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Origins of Greek mythology -

Greek mythology originated as an amalgamation of many different regional religions practiced by Greek and Mediterranean tribes, who in turn most likely borrowed certain deities and rituals from ancient Indo-European cultures.

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Origins of Greek mythology -

Most historians and archaeologists agree that the Greek mythological canon as we know it today most likely came together in the Minoan civilization, native to the island of Crete, who thrived for nearly 2,000 years between 3,000 BCE and 1,100 BCE.

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'The Iliad' -

'The Iliad,' an epic poem originally told orally, attributed to the legendary blind poet Homer, is one of the earliest written accounts of the Greek mythological canon, and tells the story of the last years of the Trojan War. While authorship of 'The Iliad' is awarded to Homer, the identity of the first person to write it down during the 8th century BCE remains a mystery.

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'The Iliad,' 'The Odyssey,' and 'Theogony' -

'The Iliad,' as well as its spiritual sequel 'The Odyssey,' tells the tale of the Trojan War, its aftermath, and the characters and events surrounding it, including both mortal heroes and deities. During the 8th century BCE, sometime after the emergence of these two epic poems, the Greek poet Hesiod wrote 'Theogony,' which attempts to gather all of the stories of the Greek deities and heroes into a categorical and organized poem.

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'The Aeneid' -

'The Aeneid,' written around the year 30 BCE by the poet Virgil, is the Roman retelling of the Trojan War, and follows the journey of the Trojan hero Aeneas as he escapes the fall of Troy and eventually goes on to become the progenitor of Roman civilization. It is, in many ways, the Roman answer to Homer's 'The Odyssey' from centuries before.

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'Metamorphoses' -

'Metamorphoses,' written in the year 8 CE by the Roman poet Ovid, can be seen as the Roman equivalent of Hesiod's 'Theogony.' Over the course of 15 volumes and nearly 12,000 lines, Ovid recounts the history of the world, from the birth of the earth to his own time. It is considered the authoritative text on Roman religion and mythology.

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Greek creation story -

Similar to many earlier Indo-European religions and later religions such as Christianity, the Greek story of creation starts with nothingness, specifically referred to as Chaos by the Greeks. Chaos birthed a great black bird known as Nyx. The grandchildren of Nyx, birthed by Erebus, were the founders and foundations of the mortal world: Gaia (Earth), Pontus (sea), Tartarus (Hell), and Eros (love).

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Roman creation story -

The Roman creation story mirrors that of the Greeks in many ways, but puts important emphasis on the discovery of the Italian Peninsula and the founding of the city of Rome. Romulus and Remus, descendants of the hero Aeneas who discovered the Italian Peninsula, were raised by a wolf and later, tasked with founding a great city, built the first iteration of Rome upon Palatine Hill.

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The Romans borrowed heavily from Greek mythology -

The vast majority of deities that appear in Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' are taken from Greek mythology and given Romanized names. Zeus, for example, becomes Jupiter. This borrowing technique was not unique to the Romans; in the ancient world it was commonplace for deities and ritual practices from different cultures to be traded and mixed, just like any other aspect of culture can be spread across frontier lines.

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The fall of Troy is important in both mythologies -

The Trojan War plays a central role in both Greek and Roman mythologies. Some of the greatest mortal heroes of Greek legend, including Achilles and Odysseus, all fought in the Trojan War and received occasional help from the gods.

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The fall of Troy is important in both mythologies -

Although Roman civilization didn't yet exist at the time of the Trojan War, the legendary Trojan hero Aeneas, whose story is told in 'The Aeneid,' escaped his fallen city along with a small group of survivors and fled westward to the Italian Peninsula, where they settled and went on to become the ancestors of the Romans.

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Depictions of the deities -

While it's true that many of the central gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome were essentially the same, there are important differences in the way they were perceived by worshipers. The depiction of deities in Greece was a high priority, and most members of the pantheon were frequently illustrated and almost always depicted as beautiful beings wearing luxurious, heavenly silks and robes.

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Depictions of the deities -

By contrast, the Romans were much less concerned with the appearance of the gods and goddesses they worshiped. They were the subjects of art much less frequently, and when they were depicted, they were depicted as practical and not necessarily beautiful characters, often seen in military garb.

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The personalities of the deities -

Similar to their physical appearances, the Greek and Roman gods differed in their demeanors as well. While stories of the Greek gods are rife with amoral and illogical acts of violence, jealousy, and drama, the Roman deities are considered more levelheaded and more concerned with justice and order than their anarchic predecessors.

