Mythology

From the gods of Olympus to the heroes of Greek and Roman myth: explore Mythology with tailor-made sessions.

What’s on offer

• Greek myths: the creation of the world, the Titans, the Olympians and the great hero myths, from Perseus and Heracles to Theseus and Jason.
• Roman myths: the origins of Rome, from Aeneas and Romulus to the founding of the city, and the myths that gave the Romans their sense of destiny.
• Myth in art and literature: discover how myths were told and retold across the ancient world, in poetry, drama, vase painting and sculpture.
• Meaning and interpretation: uncover the meanings behind the myths: what they reveal about ancient beliefs, values and fears.
• Reading and discussion: bring the myths to life through close reading, storytelling and lively discussion.

The Twelve Olympians

High on the slopes of Mount Olympus, far above the world of mortals, dwell the twelve greatest gods of the Greek pantheon, the Olympians, who rule the heavens, the sea, the earth and the world below.

The twelve are: Zeus, king of the gods and lord of the sky; Hera, queen of the gods and goddess of marriage; Poseidon, god of the sea; Demeter, goddess of the harvest; Athena, goddess of wisdom and war; Apollo, god of music, prophecy and the sun; Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the moon; Ares, god of war; Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty; Hephaestus, god of fire and the forge; Hermes, messenger of the gods; and Dionysus, god of wine and festivity.

Together these gods and goddesses shape the world of Greek myth, interfering in the lives of mortals, taking sides in the Trojan War and driving the great stories of heroes like Hercules. Through their triumphs, feuds and love affairs, the Olympians reveal what the ancient Greeks believed about power, justice, love and the forces that rule human life.

What we can explore together

• Meet the twelve: get to know each Olympian, their domains, symbols and stories.
• The family of the gods: explore how the Olympians overthrew the Titans and took control of the cosmos.
• Myths and adventures: read the great myths of the gods, from the birth of Athena to the judgement of Paris.
• Worship and cult: see how the ancient Greeks honoured the gods through temples, festivals and sacrifice.
• Gods in art and literature: trace the Olympians through Homer, the poets, vase painting and sculpture.

Hercules

Stronger than any mortal and prone to terrible rages, Hercules (or Heracles, as the Greeks called him) is the greatest of all Greek heroes: a figure of superhuman strength, impossible labours and, ultimately, divinity.

Born of the god Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene, Hercules was hounded from his cradle by the jealousy of the goddess Hera. After a fit of madness drove him to a terrible crime, he was condemned to serve his cousin Eurystheus and perform twelve seemingly impossible labours: from slaying the Nemean Lion and the many-headed Hydra, to capturing the Erymanthian Boar, cleaning the Augean Stables and dragging the three-headed guard dog Cerberus up from the Underworld.

What we can explore together

• The twelve labours: follow each of Hercules’s tasks in order, from the Nemean Lion to Cerberus.
• The hero’s story: explore his birth, his madness and punishment, and his journey from hero to god.
• Characters and themes: strength and cleverness, suffering and redemption, and the favourite son of Zeus.
• Hercules in myth and art: see how the hero appears in ancient literature, vase painting and sculpture.
• Roman Hercules: trace his transformation into the Roman hero Hercules and his place in later culture.