Ancient Religions & Mythology, PAR-SAN
What did our ancestors believe in? What myths and stories did they use to explain the world around them and find meaning in it? How have their beliefs influenced modern religion and spirituality? Explore these questions and more while discovering notable traditions, figures, and legends that figured prominently in ancient religion and mythology.
Ancient Religions & Mythology Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Parthenon
Parthenon, temple that dominates the hill of the Acropolis at Athens. It was built in the mid-5th century bce and......
Parvati
Parvati, wife of the Hindu god Shiva. Parvati is a benevolent goddess. Born the daughter of a mountain called Himalaya,......
Pax
Pax, in Roman religion, personification of peace, probably recognized as a deity for the first time by the emperor......
Pazuzu
Pazuzu, in Mesopotamian religion, the king of wind demons, son of Hanpa and brother of Humbaba (Huwawa). Adherents......
Pegasus
Pegasus, in Greek mythology, a winged horse that sprang from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa as she was beheaded......
Peko
Peko, in Estonian religion, an agricultural deity who aided the growth of grain, especially barley. Peko was represented......
Peleus
Peleus, in Greek mythology, king of the Myrmidons of Thessaly; he was most famous as the husband of Thetis (a sea......
Pelias
Pelias, in Greek mythology, a king of Iolcos in Thessaly who imposed on his half-nephew Jason the task of bearing......
Pelops
Pelops, legendary founder of the Pelopid dynasty at Mycenae in the Greek Peloponnese, which was probably named......
Penelope
Penelope, in Greek mythology, a daughter of Icarius of Sparta and the nymph Periboea and the wife of the hero Odysseus,......
Penthesilea
Penthesilea, in Greek mythology, a queen of the Amazons, well respected for her bravery, her skill in weapons,......
Perrault, Charles
Charles Perrault was a French poet, prose writer, and storyteller, a leading member of the Académie Française,......
Persephone
Persephone, in Greek religion, daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. Persephone......
Perseus
Perseus, in Greek mythology, the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa and the rescuer of Andromeda from a sea monster. Perseus......
Perun
Perun, the thunder god of the ancient pagan Slavs, a fructifier, purifier, and overseer of right and order. His......
Phaethon
Phaethon, in Greek mythology, the son of Helios, the sun god, and a woman or nymph variously identified as Clymene,......
pharmÄkos
pharmÄkos, in Greek religion, a human scapegoat used in certain state rituals. In Athens, for example, a man and......
Pheidippides
Pheidippides, legendary Greek hÄmerodromos, or courier, who is popularly believed to have run 40 km (about 25 miles)......
Pherecydes of Syros
Pherecydes of Syros was a Greek mythographer and cosmogonist traditionally associated with the Seven Wise Men of......
Philoctetes
Philoctetes, Greek legendary hero who played a decisive part in the final stages of the Trojan War. He (or his......
Phocus
Phocus, in Greek mythology, the son of Aeacus, king of Aegina, and the Nereid Psamathe, who had assumed the likeness......
Phoebe
Phoebe, in Greek mythology, a Titan, daughter of Uranus (Sky) and Gaea (Earth). By the Titan Coeus she was the......
phoenix
phoenix, mythical bird said to live a long life before dying and being reborn. The phoenix myth is known chiefly......
Phoenix
Phoenix, in Greek mythology, son of Amyntor, king of Thessalian Hellas. To please his mother, he seduced his fatherâs......
Piasa bird
Piasa bird, mythical monster depicted in a painting on a cliff overlooking the Mississippi River north of Alton,......
Picus
Picus, in Roman mythology, a woodpecker sacred to the god Mars. It was widely worshipped in ancient Italy and developed......
Pietas
Pietas, in Roman religion, personification of a respectful and faithful attachment to gods, country, and relatives,......
Pirithous
Pirithous, in Greek mythology, the son of Ixion and the companion and helper of the hero Theseus in his many adventures,......
pixie
pixie, in the folklore of southwestern England, tiny elflike spirit or mischievous fairy dressed in green who dances......
Pleiades
Pleiades, in Greek mythology, the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione: Maia, Electra, Taygete,......
Plutus
Plutus, in Greek religion, god of abundance or wealth, a personification of ploutos (Greek: ârichesâ). According......
Polymnia
Polymnia, in Greek religion, one of the nine Muses, patron of dancing or geometry. She was said in some legends......
