How did the Greek Gods impact the lives of the ancient greeks?

Question: How did the Greek Gods impact the lives of the ancient greeks!?

How did the ancient Greeks' beliefs impact their lives!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Most people living in ancient Greeks took their belief in their pantheon of gods very seriously!. They were careful not to insult them openly or do anything that might cause them offence!. They believed that the gods could see everything and depending on whether they were appeased by the general sacrifices and daily worship of the people, the gods might decide to be benevolent or not!.

Almost every aspect of life was "controlled" by one of the gods!. For example, the god of the sea was Poseidon and so anyone making a sea journey would have to make an offering to Poseidon in order to have a safe journey!. If they didn't do this, Poseidon might be offended and cause a storm at sea or something like that in retaliation for their insult to him!. An example of just how seriously the Greeks were about appeasing the gods can be seen in how Agamemnon, who led the Greeks in the Trojan War, sacrificed his own daughter, Iphigenia, to Poseidon in order to guarantee a safe crossing to Troy for the Greek armies!.

The gods were often thought to interact with mortals which can be seen in Greek mythology!. Sometimes the gods would appear as a mortal or as an animal!. For example Zeus, the father god, appeared in the form of a Swan to Leda and in the form of a bull to Europa!. In this way, it was impossible to be sure where or when a god might decide to appear and put them to the test so they were conscious of this all the time!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It changed with time, there were of course many festivals and rituals dedicated to the Gods and virtually every public works project was dedicated to one God or another (i!.e!. the Parthenon was dedicated to Athena Parthenos)!.

However, as Greece urbanized the old Gods didn't have quite the same appeal!. Some of the problems with urbanization and a cosmopolitan society are homelessness, unemployment and cheap foreign labor!. All of a sudden the old Gods work just fine for those in power but not so well for the little guys!.

This is why in the Hellenistic period you have a rise in both philosophies (i!.e!. Cynicism and Stoicism) as well as a rise in salvationist religions like Mithraism and the cult of Isis!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Wow!. Quite the broad question there eh!? I would say the same way any other god impacts the lives of those who believe in them!. Daily lifestyle, artwork, agriculture, every aspect of life from now, and then, can be seen to reflect some influence by the icon of faith in that time period!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

the same way modern beliefs affect yours!.
Beliefs are beliefs!. Doesn't matter when, what or how!. How do your beliefs affect your life right now!?
There's your answer!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Honestly, I don't knowWww@QuestionHome@Com