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The peoples' attitudes towards the deities -

In ancient Greece, the gods and goddesses were thought to be deeply invested in the world of the mortals. Greek deities were universally feared across Greece, resulting in frequent festivals and sacrifices put on by their mortal subjects. In contrast, the Romans, while still fully faithful to their deities, did not invest in their personalities or expect them to meddle in everyday affairs.

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The importance of mortals -

Humans and mortals also play a much larger role in Greek mythology than in Roman mythology. Greek heroes such as Hercules and Orpheus (pictured) play as big a role in the Greek mythological canon as do the deities, and their stories are often closely intertwined, romantically and otherwise.

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The importance of mortals -

In ancient Rome, while mortal heroes and legendary figures such as Aeneas, Rebulus, and Remus are featured in the mythological canon, they were far more separated from the wills and actions of the gods than they were in Greek mythology.

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Hera vs. Juno -

In Greek mythology, Hera is the wife of Zeus and thus queen of the gods, and of Mount Olympus. Hera is also the goddess of marriage and birth. Caused in no small part by her husband's rampant infidelity, Hera in most stories is depicted as jealous, violent, and vengeful.

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Hera vs. Juno -

In Roman mythology, the same character takes on the Roman name Juno. Juno is also married to Zeus' Roman counterpart, Jupiter. But Juno is described and depicted as a much more kind and gentle matriarch. Juno was often referred to as the Mother Goddess, and was the patron goddess of Rome.

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Athena vs. Minerva -

Athena, the Greek goddess of war, was one of the most revered deities in the Greek canon. While Ares, the god of war, represented the passion and energy of the battlefield, Athena was more closely associated with war strategy, courage, and cunning. She was also, to a lesser degree, the goddess of wisdom and craftsmanship.

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Athena vs. Minerva -

The Roman goddess Minerva, who has been established by historians as a rendition of Athena, has much less to do with warfare than her Greek counterpart. Minerva is more similar in disposition to the ancient Etruscan goddess Menrva. What the three of them have in common is they are all to some extent goddesses of learning, wisdom, and craftsmanship. Minerva is also the Roman goddess of music and poetry.

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Hades vs. Pluto -

Hades, one of the oldest Greek deities, brother of Zeus and Poseidon, was the eternal ruler of the underworld. He was not, however, the embodiment of evil, and occasionally showed mercy and empathy toward mortals.

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Hades vs. Pluto -

The Roman god Pluto also ruled the underworld, and, like Hades, ruled it fairly. Some aspects of other gods, such as the Etruscan Orcus and the Greek Ploutos, were also absorbed by the Roman Pluto, who became god of not only the underworld, but of wealth and riches as well.

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Ares vs. Mars -

Ares, the Greek god of war, was emblematic of the more savage side of warfare, while his sister Athena represented strategy and leadership. Despite being one of the most famous of the Greek gods today, he played a surprisingly small role in the Greek mythological canon, and very few Greek groups or cities were under his patronage due to his violent and brutal nature.

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Ares vs. Mars -

The god of war is depicted in a much kinder light in the pages of Roman mythology. Mars was not only the god of war, but also a primary patron of agriculture. Numerous festivals were held in his honor each year, and he was a hugely popular character in the Roman army and agrarian communities alike.

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Artemis vs. Diana -

Artemis was the immensely powerful daughter of Zeus and twin sister of Apollo in the Greek canon. Popular among both mortals and deities, the goddess of the hunt, the moon, and nature would often be depicted accompanied by a large entourage of devoted followers.

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Artemis vs. Diana -

The Roman goddess Diana adopted many of Artemis' attributes, and is also considered a goddess of hunting and of wilderness. But in contrast to Artemis, who was generally popular but also infamously vengeful, Diana is depicted with a calmer nature and is still worshiped by numerous neopagan groups to this day.

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Hermes vs. Mercury -

Hermes, the Greek messenger god, was also patron to mortal messengers, thieves, and travelers. Usually said to be the son of Zeus, Hermes was known as a mischievous god whose famous winged sandals allowed him to move between the worlds of the gods and the mortals with ease.

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Hermes vs. Mercury -

Hermes' Roman equivalent, Mercury, was also to a lesser extent the patron god of couriers and messengers. In Roman mythology, he was more well known as the god of merchants and commerce.

Sources: (Theoi Project) (Diffen) (TheCollector)

See also: Amazing creatures from ancient Greek mythology

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