Artemis: A Polytheistic Religion In Ancient Greece

The Greeks believed in a polytheistic religion. They believed in gods that would take care of, protect, or acts upon. One of the greatest goddess' was Artemis. Artemis was the goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, and the natural environment. In great myths, Artemis is found in the forest or in the river. The Greeks called Artemis, Artemis but the romans would call her Diana. During the birth of her brother, Apollo she helped her mom, Leto to give birth to him. Then, she became the protector of child birth and labor.

Artemis had a mom, a dad, and a brother. Her brother was Apollo, god of the sun. She had a mortal mom and her name was Leto. Artemis' father was the powerful Zeus, King of the gods. Artemis was the first born of
Leto hid where Hera couldn't find her and gave birth to Artemis. She was born in Ortgin. After Artemis' birth, she helped her mom, Leto, to cross the straits over to Delos. Leto then gave birth to Apollo in Delos. As she got older, she lived in the forest. She protected the wildlife and protected
Ephesus was a town named in Artemis' honor. The town would throw a a festival in spring in her honor. They also built a temple for her to be Honored in. Sin the temple there was a statue of Artemis in the middle of the temple. In bout 365bc Herostratus burned the temple down. Even though it was made of marble, the roof was made of wood. The roof melted the marble and it collapsed. The town of Ephesus still honored artemis for a couple more years after the destruction of the temple.

There were many great myths told about Artemis. One of the great myths was about Actaeon. Actaeon was out hunting in the forest. He saw Artemis and her sea nymphs bathing in the river. He tried to rape her but she got very angry. Even though he was hunting a stag, Artemis turned hem into a stag. Actaeon (the stag) ran away. Artemis then sent her hounds (a gift from Pan) after him. Not long after she sent the hounds after him, the hounds caught up and they killed him.

There are many gods and goddesses that have been born a god or goddess of some sort. Artemis was the goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon ,and the natural environment. She is the protector of childbirth and labor. Some people even called her the virgin goddess because she rejected love. The town of Ephesus was put in her honor and they worshiped her. Artemis is one of the greatest goddess' in Greece and