Even in ancient times, ancient Greece was recognized as a leader in culture, philosophy, and politics. When the Romans brought Greece into their Empire, they were highly influenced by their art, literature, politics, and more. They even integrated Greek religion into their own, syncretizing their gods with those of the Greeks and linking the foundation of Rome to the story of the Trojan War through the hero Aeneas. But it is not just the Romans who were influenced by ancient Greece, elements of their culture can still be seen in our modern world. Here are some of the most important elements of Greek myth and the impact they have had in the modern age.
What’s in a Name?
Many of the names made famous by the characters of Greek mythology have been repurposed and found new life in the modern world. Names, once reserved for deities worthy of veneration, are now used for your drinking buddies and sneakers. Sometimes, these draw clear parallels with their ancient forebearer, but not always.
We’ve all received packages from Amazon. The e-commerce titan—the word titan is also a Greek mythological reference—was named after the tribe of fierce warrior women. Have you ordered a pair of Nikes? They were named after the goddess of victory, who was considered a patroness of Greek athletes. Pandora, a popular jewelry company, is named after the woman who opened a box and unleashed evils into the world. I’m not sure what they were thinking with that one.
Greek mythology has also influenced what we call our nearest and dearest. The name Troy comes from the legendary city of the epic war, while Jason led a group of adventurers, the Argonauts. Helen is the name of the Greek beauty whose face launched a thousand ships. Phoebe was a divine titan, Penelope was the faithful wife of Odysseus, and Casandra was a Trojan prophetess.
Greek mythology is also full of striking visual images that have been transmitted into modern society. The logo for the fashion brand Versace is the head of the gorgon Medusa. More generically, the symbol for medicine is a staff entwined by one or two snakes, which may also include a pair of wings. The version with one snake is the rod of Asclepius, a deity associated with medicine and healing. If the symbol has two snakes and a pair of wings, it is the Caduceus, which originally symbolized wisdom and alchemy. While it was eventually connected with medicine, it was distinct from the rod of Asclepius and rather carried by Hermes, the messenger of the gods.
Reaching for the Stars
For those who look up in wonder, the Greek gods will be waiting for them. Although they are known by their Roman labels, the planets in our solar system are all named after Olympian deities and the primordial beings who preceded them. These were given these names in ancient times, and they have survived into the present day. Other celestial bodies, such as meteors, stars, asteroids, and constellations, also bear the names of Greek gods and goddesses.
NASA has leaned heavily toward using Greek names for its space exploration operations. During the Space Race, the agency had a number of programs designed to reach the moon before the Soviet Union. The first two were named after the Romanized versions of Greek gods: Mercury, after the messenger god Hermes, and Gemini, a zodiac sign originally called Dioscuri or the twins. The final stage in the program was the Apollo missions, taking their name from the god of the sun, healing, poetry, and many other realms of responsibility.
Are You Not Entertained?!
After a long day at work, nothing is better than relaxing with a TV show or movie. In modern times, Greek myth is a common theme in Hollywood. Sometimes, these are directly lifted from the original myths, including the television shows Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, the spin-off Xena: Warrior Princess, and the recent animated series Blood of Zeus. Greek myths are also common sources of inspiration for feature-length films, such as the epics Troy and Clash of the Titans, the action-adventure Hercules, and the Disney animated movie of the same name. However, for some reason, Hollywood always uses the Romanized version of the legendary strongman’s name rather than the Greek Herakles.
Sometimes the references are more subtle. The Coen Brother’s period drama Oh Brother Where Art Thou? is centered around a man returning home to his wife after a prison term in the Depression-era South, with the adventure taken almost beat for beat from the Odyssey. The sci-fi television series Battlestar Galactica draws heavily on Greek myth as a religion for its characters, and the Greeks also provide the name for ships, planets, and even pilot’s call signs. Moulin Rouge retells the Orpheus myth in late 19th century France.
