
Contents
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Essential Characteristics of Greek Gods Essential Characteristics of Greek Gods
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Deification in Greek Myth Deification in Greek Myth
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Historical Deification Historical Deification
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Metempsychosis Metempsychosis
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Immortality of the Soul and Purity Immortality of the Soul and Purity
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Early Deification of Prominent Individuals Early Deification of Prominent Individuals
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Alexander the Great and the Deification of Hellenistic Kings Alexander the Great and the Deification of Hellenistic Kings
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Works Cited Works Cited
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1 Ancient Greek Cultural and Philosophical Background
Get accessIvana Petrovic, Hugh H. Obear Professor and Chair of Classics at University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
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Published:20 June 2024
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Abstract
After a survey of the Greek gods’ key characteristics (anthropomorphism, power, and especially immortality), this chapter provides an overview of the concept of apotheosis in Greek myth, philosophy, and historical reality. Deification was a fluctuating notion. Different aspects of divinity were emphasized in different periods: agelessness and immortality were seen as essential for deification at first, then immortality and purity, and finally power and bestowing of benefits on communities. In Greek myth, deification entails a divine decision to bestow immortality and agelessness on an individual. In historical reality, the rise of the idea of immortality of the soul created a new pathway to deification. In the Hellenistic period, deification as a process of bestowing of divine honors on rulers becomes common.
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