by Lieutenant General (Ret.) K. H. Konstantinidis
The Gods of the Greeks and the Genealogical Webs
1. The Gods of the Greeks
The gods of the Greeks were twelve (12).
Six gods:
Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, Hephaestus, Ares, Hermes.
And six goddesses:
Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite
The most democratic political system .
2. Secondary Deities
Metis:
the first wise and virtuous wife of Zeus and mother of Athena.
Pluto (Hades).
Dionysus:
god of entertainment and revelry.
Heracles:
a symbol of strength and punisher of evil.
3. Mount Olympus, the Abode of the Gods
Mount Olympus, the sacred mountain of Greece and the ancient world, is renowned throughout the world.
According to one interpretation, the name Olympus is associated with the concept of “all-radiant”, the heavenly vault and unsurpassed beauty. Olympus was also called:
Aigleies (radiant), Polydeiras (many-ravined), Aipys (rugged, steep and lofty), and Ger-Olympus (sacred Olympus).
It is the highest mountain in Greece, and its highest peak, Mytikas, reaches 2,917 metres.
According to Greek mythological tradition, the palaces of the gods and the throne of Zeus were situated on the highest parts of Olympus. The Muses were said to dwell in its ravines and on its slopes, among its ancient forests.
According to tradition, the gods descended into the beautiful Tempe Valley, where they bathed in the River Peneius and walked through the lush green meadows among gentle deer and birds with melodious voices.
In many parts of the ancient world where the Greeks settled or travelled, they gave the name Olympus to the highest mountain, in honour of their gods.
According to tradition, two groups of Muses were worshipped on Olympus: the Pierian Muses and the Leibethrian Muses. According to tradition, Orpheus was born in the cave of the Leibethrian Muses, although the exact location of the cave remains unknown.
The god Zeus, supreme ruler and father of mortals and immortals, was the governor and coordinator of the work of the Olympian gods. The Titaness Hera, wife of Zeus, was the mother of many of the immortals of Olympus.
4. The Greeks and the Patriarchal Family System
The Greeks functioned, according to the classical political and social tradition, primarily within a patriarchal family system, rather than a matriarchal one.
According to Aristotle, the first unit of society is the married couple — man and woman — who reproduce and establish a family. Several families form villages, townships and, ultimately, cities.
5. The Genos and Ancestry
Genealogical trees and genealogical webs constitute a means of tracing the ancestry and kinship of citizens.
In modern times, with the extensive intermingling of populations and changes in social and legal institutions, the concept of citizenship has become separated from ancestry.
Citizenship is now primarily a legal status, namely the status of being a citizen of a state, and may be acquired by persons of different ancestry.
The Eugenic Tradition of the Greeks
The Greeks’ eugenic outlook was expressed in the particular importance they attached to ancestry, to the physical and intellectual qualities of prospective parents, and to the choice of a spouse, with the aim of producing healthy and capable offspring and ensuring the continuation of the genos.
The Greeks’ concern with ancestry, family background and the choice of a spouse was associated with the pursuit of the continuity and vitality of the family and the genos.
(25/8/26)
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Konstantinos Konstantinidis
Author – Member of the Society of Greek Writers
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