Entering the Temple: The Greco-Roman Pantheon

Join us for a deep dive into the ancient, eternal gods of Greece and Rome - their similarities and differences, the history of their worship, their essential myths, offerings and taboos, festivals and celebrations, etc.

• Week I: Religion in Ancient Greece & Rome: First, we'll cover the history, theory and practice of religion in ancient Greece - the role of worship, how temples operated, what was expected of devotees, etc. Second we'll tackle the ancient Roman religion, its Etruscan roots and what ways in which Greek practices and beliefs were incorporated.
• Week II: The Celestial Gods: Explore the gods of the heavens, both the sky and the stars
• Week III: The Chthonic Gods: Explore the gods of death, the dead, the underworld and the night
• Week IV: The Terrestrial Gods: Explore the gods of the earth, nature, the season as well as the middling gods of everyday life

This series is designed to set up students with the information necessary to navigate their own relationship to the gods and effectively incorporate their worship into their practice. We will discuss various approaches including revivalism and reconstructionism as well as the essentials of navigating a pantheon.