Concept in Definition ABC

The abode of the Greek gods had a name and a known geographical location: Mount Olympus, in Greece, located between Larissa and Thessaloniki.

Mount Olympus in Greek mythology housed the houses of the main gods of the Hellenic pantheon, the so-called Olympian Gods.

These were not all, but only the most important, and that made up the Council of the Gods, of twelve members, although throughout the time narrated in the legends that made up the mythology Greek, these were alternated.

There was, obviously, Zeus, considered the father of the gods and the most important in said mythology, Hera, his sister and his wife, Poseidon, god of the seas, Ares, god of war, Hermes (son of Zeus and messenger of the gods), Hephaestus (the blacksmith), Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty), Athena (warrior goddess), Apollo (solar god), and Artemis (goddess of the night).

These ten deities were the "fixed" ones on Olympus, while the two remaining positions were rotating between Hestia, Demeter, Dionysus, Hades, Persephone, Eros, Hebe, Asclepius, Pan and Héracles.

The gods lived on Olympus in sumptuous palaces, as should be proper to the status of a god.

Each god had his own, built of glass, and the Pantheon was a species from square Olimpo in which the meetings of the council took place, and also their quarrels, much more juicy the latter for mythology as they had given rise to many heroes and adventures worthy of being narrated.

Of the building Olympus was commissioned by the Cyclopes Brontes, Steropes and Arges, sons of Uranus and Gaia, whom the former had locked up in the Tartarus, and that they were freed by Crono to overthrow his father, but again betrayed by him and, finally, freed by Zeus.

On gratitude to the father god, and in addition to forging the rays that he threw, the Cyclopes also built the abode of the gods on top of Mount Olympus.

Each god and element had a specific position on Olympus.

Thus, for example, the throne of Zeus was located in the Stefani peak, while the Muses were located in the existing plateau to the north of the mount.

As the abode of the gods, it was a sacred mountain, and its surroundings were home to temples and areas of religious worship.

It also stands on what has traditionally been a strategic passage between Macedonia and Thessaly, where invading armies from the east (such as the Persians) could penetrate the central plains of Greece.

That is why its surroundings have seen a good number of battles throughout history, and even during the Second World War served as the basis for endurance Greek. Undoubtedly, between 41 and 44, the Greek resistance would have valued the avenging rays of Zeus ...

But although the mountain was a sacred place, it could be climbed and, in fact, there is evidence that although they did not reach the highest peaks, the ancient Greeks did climb. Olympus up and made offerings to the gods, as the archaeological finds have shown, although we do not know if this constituted a habitual practice, or if they were cases sporadic.

Placing the gods on a mountain was not an isolated event from classical Greek religion.

Other cultures and religions, both in Europe, as in Asia, Africa or America, they have venerated mountains as the abodes of the gods.

Photo: Fotolia - matiasdelcarmine

Themes in Olympus