Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation

By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

Focus Question: Assess the impact and influence of ‘The Odyssey’ by

Homer’ and ‘Theogony by Hesiod on Athenian Religion in the 4th and 5th
Century BCE?

Homer and Hesiod were the two most prominent authors in Archaic Greece in
the 8th century BCE. Their written works have transpired millenniums and are
still widely known to this day. The Ancient Greeks regarded the poetry of Homer
(c.750 BCE) and Hesiod (c.720 BCE) as their highest cultural achievement and it
can be seen that both have had an incontrovertibly profound affect on Greek
religion, hero cults and perception of the afterlife in the centuries following their
completion, particularly in the 4th and 5th century BCE. In assessing the impact
and influence, the nature and contents of the literature must be understood, as
well as the context of the Greek society in the aforementioned time period.

The main problem encountered with an investigation using texts written in a

foreign language, particularly texts that were written approximately 2800 years
ago, is that the translations and alterations could create a text that differs from
what the original authors intended. Hesiod’s ‘Theogony’ and Homer’s ‘The
Odyssey’ were subject to such a reverence in Ancient Greece that it is highly
unlikely that one would have the audacity to alter the stories in any way from the
time that they were written. The accuracy of the translation of such sources is
easily verified when cross-referencing the translations of the texts, while the
name of Greek god’s has been substituted with their Roman counterparts in
some versions, the contents of the story in all translations are relatively identical.

In the 5th and 4th century BCE in Athens, Homer and Hesiod’s work were
introduced to children as soon as they became literate. Their tales were
displayed in the pottery of households and institutions. Their works were even
made into plays to entertain the masses. Though, without contest, the most
influential impact the two texts had on Athenian culture was undoubtedly the
unification, and in some aspects origination of Athenian Religion in the 4th and 5th
Century BCE.

While there is irrefutable evidence of an established polytheistic religious system

practiced throughout Greece prior to the works of Homer and Hesiod, there has
been a significant influence on religion in Ancient Greece. Greek religion had no
unified body of teachings known to the entire population, there was no ritual
binding that was common amongst all areas in Greece and each locality had it’s
own distinctive myths, practices and even gods.

The work of Homer and Hesiod redefined Greek religion, and by the beginning of
the 5th century it had created a greater unity between the myths and legends of
the separate city-states throughout Greece. Not only did it unify the religion, but
even provided personas for many of the Gods. 19 th Century Historian Edward
Grote attained that: “The work of Homer and Hesiod was, to reduce to system the
most authentic traditions about the Hellenic Gods and demi-gods, and consolidate
a catholic belief in the place of conflicting local superstitions” 1
1
Mr E. Grote, Hesiod, and Theognis, Rev. James Davies, William Blackwood and
Sons, 1873
 Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation
By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

Homer’s Odyssey is a far larger text with considerably more and varied themes
and concepts, Hesiod’s Theogony however, is dedicated entirely to the story of
the God’s, and its value is considerably more significant when assessing a general
overview of the Religion. Hesiod provided understanding of the religion that
enabled it to become a far more influential aspect of Athenian life.

This influence is evident in archaeological remains, which suggests that in

between c.450-430 BCE a Temple of Poseidon at Sunium, of Nemesis at
Rhanmous, of Ares at Acharnai and of Hephaestus2 above the agora, all in Athens
were erected. This suggests that the range of Gods that were being worshipped
in Athens in the 5th century BCE was rapidly increasing, and evidence of the
unification of Greek Religion is established beyond doubt.

5th Century Athenian Philosopher Herodotus, author of “The Histories”, one of

the most valuable surviving primary sources available today, credits Homer and
Hesiod for forming the conception of Greek gods and religion that operated in
Athens in the 5th century. “Whence the gods severally sprang, whether or no they
had all existed from eternity, what forms they bore- these are questions of which
the Greeks knew nothing until the other day, so to speak. For Homer and Hesiod
were the first to compose Theogonies, and give the gods their epithets, to allot
them their several offices and occupations, and describe their forms” 3. Herodotus

