The ancient Greeks were polytheistic. That means they believed in many gods. The gods of the ancient Greeks looked like, and often acted like human beings. Today, most people who live in the Western Hemisphere believe in only one god. People who believe in only one god are monotheistic.

The Greeks used myths to explain things they did not understand. Myths are stories about the gods and their adventures. At first, myths were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. Later, Greek poets created epic stories based on the legends. An epic is a long poem about great heroes and their deeds.The Greeks believed gods "lived" atop Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. The gods were more powerful than humans and never grew old. Writers and artists use the stories and symbols of Greek myths to this day. While we no longer view the myths as religion, people still enjoy reading them.

Olympia viewed from the air

Zeus was the head of the family of gods. He ruled the sky and was "the father of gods and men." Zeus' brother, Poseidon, ruled the sea while another brother, Hades, ruled the "underworld." Zeus's wife, Hera, was the goddess of women and marriage. Zeus wasn't always faithful to Hera. He slept with Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, for nine nights. Their union produced nine daughters who were known as the "muses." The nine muses were the goddesses of inspiration, learning, and the arts. Words like music, amusing, and museum originally referred to the goddesses. The Greeks would often consult priests or priestesses called oracles before making important decisions. They believed that the gods spoke to the oracles. The oracles were said to be able to read the rustling of leaves or marks on animals as "signs from the gods." The oracles would often respond in unclear ways so it would be difficult for people to prove them wrong.