Polyphemus
Polyphemus, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the Cyclopes (one-eyed giants) and a son of Poseidon, god of......
Polyxena
Polyxena, in Greek mythology, a daughter of Priam, king of Troy, and his wife, Hecuba. After the fall of Troy,......
pontifex
pontifex, member of a council of priests in ancient Rome. The college, or collegium, of the pontifices was the......
Poseidon
Poseidon, in ancient Greek religion, god of the sea (and of water generally), earthquakes, and horses. He is distinguished......
Prajapati
Prajapati, the great creator deity of the Vedic period of ancient India. In the post-Vedic age he came to be identified......
prehistoric religion
prehistoric religion, the beliefs and practices of Stone Age peoples. The oldest known burials can be attributed......
Priam
Priam, in Greek mythology, the last king of Troy. He succeeded his father, Laomedon, as king and extended Trojan......
Priapus
Priapus, in Greek religion, a god of animal and vegetable fertility whose originally Asian cult started in the......
Procrustes
Procrustes, in Greek legend, a robber dwelling somewhere in Atticaâin some versions, in the neighbourhood of Eleusis.......
Proetus
Proetus, in Greek mythology, a king of Argos, grandson of Danaus. He quarreled with his twin brother, Acrisius,......
Prometheus
Prometheus, in Greek religion, one of the Titans, the supreme trickster, and a god of fire. His intellectual side......
Prophets, The Lives of the
The Lives of the Prophets, pseudepigraphal collection (not in any scriptural canon) of folk stories and legends......
Protesilaus
Protesilaus, Greek mythological hero in the Trojan War, leader of the force from Phylace and other Thessalian cities......
Proteus
Proteus, in Greek mythology, the prophetic old man of the sea and shepherd of the seaâs flocks (e.g., seals). He......
Psyche
Psyche, in classical mythology, princess of outstanding beauty who aroused Venusâ jealousy and Cupidâs love. The......
Ptah
Ptah, in Egyptian religion, creator-god and maker of things, a patron of craftsmen, especially sculptors; his high......
puck
puck, in medieval English folklore, a malicious fairy or demon. In Old and Middle English the word meant simply......
Pwyll
Pwyll, in Celtic mythology, king of Dyfed, a beautiful land containing a magic caldron of plenty. He became a friend......
Pyanopsia
Pyanopsia, in ancient Greek religion, a festival in honour of Apollo, held at Athens on the seventh day of the......
Pygmalion
Pygmalion, in Greek mythology, a king who was the father of Metharme and, through her marriage to Cinyras, the......
Pyle, Howard
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator, painter, and author, best known for the childrenâs books that he wrote......
Pyramus and Thisbe
Pyramus and Thisbe, hero and heroine of a Babylonian love story, in which they were able to communicate only through......
Python
Python, in Greek mythology, a huge serpent that was killed by the god Apollo at Delphi either because it would......
pÄssjo
pÄssjo, the sacred area in a Sami kota, or tent, found directly behind the central hearth. Strictly forbidden to......
PÔhjanael
PÔhjanael, in Estonian folklore, the North Star. Before the influence of Christianity, Finnic peoples shared a......
PÄrkons
PÄrkons, sky deity of Baltic religion, renowned as the guardian of law and order and as a fertility god. The oak,......
Qedesha
Qedesha, in ancient societies and religions of the Middle East, a woman of special status. The exact function of......
qilin
qilin, in Chinese mythology, the unicorn whose rare appearance often coincides with the imminent birth or death......
QuetzalcĂłatl
QuetzalcĂłatl, (from Nahuatl quetzalli, âtail feather of the quetzal bird [Pharomachrus mocinno],â and coatl, âsnakeâ),......
Quirinus
Quirinus, major Roman deity ranking close to Jupiter and Mars (qq.v.); the flamines (see flamen) of these gods......
Radha
Radha, in Hinduism, the gopi (milkmaid) who became the beloved of the god Krishna during that period of his life......
Ragnarök
Ragnarök, in Scandinavian mythology, the end of the world of gods and men. Ragnarök is a series of events and catastrophes......
Rama
Rama, one of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, considered the epitome of moral virtue and royal conduct.......
Ramses II
Ramses II was the third king of the 19th dynasty (1292â1191 bce) of ancient Egypt whose reign (1279â1213 bce) was......
