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Vangelis

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So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

 
So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

love the archaeological stories around the bible. Have you read anything by James Tabor, the Jesus Dynasty is fascinating
So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

I love the archaeological stories around the bible. Have you read anything by James Tabor? The Jesus Dynasty is a fascinating read, though I’m not knowledgeable enough to have an opinion about how viable the hypotheses are.
 
I love the archaeological stories around the bible. Have you read anything by James Tabor? The Jesus Dynasty is a fascinating read, though I’m not knowledgeable enough to have an opinion about how viable the hypotheses are.

No, I haven't read anything by James Tabor but I have read the New Testament 3 times and large swathes of the Old Testament. Many of the stories in them are apocryphal and to Professor Stavrakopoulou's point, they actually are not archaeologically verifiable. Many of the "scholars" in this field appear to have an agenda to try to prove the stories in the bible actually transpired but the archaeological evidence just isn't there. It is good to see hard investigation in this field rather than those that are trying to make the existing evidence fit the stories. There is no doubt that the xtian bible stories therefore constitute a mythology no different to the Egyptian and Greek mythologies.

What do you think, Laura?
 
No, I haven't read anything by James Tabor but I have read the New Testament 3 times and large swathes of the Old Testament. Many of the stories in them are apocryphal and to Professor Stavrakopoulou's point, they actually are not archaeologically verifiable. Many of the "scholars" in this field appear to have an agenda to try to prove the stories in the bible actually transpired but the archaeological evidence just isn't there. It is good to see hard investigation in this field rather than those that are trying to make the existing evidence fit the stories. There is no doubt that the xtian bible stories therefore constitute a mythology no different to the Egyptian and Greek mythologies.

What do you think, Laura?
In principle, archaeology and other fields of investigation cannot prove much of what is written in the Testaments; they are irrelevant to human deeds/events of the past. For instance, WHAT could prove that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey? Or that he founded his own church? Probable evidence could be supplied by eye/ear witnesses or photo/sono-graphs. The real ancient existence of Jerusalem and donkeys prove nothing. Rather, text logical analysis shows that many statements/claims cannot be true; they are mythical in nature.
 
In principle, archaeology and other fields of investigation cannot prove much of what is written in the Testaments; they are irrelevant to human deeds/events of the past. For instance, WHAT could prove that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey? Or that he founded his own church? Probable evidence could be supplied by eye/ear witnesses or photo/sono-graphs. The real ancient existence of Jerusalem and donkeys prove nothing. Rather, text logical analysis shows that many statements/claims cannot be true; they are mythical in nature.
It's true that small events such as a person riding into a town on a donkey or even what that person did and said at various stages of their lives cannot be archaeologically verified. The bible, however, mentions many events such as the Jews working as slaves in Egypt and the subsequent mass exodus and the "great flood" both of which have zero archaeological evidence to support them. The vast majority of the bible is basically apocryphal.
 
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So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

I really like this perspective. I think that the more approaches we can take to religion, the better we will be able to analyze it and understand it at face value. It's always good to critically think about the information presented to us before we make conclusions.
 
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Question about the Fates of Greek Mythology

I am helping someone gather information for a school project on Greek Mythology so your input is much appreciated. This is more like, to help the person know enough information to be able to research it.

The project is about the Fates. These mysterious beings, often depicted as three sisters—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos—were believed to control the destiny of every mortal and god alike. Their thread-spinning, measuring, and cutting symbolized the weaving of each individual's life, from birth to death.

But what exactly was the extent of their power? How did they interact with other gods and mortals? These questions have sparked endless fascination and speculation among scholars and enthusiasts alike.

Were the Fates merely impartial observers, executing predetermined destinies without interference? Or did they possess agency, actively shaping the lives of those they governed? Furthermore, what implications did their existence hold for concepts of free will and determinism in ancient Greek thought?