In the world of video games, many have aspects of Greek myth as a part of, if not the core of, the game’s plot. These include the classic strategy game Age of Mythology and the stealth action game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, both of which use classical mythology to create the game world. The most prominent example, however, is the hack-and-slash franchise God of War. In the first three games of the series, as well as multiple prequels and spin-offs, Kratos, a thinly veiled version of Cratus, who was strength and power personified, goes on a murderous rampage against the gods of Olympus, exacting his brutal revenge on those who wronged him.
Comic books are also filled with references to Greek mythology, the most famous being Wonder Woman, an Amazon who routinely fights against and encounters other Greek deities such as Ares and Aquaman, the king of the sunken continent of Atlantis.
Athletes and Artists
The ancient Greeks were obsessed with athletic competitions, which had a profound religious and spiritual significance. There are a number of games and festivals held by the Greeks, the most important of which was undoubtedly the Olympic Games, held every four years. Performed in honor of Zeus, the king of the gods, and named after Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek deities, the Olympics would fall out of favor in the 4th century CE, only to be revitalized in the late 19th century as an international athletic competition. Like the ancient counterpart, the games are held every four years and have expanded to include winter sports. They showcase the pinnacle of human athletic skill and ability.
More generally, any fitness enthusiast who is compared to a Greek god will take the comparison as the highest of compliments. The name Hercules, the Roman name for Herakles, has become a byword for strength and power. In the World’s Strongest Man competition, a favorite event is the “Hercules Hold,” where competitors will test their grip strength by keeping heavy pillars upright, referencing the myth of the pillars of Hercules. Strongman events also feature the Atlas Stones, large concrete spheres that are lifted onto platforms, named after the titan condemned to hold up the heavens.
In ancient Greece, the gods were depicted as ideal figures, represented in statues displaying heroic physiques. In the late 19th century, inspired by the statues he saw on a family vacation, a young Friedrich Wilhelm Müller became fascinated by the proportions and musculature of the statues. Growing up, he devoted his life to achieving the same form as the Greek gods, using his flesh instead of marble. Changing his name to Eugen Sandow, he is widely considered to be the first bodybuilder. Today, the pinnacle of bodybuilding is to be awarded the Sandow trophy, which is presented to the winner of the Mr. Olympia contest, yet another connection to the home of the gods.
Like bodybuilders, artists since the Renaissance have used Greek myth as the subject of countless works of art, ranging from paintings to sculpture to literature. Visit any art museum, and there will be countless examples of Greek mythological scenes used as inspiration. For centuries, artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Peter Paul Rubens, Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, and many others have depicted myths. These include Cronos or Saturn, the Romanized name, devouring his children, Medusa, Leda with Zeus as a swan, the birth of Venus, and enough others to fill museum galleries worldwide.
Odds and Ends
There are countless ways that Greek myth has influenced us today, which have become so commonplace that they are hardly noticed. Giant and titanic, words used to describe things that are big or oversized, are derived from the gigantes and the titans, races of primordial beings that warred against the gods. When spending time on the internet, one has to be careful to avoid Trojan Horse scams, which might lead to the fall of a civilization or a nasty computer virus.
Want to study geography? Better consult an atlas, a reference to the titan who held up the heavens. Having a bad day? Maybe check your horoscope, a concept pioneered by the Greeks, who believed that the movement of the stars was a sign of divine control over the cosmos. Maybe it wasn’t the movement of the stars but rather a small flaw that led to disastrous results. The great warrior Achilles and his heel would certainly sympathize with this plight. Some people just have all the luck, and whatever they touch seems to turn to gold. This trait was shared by King Midas, and having the Midas touch is someone who succeeds at anything they try. This is a bit strange since the tale of Midas cautions us to be careful what we wish for.
These are just a few ways that Greek mythology still impacts us today. The scientific community, popular culture, art, and day-to-day life are all influenced by Greek mythology in ways that can be blatant and obvious but also so subtle that we don’t even realize it.
