Religion and Beliefs in Sparta
Greek Mythology and Gods were a big part of Spartan society. Like the majority of Greek city-states Spartans were polytheism; they believed in more than one god. The primary gods at this time were the Olympians lead by the mighty Zeus. It has even been reported that Sparta was mocked by some other city-states for its high praise of the gods.
Sparta's values also influenced how Gods were worshipped: for example Aphrodite was worshipped as a warrior even though she was renowned in Greece as the goddess of love. Sparta had their favourite gods that merged with their lifestyle. These were Ares and Apollo. This was of course due to their warfare focus.
One example of a Spartan legend was of the Calydonian Boar.The Calydonian Boar is one of the creatures of Greek mythology that had to be overcome by heroes of the Olympian era. Sent by Artemis to ravage the region of Calydon because its king didn't honor her in his rituals to the gods, it was killed in the Calydonian Hunt, in which many male heroes took part, but also a powerful woman, Atlanta, who won its hide by first wounding it with an arrow.
Greek Mythology and Gods were a big part of Spartan society. Like the majority of Greek city-states Spartans were polytheism; they believed in more than one god. The primary gods at this time were the Olympians lead by the mighty Zeus. It has even been reported that Sparta was mocked by some other city-states for its high praise of the gods.
Sparta's values also influenced how Gods were worshipped: for example Aphrodite was worshipped as a warrior even though she was renowned in Greece as the goddess of love. Sparta had their favourite gods that merged with their lifestyle. These were Ares and Apollo. This was of course due to their warfare focus.
One example of a Spartan legend was of the Calydonian Boar.The Calydonian Boar is one of the creatures of Greek mythology that had to be overcome by heroes of the Olympian era. Sent by Artemis to ravage the region of Calydon because its king didn't honor her in his rituals to the gods, it was killed in the Calydonian Hunt, in which many male heroes took part, but also a powerful woman, Atlanta, who won its hide by first wounding it with an arrow.