12 Olympian Gods and Goddesses

I love mythology and I thought I'd make list of the 12 Olympian Gods and Goddesses. This is my best guess. Do you know that I have seen different versions of this? What do you think?
  1. Zeus: The king of the gods, ruler of the sky and thunder, and the god of law, order, and justice.
  2. Hera: The queen of the gods, Zeus's wife and sister, and the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
  3. Poseidon: The god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses, often depicted with a trident.
  4. Demeter: The goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest, responsible for the cycle of life and death in crops.
  5. Athena: The goddess of wisdom, warfare, strategy, and crafts, often associated with strategic warfare and civilization.
  6. Apollo: The god of music, poetry, prophecy, healing, and archery, known for his wisdom and beauty.
  7. Artemis: The goddess of the hunt, wilderness, childbirth, and virginity, often depicted with a bow and arrows.
  8. Ares: The god of war, violence, and bloodshed, embodying the brutal aspects of conflict.
  9. Aphrodite: The goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation, born from the sea foam and known for her irresistible charm.
  10. Hephaestus: The god of fire, blacksmiths, craftsmen, and volcanoes, renowned for his skill in metalworking.
  11. Hermes: The messenger of the gods, associated with travel, commerce, communication, and trickery.
  12. Dionysus: The god of wine, fertility, ecstasy, and theatre, representing the joyous aspects of life and celebration.
greek-gods.jpg

List of fun Greek mythology topics

I really love Greek Mythology. I thought I would share with you all some of my favorite topics:

  1. Birth of the Olympians and how they came to power
  2. Different heroes of Greek mythology
  3. 12 Labors of Hercules
  4. Trojan War
  5. Iliad and the Odyssey and all the stories in them
  6. The story of Persephone
  7. Pandora's box
  8. Different creatures - like the Minotaur and Hydra
What are yours?

Mythological Roots of the Olympic Games

I've recently found myself deeply fascinated with how ancient myths and legends have influenced modern traditions and events, particularly those with a global following. Among these, the Olympic Games stand out as a prime example of ancient traditions influencing contemporary world culture. I'm eager to learn more about the mythological roots of the Olympic Games and thought this would be the perfect community to turn to for insights.

From what I understand, the origins of the Olympics are deeply intertwined with Greek mythology. The games were held in Olympia, a sanctuary site for Greek gods, and featured various competitions and rituals dedicated to Zeus, the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion. However, my knowledge of how these mythological aspects directly influenced the establishment and evolution of the Olympic Games feels quite superficial.

Was the Trojan War real?

I have been wondering, was the Trojan War real? I decided to explore the topic. I still don't know. What do you guys think?

Let's start with the basics. According to ancient Greek mythology, the Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans over Helen of Troy. Helen, the wife of King Menelaus, was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world. When she was kidnapped by Paris of Troy, her husband called upon the Greek army to help him get her back. The war lasted ten years, according to the myth, and ended with the Greeks claiming victory when they used a wooden horse to get inside the walls of Troy.

It's easy to dismiss this story as nothing more than a legend, but there is some archaeological evidence that suggests that there may be some truth to the tale. In the 1870s, a German businessman named Heinrich Schliemann claimed to have found the site of ancient Troy in modern-day Turkey. He found evidence of a walled city with multiple layers of ruins, which might have been the result of multiple attacks over time. Whether or not this was the site of the Trojan War is still up for debate, but it's clear that Schliemann believed that he had discovered the home of king Priam and the legendary Trojan horse.

That said, not everyone agrees with Schliemann's findings. In fact, some scholars argue that the city he found wasn't actually Troy at all, but another nearby city with a similar name. Others point out that the ruins he found don't quite match up with the descriptions of the city in the Iliad. Additionally, there is evidence that suggests that the Trojan War didn't happen exactly as it was told in the myth. For example, it's possible that the conflict arose over economic disputes rather than the kidnapping of Helen.

Despite the disagreements among scholars, one thing is for sure: The Trojan War has had a lasting impact on culture and has become one of the most well-known stories from Greek mythology. It has been retold in countless books, movies, and TV shows over the years, and the characters from the story continue to inspire us today. The Trojan hero Hector, for example, has become synonymous with bravery, while Odysseus's journey home has been the inspiration for many other epic tales.
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