5th century philosopher Xenophanes however, did not offer his accreditation.
"Homer and Hesiod have ascribed to the gods all things that are a shame and a
disgrace among mortals, stealings and adulteries and deceivings of one another" 4

Xenophanes criticised the anthropomorphic5 nature of the Gods depicted in

Hesiod and Homer’s texts, and a satirical approach to the two authors pervades
his philosophy. While this source, like any primary source cannot be entirely
overlooked, more must be understood about the author to see that it is plagued
with bias. Xenophanes is widely regarded as one of the first monotheists in
Western culture. "He sees all over, thinks all over, and hears all over"6, just one of
the many displays of monotheism in his philosophy. It can be seen by this, that
due to his own personal views on Religion, Xenophanes has not been entirely
reliable in displaying the impact and influence of Homer and Hesiod in Athens in
the 5th century. Xenophanes has not offered a universal view on the two authors
and their impact, but only his own, obscured personal opinion.

Homer and Hesiod’s impact on religion overall in Athens in the 5 th and 4th
century BCE has been significant. Though an overview of the entire religion will
not provide an adequate gage of their impact and influence and so it is necessary
to assess the impact and influence in the intricacies of Athenian Religion, the
most important intricacies being Hero cults, and theories of life after death.
2
See Appendix for Archaeological remains of sites
3
Herodotus, The Histories (Book II), c.440 BCE
4
Xenophanes,
5
Of or pertaining to human appearance
6
Xenophanes,
 Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation
By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

Hero cults were one of the most distinctive features of ancient Athenian religion.
The name of the city itself can be attributed to a Hero, King Erechtheus, who
chose Athena over Poseidon to become the patron god of the city, resulting in his
death at the hands of Poseidon, Interestingly enough, it was in Homer’s Odyssey
when Erechtheus made his first known appearance, some time prior to Athens
emergence has an epochal city in Ancient Greece. According to archaeological
evidence, Hero cults began, or at least assumed radical new forms in the mid to
late 8th century BCE, approximately the same time that Homer and Hesiod wrote
their texts. “How I wished you could have met your fate and died at Troy in the full
enjoyment of your royal state. For then the whole nation would have joined in
building you a mound and you would have left a great name for your sons” 7

This quote is one of the many examples of the reverence for heroism(dying in
battle) that pervades The Odyssey, The influence of Homer in the establishment
of hero cults is a widely debated point. The strongest objections are that Homer
could not have caused a phenomenon like hero cults, as in his epics they are
reflected on rather than introduced. However, even if these objections hold true,
Homer’s influence and impact is still unassailable. Similar to what Hesiod has
achieved with religion, Homer has not been responsible for the origins of the
Hero cult, but has unified the tradition and solidified its importance.

There are some conflicting issues concerning Hero cults in the two texts. In
Hesiod’s account the heroes are sourced from the gold and silver ages, rather
than just those who met their death in the Trojan War. The difference in
perspectives can be attributed to the area of Archaic Greece that Homer and
Hesiod were born and raised, while there is no conclusive records to say where
either lived, it can be assumed that they were from separate regions of Greece,
and the aforementioned lack of unity, and distinctive myths and practices
account for the different hero cults that each author shows veneration for. In
spite of the differences in accounts, and the debateable questions raised, there is
irrefutable proof that the unifying of Hero cults, accredited to Homer, had an
imperative impact on Athenian religion in the 4th and 5th Century BCE.

400 years after the texts were written, and Hero cults had become a perfunctory
component of Athenian life, Aristotle enacted this into the Athenian constitution,
written as an interpretation of the oracles message;
“he allowed every one to retain his family and clan and religious rites according to
ancestral custom. The names given to the tribes were the ten which the Pythia
appointed out of the hundred selected national heroes.” 8

Homer and Hesiod’s impact and influence on Athenian religion was cemented.
Their representations and originations of hero’s became so embedded into
Athenian religion, that evidence of it became available through official
documentation.

7
Homer, The Odyssey, c. 750 BCE
8
Aristotle, Athenian Constitution, c.350 BCE.
 Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation
By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

A subject that Homer and Hesiod’s text had as significant an impact on was the
Athenian perception and value of Life After Death. While a topic with such
ambiguity could not be enacted into official documentation, Homer and Hesiod’s
texts had an authoritative influence on the details of the Afterlife that were
accepted in the 5th and 4th century BCE.