Ramses IV
Ramses IV was a king of ancient Egypt (c. 1156â50 bce) of the 20th dynasty (c. 1190âc. 1077) who strove through......
Rapithwin
Rapithwin, in Zoroastrianism, personification of summer and noonday, the time of the midday meal. The New Year......
Rashnu
Rashnu, in Zoroastrianism, the deity of justice, who with Mithra, the god of truth, and Sraosha, the god of religious......
Ratnasambhava
Ratnasambhava, in Vajrayana Buddhism, one of the five âself-bornâ celestial buddhas. See...
Ravana
Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons (rakshasas) and primary antagonist in the Sanskrit epic Ramayana (âRamaâs......
Re
Re, in ancient Egyptian religion, god of the Sun and creator god. He was believed to travel across the sky in his......
reanimation rite
reanimation rite, in Egyptian religion, rite to prepare the deceased for the afterlife, performed on statues of......
reindeer sacrifice
reindeer sacrifice, magico-religious practice observed by various Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic northern European......
Renenutet
Renenutet, in Egyptian religion, goddess of fertility and of the harvest, sometimes depicted in the form of a snake.......
Resheph
Resheph, ancient West Semitic god of the plague and of the underworld, the companion of Anath, and the equivalent......
Rhea
Rhea, in Greek religion, ancient goddess, probably pre-Hellenic in origin, who was worshipped sporadically throughout......
Rhiannon
Rhiannon, in Celtic religion, the Welsh manifestation of the Gaulish horse goddess Epona and the Irish goddess......
Rice Mother
Rice Mother, widely distributed and variegated figure in the mythology of peoples of the Indonesian culture. There......
rising sun
rising sun, in Egyptian religion, amulet conveying life and resurrection to its wearer. It was made in the shape......
Robin Hood
Robin Hood, legendary outlaw hero of a series of English ballads, some of which date from at least as early as......
roc
roc, gigantic legendary bird, said to carry off elephants and other large beasts for food. It is mentioned in the......
Rod
Rod, in Slavic religion, god of fate and the creator of the world. Ceremonial meals in his honor, consisting of......
Roman religion
Roman religion, beliefs and practices of the inhabitants of the Italian peninsula from ancient times until the......
Rudra
Rudra, (Sanskrit: âHowlerâ), relatively minor Vedic god and one of the names of Ćiva, a major god of later Hinduism.......
Ruhanga
Ruhanga, creator god of the Nkole (Nyankore) of modern western Uganda and the Haya of northwestern Tanzania. Ruhanga......
Rurik
Rurik was the semilegendary founder of the Rurik dynasty of Kievan Rus. Rurik was a Viking, or Varangian, prince.......
saivo
saivo, one of the Sami regions of the dead, where the deceased, called saivoolmak, lead happy lives in the saivo......
Salii
Salii, (Latin: âDancersâ), in ancient Italy, a priesthood usually associated with the worship of Mars, the god......
Salus
Salus, in Roman religion, the goddess of safety and welfare, later identified with the Greek Hygieia (q.v.). Her......
Samael
Samael, in Jewish folkloric and mystical tradition, the true name of Satan. According to tradition, Samael is the......
Samantabhadra
Samantabhadra, in Mahayana Buddhism, the bodhisattva (âbuddha-to-beâ) representing kindness or happiness. He is......
Sambation
Sambation, legendary âSabbath Riverâ beyond which the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel were exiled in 721 bc by Shalmaneser......
Samhain
Samhain, in ancient Celtic religion, a festival marking the end of summer and beginning of winter. It has been......
Sammu-ramat
Sammu-ramat was an Assyrian queen who became a legendary heroine. Sammu-ramat was the mother of the Assyrian king......
sampo
sampo, mysterious object often referred to in the mythological songs of the Finns, most likely a cosmological pillar......
Samudra Manthana
Samudra Manthana, in Hinduism, one of the central events in the ever-continuing struggle between the devas (gods)......
San-châing
San-châing, highest triad of deities in the generalized pantheon of sectarian religious Taoism. First in evidence......
Sanchuniathon
Sanchuniathon was an ancient Phoenician writer. All information about him is derived from the works of Philo of......
Sanguan
Sanguan, in Chinese Daoism, the Three Officials: Tianguan, official of heaven who bestows happiness; Diguan, official......