Ancient

Ancient Greek Religion
Greek religion was a predominant form of early Paganism and as a result their religion reflected many central ideas and concepts of earlier forms of Paganism, such as Druidism, both ancient and Modern and Witchcraft and Wicca. It was polytheistic, consisting of the worship of many Gods. The Greeks believed that the Gods would offer protection and guide their city-states. This belief was identical to other earlier forms of Paganism.
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Divinities were the most important element of Greek religion and much emphasis was placed on pleasing the Gods in order to live a life free of oppression and hardship. Like all Pagans, the Greeks believed that they had to worship and please the Gods in order to have good fortune. The Greeks participated in a number of rituals, rites, ceremonies and sacrifices in order to impress and placate the Gods. Temples, shrines and statues were erected as a designated place to offer sacrifices to the Gods.
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Religion was a very important aspect of Greek society and culture, with the sacrifices and regular worships of Gods surving to unify the people in a common goal to please the Gods. The Greeks also placed an immense faith in the idea that an afterlife awaited them after their death. They firmly believed that this life was not the only reality in which the soul lives, but after this lifetime, a whole new and different one awaited them.
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The origins of Greek history has been lost in pre-history, the only knowledge that has remained is that the Greeks assimilated cults of pre-Greek inhabitants of the Peninsula. An example of this can be seen when the Greeks encountered the Flourishing society of the Minoan civilization whose central divinities influenced characteristics of later Greek Goddesses.
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Greek religion was ritual based, practicing a flexible set of beliefs. It was unlike many modern religions, because it made no claims of universality, they did not proselytize, they did not participate...