The most commonly accepted theories of what occurred after an individual died
were sourced from ‘The Odyssey and ‘Theogony”. While Homer provided
mention of Hades in ‘The Odyssey’ it is clear that Hesiod’s ‘Theogony’ provided
the majority of the framework for Athenians perception of the Afterlife in the 4 th
and 5th century BCE.

“There, in front, stand the echoing halls of the god of the lower-world, strong
Hades, and of awful Persephone. A fearful hound guards the house in front,
pitiless, and he has a cruel trick. On those who go in he fawns with his tail and
both his ears, but suffers them not to go out back again, but keeps watch and
devours whomsoever he catches going out of the gates of strong Hades and awful
Persephone. And there dwells the goddess loathed by the
deathless gods, terrible Styx, eldest daughter of black-flowing ocean”

Hesiod here provides a vivid description of Hades, the realm where most
Athenians believed they would enter after death. In ‘Theogony’ Hesiod also
makes reference to Elysium and Tartarus, the two other realms of the dead
acknowledge by Athenians in the 5th and 4th century BCE. Hesiod’s ‘Theogony’
had an everlasting impact and influence on Athenian religion in the 4 th and 5th
Century BCE, it provided the answers that are paramount to any religion.

Although Hesiod’s impact and influence is considerably more significant in

presenting the actual vision of the afterlife, it is in ‘The Odyssey’ where Homer
establishes what became the traditional burial rituals. “Leave me not unwept and
unburied as thou goest hence, nor turn thy back upon me, lest haply I bring on
thee the anger of the gods. Nay, burn me there with mine armour, all that is mine,
and pile me a barrow on the shore of the grey sea, the grave of a luckless man,
that even men unborn may hear my story.”9

It was not long after ‘The Odyssey’ that cremation became an essential part of
Athenian burials. Homer’s greatest impact on burial practices occurred in the 4 th
Century, “Demetrius of Phalerum passed laws which did not only restrict
excesses at funerals as well as large grave structures, but also allowed for the
appointment of special functionaries to impose fines.”10
The reform was largely unsuccessful, the public revolt against the attempt to
alter this aspect of Athenian religion is a testament to the impact and influence
that Homers ‘Odyssey’ had on religion in the 4th and 5th Century BCE. The burial
practices it implemented in Athenian society remained unperturbed in the 4 th
and 5th Century BCE.

9
Homer, The Odyssey, Book XI, c.750 BCE
10
Cicero, De Legibus, c.47 BCE
 Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation
By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

The value of Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ and Hesiod’s ‘Theogony’ in the creation,
unification and depiction of Athenian Religion in the 4th and 5th Century BCE is
unsurpassed. As 2nd century CE Novelist Lucian suggested “people took their
ideas from Homer, Hesiod, treating their poetry as if it were law” 11 There has
been no more valuable a contribution than what these two men have provided,
their impact and influence has clearly been as imperative in our understanding
of Athenian religion as it was for the Athenians themselves.

Appendix

11
Lucian, c. 160 CE
 Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation
By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

Temple of Poseidon at Sunium Temple of Nemesis at Rhamnous

Temple of Ares at Acharnai Temple of Hephaestus

Bibliography
Books
 Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation
By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

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England

4. Larson, J. 2007, Ancient Greek Cults; A Guide, Routledge, 270 Madison Ave,
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5. Vassardaki, L. 1957, The Modern Greek Theatre, Hellenic Center of the

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6. Cavanaugh, M.B. 1996, Eleusis and Athens: Documents in Finance, Religion and
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8. Collins, W.L. 1873, Hesiod, and Theognis, William Blackwood and Sons,
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9. Rieu , E.V, 1946, Homer; The Odyssey, Penguin Group, 80 Strand St, London,
England

10. Farnell, L.R, 1920, Greek Hero cults and ideas of immortality, Clarendon
press, Oxford, England

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 Preliminary Ancient History 2010 Historical Investigation
By George Tsikrikas, Word Count: 2041

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