 30 minLesson16.20
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Festivals – Panathenaia 30 minLesson16.21
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Festivals – City Dionysia 30 minLesson16.22
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VIDEO – hero cults 30 minLesson16.23
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Life in Classical Greece - Mystery Religions 7
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Contact with the gods – Incubation, Asclepius and healing 30 minLesson17.1
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The cult of Dionysus 30 minLesson17.2
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Eleusinian Mysteries 30 minLesson17.3
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The attraction of the mystery cults 30 minLesson17.4
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Attitudes towards cults 30 minLesson17.5
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The Afterlife and Mystery Religions – Essay and extracts 30 minLesson17.6
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VIDEO – mystery cults 30 minLesson17.7
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Life in Classical Greece - Domestic Religion 17
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Religion in the home – Introduction 30 minLesson18.1
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Religion in the home – Household gods 30 minLesson18.2
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Religion in the home – The Herm 30 minLesson18.3
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Religion in the home – Hekate 30 minLesson18.4
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Religion in the home – Apollo of the Streets 30 minLesson18.5
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Ceremonies connected with the family: 30 minLesson18.6
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Birth 30 minLesson18.7
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Coming of age 30 minLesson18.8
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Marriage 30 minLesson18.9
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Death 30 minLesson18.10
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Domestic Religion – Essay and extracts 30 minLesson18.11
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Religion in the countryside 30 minLesson18.12
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Festivals – Monthly & Agricultural 30 minLesson18.13
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Festivals – In honour of the dead 30 minLesson18.14
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Festivals – Stages in a person’s life celebrated 30 minLesson18.15
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Festivals – Essay and extracts 30 minLesson18.16
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Contact with the gods – Ecstatic cult – Dionysus 30 minLesson18.17
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Life in Classical Greece - Gender Roles within Religious Worship 11
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Parthenoi – virgins 30 minLesson19.1
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Priestesses 30 minLesson19.2
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Priestesses – Pythia, priestesses of Athena 30 minLesson19.3
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Participation in cults 30 minLesson19.4
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Midwives 30 minLesson19.5
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Tending corpse and grave 30 minLesson19.6
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The role of women in festivals – Skira 30 minLesson19.7
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The role of women in festivals – Thesmophoria 30 minLesson19.8
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The role of women in festivals – Haloa 30 minLesson19.9
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The role of women in festivals – Panathenaia 30 minLesson19.10
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The impact of women on religion 30 minLesson19.11
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Greek and Roman Views on the After-Life section 1 8
Treatment of the dead
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Evidence from burial practices 30 minLesson20.1
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Cremation and inhumation 30 minLesson20.2
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The trappings of burial 30 minLesson20.3
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Festivals of the dead 30 minLesson20.4
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Death and burial in Athens 30 minLesson20.5
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Death in Rome 30 minLesson20.6
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Provision for the dead 30 minLesson20.7
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Dead men walking 30 minLesson20.8
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Greek and Roman Views on the After-Life section 2 13
The mythological Underworld and the attitude of philosophers to the Underworld
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The Mythological Underworld 30 minLesson21.1
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The Attitude of Philosophers to the Underworld 30 minLesson21.2
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Alternative Views or Lack of Them 30 minLesson21.3
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The Mystery Religions 30 minLesson21.4
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Eleusinian Mysteries 30 minLesson21.5
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Bacchic Mysteries 30 minLesson21.6
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Orphism 30 minLesson21.7
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Morality and Good Conduct 30 minLesson21.8
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Pythagoreanism 30 minLesson21.9
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Cybele 30 minLesson21.10
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Isis 30 minLesson21.11
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Mithras 30 minLesson21.12
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Christianity 30 minLesson21.13
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Life in Classical Greece - Death and the Afterlife 11
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The Afterlife 30 minLesson22.1
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Hades – the traditional view 30 minLesson22.2
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Other beliefs – Plato 30 minLesson22.3
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Other beliefs – Conversion of dead into stars 30 minLesson22.4
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Other beliefs – Transmigration of souls 30 minLesson22.5
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Other beliefs – Orphism 30 minLesson22.6
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Burial customs – recap 30 minLesson22.7
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Traditional beliefs about the afterlife including reward and punishment — Elysian fields, Asphodel plains and Tartarus 30 minLesson22.8
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Remembrance of the dead — funeral rites, Genesia and Anthesteria 30 minLesson22.9
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Alternative beliefs — Orphism and Pythagoreanism 30 minLesson22.10
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Attitudes towards the dead 30 minLesson22.11
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Life in Classical Greece - Challengers of traditional beliefs 3
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philosophical attitudes towards the nature of the gods, for example Plato and Xenophanes 30 minLesson23.1
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philosophical attitudes towards beliefs about the dead and the afterlife, for example Plato and Democritus 30 minLesson23.2
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Impact on belief 30 minLesson23.3
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Polytheism and piety
Greek religion was polytheistic: they believed in more than one god. Unlike modern monotheistic religions where followers believe in only one god who has control over all aspects of life, ancient Greeks believed that each god had a limited area of influence. For example Poseidon, the god of the sea, did not have influence over the harvest. For that, a worshipper would have to pray to Demeter, the goddess of the harvest who, likewise, would have no control over storms or shipwrecks at sea. This means that the world was controlled by a delicate system of relationships between different gods. Some gods may help each other and work together, but some may be opposed to each other. The Greeks believed that every aspect of the natural world had a divine spirit behind it and all of these were types of god whose level of power varied. In a major city like Athens, therefore, there were shrines and temples dedicated to a large number of different gods. In less cosmopolitan areas, there would not be nearly as many different places of worship. So we can safely conclude that the average ancient Greek did not pray to and worship all the gods.
There was nothing wrong, however, with worshipping only some of them; but it was not considered a noble position to be faithful to only one god. In fact, the play Hippolytusby Euripides showed that this is actually dangerous as the lead character is finally struck down because he worships Artemis and refuses to worship Aphrodite.
The idea of loving a god was not one which made sense to the ancient Greeks. Gods were to be feared and respected but not to be trusted or loved. As Aristotle, one of the greatest of all philosophers, said:
It would be absurd if someone were to say that he loves Zeus.
Aristotle, Magna Moralia 1208 b 30
Correct religious behaviour (called piety) required that humans showed a suitable sense of awe and wonder and maintained all the customs of worship and reverence which had been passed down by their ancestors.
Piety consists not in expensive expenditures but in changing nothing of what our ancestors have handed down.
Isocrates 7.30
Gods did, however, have local areas associated with them and it appears that the average worshipper was duty bound to respect local gods and heroes more than others. For example, Athens is the city of the goddess Athena. She is a goddess connected with wisdom, order and warfare, but for those living in Athens she ought to be worshipped regardless of how you felt about these things. She should be worshipped simply because she was the local goddess. At the end of the play Antigonethe chorus calls on Bacchus (Dionysus) to save them because he is the patron god of their city, Thebes.
Bacchus,
You who dwell in Thebes …
Thebes of all cities,
You hold highest in honour …
Come on your healing way …
Appear to us, Lord …
Sophocles, Antigone 1075 ff