Are All Gods The Same?

Is there a god or many gods? Well, before Christ was born the belief was in many gods. This belief is also known as polytheism. Although it would be great to compare and contrast all the ancient societies that held this belief, three very different, but also similar ones seem to satisfy this topic enough. The three ancient societies that are being brought up are Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome. "Like literacy and government, the gods belonged to all" (Kishlansky 52). By comparing and contrasting these societies make the quote true, that the gods all correspond to one another in each society.

Before we go into detail about the similarities and the differences, one must understand and know something about each ancient society.

Mesopotamia was an ancient society, its people believed in and worshiped many gods. Their gods were like mortals, physically and personality wise. Each god displayed a certain responsibility and "every object and element, from the sky to the brick or the plow, had its own active god" (Kishlansky 13). The role of the people in Mesopotamia was seen as servants to the gods. They were to feed the gods in sacrifices, which was mainly twice a day. The temples, that they worshiped and sacrificed in, were the control of life in the city. No matter was size or shape all temples had the same necessary elements. "The Epic of Gilgamesh" helps display the ancient Mesopotamian society by showing how the people prayed to their gods, asked for help from them and worshiped them. Mesopotamians believe that everything is preplanned by the gods.

The ancient Greeks were very religious people. Believing and worshiping in many gods, they pictured their gods to be like humans, but with extraordinary strength and beauty. "The Greeks and their gods were old friends" (Kishlansky 49). The Greeks also held a good, friendly relationship with their gods, giving them offerings, asking them for assistance and in return showing their appreciation for the gods. They also believed that their gods offered them protection and guided their cities. A Greek city was protected by a deity that was worshiped in that city. The "Iliad" displays the way the Greeks lived and their relationships with the gods.

The ancient Romans believed in and worshiped many gods. When they conquered much of Greece they quickly portrayed the Greek gods as their own, "Zeus became Jupiter, Hera became Juno and Aphrodite became Venus" (Kishlansky 123). Their relationship with the gods was more public then personal. Cults were a big and important part of the Roman society. The Roman religion was based on cults and family rituals and prayers. They also believed that special rituals must be performed in appreciation of the gods' works. They believed that the gods influenced their lives and fates everyday. In the book "A World Full of Gods" we can see how the Romans went about in their lives and in their worshiping to the gods.

In comparing these three ancient societies, one must