Essay on Ancient Greek and Mesopotamian Religions - a...

Ancient Religions By: MLB As civilization has progressed through the ages, many religions have arisen and taken hold around the world, two if the most interesting, being the religious beliefs of the ancient Mesopotamian and the Greeks. These two religions were practiced in different areas and at different times and, therefore, show that religion has played a critical role in every society and civilization. No matter how it is organized or what type of god is worshiped, a society would be nothing without some kind of deity to organize it. In comparing the religious beliefs of the Mesopotamian and the Ancient Greeks religious components highlighted including the style of worship, the temples†¦show more content†¦Although the styles were different between these two cultures, both the Mesopotamian and the Greeks took great pride in glorifying their gods. Just as each culture built unique places of worship as was their style of worship unique. In the Mesopotamian religion there were well over 3000 gods and goddesses. Each city had its own patron god who was in charge of that city. It was also believed that each person had his own lesser god who would appeal with the greater gods on his own account. At the upper part of the Mesopotamian pantheon sits An, the Lord of heaven and Enlil, Lord of the earth. These two gods had a sour attitude towards the human beings. It was Enki, god of sweet waters, magic and wisdom, that was humanitys friend. The Mesopotamians also had an interesting view on doing evil and evil acts. They never blamed themselves; instead it was all put on a demon taking over the persons body. So instead of punishing the individuals for their crimes, the Mesopotamians would try to exorcise them. People wore amulets or charms to try to keep the evil demons away. If they performed a ritual fault or accident, such as touching a cursed person, it could invoke the wrath of the gods and that was when a persons personal god would have to defend you before th e greater gods (Garber, 204).Show MoreRelatedMesopotamian Literature : The Civilization1005 Words   |  5 Pagesthis age. In early Mesopotamia, the Mesopotamians and the Egyptians had a communal outlook on religion. Although their religious outlook was the same, they viewed the world in many different ways that in fact affected their thoughts, art, and literature. The Mesopotamians had a very basic pessimistic belief on their world and viewed the gods as a way to win at life and to handle their desires. Mesopotamian literature was written very severely harsh. Mesopotamian literature was written to accentuateRead MoreEssay on Ancient Religions: A Comparison2239 Words   |  9 Pages Ancient Religions: A Comparison As civilization has expanded and improved it has gone through many different religions. Some of the most interesting and different have been the Mesopotamian religion, the religion of the Greeks and finally Christianity. These three religions were practiced in different areas and different time periods and therefore they will be excellent for a comparison. Religion is a key part of every society and civilization. No matter how it is organized or what type of GodRead MoreStudying The Religion Of The Ancient Israelite People : An Analysis1199 Words   |  5 PagesStudying the religion of the Ancient Israelite People must be done in a careful manner. The ways in which biblical scholars frame significant ideas can have a major effect on how their point is received. Today’s ideas about the religious lives of Canaanites have been drawn on primarily from The Hebrew Bible and archaeological evidence. 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In many of the organized ancient civilizations, it was very common to find a primarily patriarchal civilization in government as well as in society. The causing factors can be attributed to different reasons, the main being the Neolithic Revolution and the new found dependence on manpower it caused. As a result of this, a woman found herself to be placed into an entirely different view in the eye of society. In comparison to the early Paleolithic matriarchalRead MoreAp World History Units 1-3 Study Guide Essay4374 Words   |  18 PagesWritten languages * Complex political order and power 6. Evidence proves that the Mesopotamians * Traded extensively with peoples as far away as Anatolia, Egypt, India 7. Major effect of Neolithic Revolution * The establishment of sedentary village communities 8. Conditions for women in Mesopotamia * Grew increasingly worse over time 9. The division of the ancient people into social and gender hierarchies was first made possible by * Rise in agriculturalRead MoreA Critical Thinking Exercise : The Role Of Religion During World Civilizations3861 Words   |  16 Pages Critical Thinking Exercise: The Role of Religion in Early World Civilizations Name Stephanie Trent_________ Students will complete this critical thinking exercise in history as a â€Å"thought paper,† but will identify sources for their answers. Students can use the textbook and class notes for sources, but can use other sources. This exercise is in the form of a â€Å"short answer format.† This must at least be six full pages, but can be longer if needed. Students are expectedRead MoreReligion : A Powerful Force3704 Words   |  15 PagesReligion has been a powerful force in human history. Mankind has longed and searched for the answers to its purpose, the reason for being and the possibility of life after physical death. They reasoned that an afterlife would be a place of accounting and reckoning for the life they lived on earth. Religious belief systems seemed to give the answers as to how to prepare for the afterlife. Religion became the means of giving answers to those basic yet deep-seated questions of both life and death. ReligionRead MoreMy Definition Of Wor ld History3916 Words   |  16 Pagesmore agricultural society. Tom Standage uses a pictogram that was discovered in Mesopotamia, found evidence of tools used for making, brewing, harvesting, and transporting beer or its ingredients, and Mesopotamian and Egyptian records. He also commonly uses Cuneiform records and tablets. Many ancient cultures used beer to share with others, and by doing this, became closer to one another. This is because drinks can be shared easily and doing so shows friendliness, trust, generosity, and kindness.Read MoreWorld History AP8768 Words   |  36 Pagesoverextension and the creation of a unified identity that redefines conquered peoples, are timeless issues still relevant today. Margin Review Questions Q. How did Persian and Greek civilizations differ in their political organization and values? †¢ The Persians built an imperial political system that drew upon previous Mesopotamian polities, including the Babylonian and Assyrian empires. The Persian Empire was far larger than its predecessors, stretching from Egypt to India, and ruled over some 35 million