EE-Classics

Project author: Molly Willett

Classics summary

Ancient History/Classics

HOME

time sources

classics - time

mythology sources

Classics - mythology

introductory video

ANCIENT HISTORY/CLASSICS

CLASSICS - SUMMARY

HOME

TIME SOURCES

classics - time

mythology sources

CLASSICS - MYTHOLOGY

INTRODUCTORY VIDEO

ANCIENT HISTORY/CLASSICS

Classics summary

HOME

time sources

classics - time

mythology sources

Classics - mythology

introductory video

+ Info

When we think of mythology in the ancient world, we often imagine stories passed down through generations, filled with gods, heroes, and fantastical creatures.

ANCIENT HISTORY/CLASSICS

Classics summary

HOME

time sources

classics - time

mythology sources

Classics - mythology

introductory video

How does mythology help (or hinder) our understanding of ancient societies and people?

What are the advantages of a society having its own mythology?

Did ancient people believe mythology was true?

Classics summary

HOME

time sources

classics - time

mythology sources

Classics - mythology

introductory video

PHILSOPHY, MYTHOLOGY AND PLATO

ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE MYTHOLOGICAL PAST

DEDICATIONS AT DELPHI

tHE SCIENTIFIC ORIGINS OF MINOTAUR

wHAT IS A MYTH?

+ Info

+ Info

+ Info

+ Info

+ Info

Here are five sources that might get you started on thinking about the topic of mythology and myth making, but you are encouraged to use other sources/data from your own research.

pROJECT SUMMARY

ANCIENT HISTORY/CLASSICS

+ Info

Classics summary

HOME

time sources

classics - time

mythology sources

Classics - mythology

introductory video

Why is the way that we perceive time important for understanding our experience of the world?

How did the ancient conception of time shape how people lived their lives?

What are the key aspects of how ancient people thought about and measured time?

Classics summary

HOME

time sources

classics - time

mythology sources

Classics - mythology

introductory video

a revolution in time

telling time in ancient egypt

a roman-period Greek style hemispherical sundial

ancient greek timekeeping

The ancient philosophy of time

+ Info

+ Info

+ Info

+ Info

Here are five sources that might get you started on thinking about the topic of time, but you are encouraged to use other sources/data from your own research.

Mythology

However, these myths served a much greater purpose in ancient societies. They were used to explain the natural world, provide moral guidance, and shape cultural and political beliefs. Myths in the ancient world were not simply stories, but active agents of cultural construction, influencing the values and behaviours of those who told and believed in them. They were dynamic, constantly evolving to reflect changing cultural, political, and religious realities. Therefore, it is a myth to think that ancient myths were fixed, unchanging stories. Instead, they were ever-shifting, adapting to the needs and beliefs of the societies that created them.

Through carrying out your own research project, you will begin to explore the ways in which ancient myths were constructed and used, and will gain a deeper understanding of the societies that created them and the values and beliefs that shaped their world. The following three questions of increasing complexity might be a good starting off point—or you can come up with your own:

You may wish to think about how historians might deal with mythology. For example, do they take it at face value or do they critically examine potential benefits to people starting to tell these stories? Is it more complicated than that? Is it always clear that mythology has a “practical” function? Can mythology have multiple meanings? Are these meanings always accessible to us now?

Time

The concept of time has been central to human experience since the dawn of civilization. In the ancient world, time was perceived and understood in a multitude of ways, reflecting the cultural, religious, and philosophical beliefs of the societies that created them. The way people thought about time was not static, but changed and evolved over time, reflecting shifting cultural and technological realities. While we may think of time as a linear and measurable quantity, ancient people had a different experience shaped by their cultural, religious, and philosophical beliefs. The ancient perception of time was often cyclical and interconnected with other natural phenomena, such as the movement of the stars, and the cycles of the seasons. Far from objective and universal, the ancient perception of time was different from our own and was deeply subjective and culturally specific. Through your research project, you will explore the various ways in which the concept of time was understood and perceived in the ancient world, and gain a deeper understanding of how this impacted the culture and practices of ancient society. The following three questions of increasing complexity might be a good starting off point—or you can come up with your own.

You may wish to consider the practicalities of the various timekeeping methods, for example would people have needed to go to a specific place to find out the exact time? Was exact time important at all? How would this impact you if you were making plans?

You may wish reflect on how the ancient experience of time differs from our own and the impacts of those differences on each society. For example, in the internet age we are becoming used to instant gratification because of the widespread availability of immediate information and communication. Has this impacted how we perceive time and the act of waiting? How does this compare to the experience of ancient people, used to ‘slower’ technologies?

You may wish to consider the role that mythology played in ancient religion and society. Think also about the ways in which mythology changed across time. Do you think certain groups believed it more than others? If people didn’t believe in the stories, how did they fit into their lives if at all?

You may wish to consider how various groups create their own mythology at certain points in their histories, or how people associated themselves with certain myths while rejecting others.

You may wish to consider the mythology surrounding time- how is it represented and what are the key take-aways of those stories? You may also want to look into the technologies ancient people employed to tell the time- this includes the time of year and dates as well as times of day.