How old is classical mythology?

That’s just how it is. You’ve probably heard the term classical mythology many times. And more or less, we all have a rough idea of what it means. It’s another matter to agree on a time frame to determine how old classical mythology actually is.

In this article, we’ll try to answer this question, along with a few others. When did it begin? How long did it last? Is there a single correct answer? We’ll also look at how relevant classical mythology is for understanding culture and education in classical Greece.

Defining the age of classical mythology

Let’s start with the points we can agree on. When we talk about classical mythology, we’re referring to a compendium of Greek and Roman myths. To trace the origins of these contributions, focusing on the Greek world, we have to go back to around 700 BC, the date assigned to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.

On the other hand, if we look at the earliest Roman references, we can place them around that same 8th century BC. And if we’re looking for an end point, we might agree that the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD could be a good date.

To this we should add that the vast majority of Roman myths are nothing more than adaptations or reinterpretations of Greek ones. In short, we can conclude that the age of classical mythology spans from the eighth century BC to the fifth century AD.

Who was Homer?

Homer is one of the most influential figures of all time. He is credited with authoring two landmark works: the Iliad and the Odyssey. However, some argue that he was not the creator of the texts, but rather that he limited himself to collecting and unifying countless oral tales that he himself recited. In any case, his contribution is essential to understanding classical Greek culture. As a curious fact, it is inferred from his work that he was blind. According to some historians, his name “Homer” is a play on words that may come from the expression “ho me horon,” which translates as “the one who does not see.” He is said to have died on the island of Ios, in the Cyclades archipelago of the Aegean Sea.

How did classical mythology come about?

We might think that classical mythology is contained in a series of literary works familiar to all of us. And it’s true that, as we mentioned earlier, many heroes, gods, and mythical creatures appear in the works of Homer or Hesiod, for example. But that’s only the second part of the story.

Classical myths were born from oral tradition and were passed down from generation to generation as stories told around the fire from parents to children. In academic circles, some suggest that the roots of these narratives go back to the Minoan and Mycenaean Bronze Age, that is, to around 2000 or 1200 BC.

A way of understanding the world

We’ve talked about stories, but the tales and legends of antiquity were really much more than that. You cannot understand the culture, religion, and society of the time without placing mythology at its center.

Myths were the explanation for almost everything around us and for the questions every human being asks. Where do we come from? Why are there storms? How is the sunrise explained? Who protects us? Whom do we fear? What are our fears?

In the end, every natural phenomenon, every human custom and ritual finds an answer in one or more myths. The characters in these stories are the heroes, gods, nymphs, and fantastical creatures who guide us through countless lessons. And those same protagonists were the ones worshipped in the temples.

Education through myths

What better way to pass on knowledge than through stories? Myths were the backbone of education in ancient Greece. Deities and heroes were essential for teaching and transmitting values. They were the guardians of morality and culture, and it was not unusual for the leaders of that society to present themselves to the people as reincarnations or descendants of these legendary figures in order to legitimize their power.

As we mentioned earlier, by extension, this is the same situation that played out in the Roman world. Under other names, sometimes with other characteristics or distinguishing details, the Roman gods were nothing more than an extension of their Greek equivalents.

What is the relationship between myth and philosophy?

The truth is that these two terms go hand in hand in many respects. Ancient philosophers frequently drew on myths to illustrate philosophical concepts. Aristotle and Plato are good examples of this. It is undoubtedly a good way of bringing complex topics closer to all audiences.

We won’t go into defining what myth and logos mean on a philosophical level here, since that’s not the purpose of this website, but it would certainly be enough material for a couple more articles.