Study Guides

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils establish broad knowledge of ancient Greek civilisation. They learn about the geography and location of the ancient Greek city-states, Athens and Sparta's rivalry, and evaluate what ancient Greek myths can tell us about Ancient Greek culture.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe some Ancient Greek myths and suggest what they tell us about Ancient Greek culture.

Key Notes

• The Greeks had many gods and goddesses and lots of stories and myths that surrounded them.
• The Ancient Greeks believed in 12 major gods and goddesses who lived on Mount Olympus.
• Greek Gods were associated with different things, e.g. Hera, Queen of the Gods, was associated with marriage and family.
• The popular myth of Persephone and the Underworld shows us how the Ancient Greeks explained the change of the seasons.
• Another myth concerned the Moirai, the Fates, which suggests the Ancient Greeks believed in a type of natural order.

Vocabulary To Learn

• myth: a myth is a traditional story, usually about heroes and gods, that is fictional
• culture: culture is the language, customs, ideas, and art of a particular group of people
• Mount Olympus: Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece
• Underworld: in Ancient Greek mythology the Underworld was where people went after they died

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• That the Ancient Greeks could go up Mount Olympus to find the gods or see the gods and talk to them there.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Ancient Greece's location and history Study Guide
• Sparta's rivalry with Athens Study Guide
• The city-state of Athens Study Guide
• The city-states of Ancient Greece Study Guide
• What we know about Ancient Greece Study Guide