Subject Guides: Classics: Greek Mythologies and Religion

Greek Deities

Greek Mythological Creatures

Understand Your Topic

The first step is to make sure you understand the topic. Identify the main concepts or keywords in your question to help you develop a search strategy.

Use encyclopedias and dictionaries for Classics to find definitions and background information

A Companion to Greek Religion (ed. D. Ogden)
Oxford Bibliographies Online: Classics
Annotated bibliographies by scholars
The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion (ed. S. Price and E. Kearns)
Available in print only
Place-Names in Classical Mythology: Greece (R. E. Bell)
Available in print only

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Find Books

The Library Catalogue lists books held in the Library's collection.

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Use Keywords or Title searches to find additional material
Use the Author alphabetical search (e.g. Herodotus) to find primary sources
Note that the Library Catalogue does not use abbreviated book titles. If your reading list uses abbreviation like CAH, you will need to type 'Cambridge Ancient History' in full
Click the Subject Headings of useful titles to find books on related subjects. Some relevant subject headings are
Browse the library shelves in the classification sequences for Greek Mythologies and Religion.

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Citation Chaining

Finding eBooks

Find Journal Articles

The Library Catalogue lists the print and electronic titles of journals held by the Library. Select the Journal title begins with search option and enter the full journal title

Sometimes the titles of journals in lists of Classics references have been abbreviated, making them hard to find on the Library catalogue. Here is a list of abbreviations along with the full titles that should be used in the Library catalogue

To find articles on your specific topic, use Citation Chaining and search in the recommended Classics databases

Journals:

Electra
Open-access electronic journal from the Centre for the Study of Myth and Religion in Greek and Roman Antiquity
Numen
History of religions, past and present

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Finding Classics Journal Articles

Greek Mythology, Religion – Central Library, Level 11

CE 42	Greek Calendar
BL 700–820	Classical (Etruscan, Greek, Roman) mythology and religion
BL 780–795	Greek
BL 780–783	General works
BL 785	General special
BL 788	Ritual
BL 793	Local, A–Z
BL 795	Special topics, A–Z
BL 820	Special deities and characters of Classical mythology, A–Z
DF 121–129	Religious antiquites of Greece – Central Library, Level 10

Find Websites: Greek Mythologies and Religion

Bulfinch’s Mythology (1855; Internet Sacred Text Archive)
Classical Art Research Centre: Dictionary (Oxford University)
Brief entries about figures in Greek mythology with images.
Classical Myth: The Ancient Sources (Laurel Bowman, University of Victoria [Canada])
Ancient texts and images concerning the major figures of Greek mythology available on the Web
Encyclopedia Mythica “Greek mythology” (ed. M.F. Lindemans)
Greek Mythology Link (Carlos Parada)
Extensive, well-organised site; includes biographies of characters (complete with sources), bibliographies of ancient authors' works, maps indexed by place name and a large collection of images
Oxford Classical Mythology Online
A companion website to Morford, Lenardon and Sham’s Classical Mythology, 9th ed. Includes glossaries of characters; words and phrases; maps. Access via the Wayback Machine.
Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean (Philip A. Harland, York University, Toronto)
The author’s podcast, websites, blog and publications, providing an entryway into social and religious life among Greeks, Romans, Jews, Christians and others in the Roman empire
Theoi Project (Aaron J. Atsma)
“A site exploring Greek mythology and the gods in classical literature and art.” Searchable; includes names in Greek, family trees, images from vases, and quotations from a variety of Classical texts.
We Could Be Heroes: The gods and heroes of the ancient Greeks and Romans
Website of the exhibition at the Teece Museum, May–October 2017. The accompanying book is held in the UC Library

Greek Mythologies and Religion

Ancient Discoveries – Machines of the Gods (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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Technology and machinery employed in ancient temples and religious sites.
Ancient Discoveries – Robotics (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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This programme brings us into the company of the most brilliant and prolific inventor in the ancient world. ‘Robotics’ explores the life and three key areas of invention of Heron of Alexandria. Beginning in the dark recesses of an Egyptian temple we will witness the awe-inspiring operations of his ‘miracle machines’, from automatic doors and magically suspended spheres, to mechanical singing birds, coin-operated slot machines and speaking statues – all designed to inspire wonder in the congregation and provide revenue for the priests. In Rome’s theatres we will then look behind the scenes at his performing robots from simple thunder and lightning machines to a complete robotic theatre that rolled onto the stage, performed a whole play and then trundled off. But, greatest of all, we will delve into the mystery of Heron’s steam engine, a working device that was not only the first steam engine in history but also the first jet engine.
Delphi: Why It Matters (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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Delphi was the centre of the ancient world. The site of the famous Oracle, the city spanned two great classical civilisations - the Greeks and the Romans - and attracted travellers from all over the ancient world. As well as visiting to hear the wisdom of the Oracle, citizens from across the Greek world flocked to the sanctuary to show off their riches and to boast about their latest victories in battle. Within Delphi's sanctuary walls can be read the hopes and dreams, victories and failures, confrontations and violence that defined an entire civilisation. In this programme Dr Michael Scott walks through the pathways of Delphi revealing the voices of the ancients that still ring loudly with every footstep.
Homer’s Mythology: Tracing a Tradition (Kanopy; 47 mins.)
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A complete discussion of the Homeric legend as the first significant record of Greek mythology. The programme emphasizes Homer’s relevance to modern literature, psychology, scholarship and popular culture. It analyses the characters in the Iliad and The Odyssey and summarises their myths and legends
The Lost Gods – The Greeks (ETV; 30 mins; History Channel)
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Investigates the ancient gods of Europe's first major civilisation. Explores the major sites and their associated gods, including the Palace of Knossos, the Acropolis, Delphi and the colony of Paestum in southern Italy.
Mythology: Gods And Goddesses (Kanopy; 44 mins.)
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Provides an informative and memorable introduction, lavishly illustrated with photographs, reproductions and original art. The programme introduces the ‘senior’ gods and goddesses and then focuses on the ‘second generation’ of Olympians: Athena, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Apollo, Ares, Hermes and Dionysus

Library Subject Guides

Classics: Greek Mythologies and Religion