Poll: Roman vs. Greek Mythology

[Cakes]

Even in the late 5th century BC, Greek historians and philosophers like Plato and Aristotle began critizing these myths.
THE GREEKS THEMSELVES REJECTED THEIR OWN MYTHS.

If you equate "abandoned literalism" to "rejected", then sure.

 

[Stephanos]

K I give up! nobody seems to care as same general ignorance is comeing up again an again, don't quote me on anything, I dont care I should of known better to think anyone would listen on a net forum! epic fail

These people arn't ignorant they are a fountain of wisdom. I wish you would write more, as I am fascinated and actually do want to hear more (In PM if you don't want to post in the thread.) I don't know much about it.

Pre-Christian Roman Mythology is just an adaptation from Greek Mythology, so the question is somewhat redundant.

And if we're talking about Post-Christian Roman Mythology... Greek wins.

Rome founded rougly 1000 BC, Greek conquests in 281 BC. Christianity at 100 AD. Adaptation by constantine in 400 AD.

So, the Romans had no mythology for 700+ years, and greek only mythology for 300-400 years. Post-Christian Roman Mythology meaning strictly Christianity, as there is no half-way about being Christian. "Yeah I'm Christian I hold that Jesus is the son of the one true and only God, but on alternating weekends I give a tribute to Bacchus as I do love my wine."

I'm taking notes, I hope everyone else is, these people are enlightening.

I mean the differences in personalities, things that they represent, and the new Gods that Greece did not have is so minor it's redundant to compare them.

As far as I know, from the archaic period onward, there were Greeks in Rome, as in other Etruscan territories. Romans, or whatever they called themselves back than, were interacting with Greek mythology from the very start. Emphasis on interacting. They had ideas of their own about it, had their own contributions to make. Some rejected Greek influence, others embraced it, with every shade of gray in between, but it never was a game of copy and paste. Rome has seen plenty of creative writers, sculptors and thinkers of its own; they were inspired by Greek culture, but took it in wildly different directions.

Plus, there's far more to ancient religion than myth. Ancient religions were cult-based and myths served the purpose of explaining certain rites related to certain cults or could be used to probe the nature of the divine, of human culture, identity, etc. With changing times come changing cults, rites and ideas and likewise, changing myths. And this happened just the same in Greece, long before Rome even had an empire, which kinda shows that there never was a "Greek" or "Roman" mythology, as if they were two kinds of unchanging, monolithic blocks.

 

[GotMalkAvian]

I have to go with the original Greek with one exception:

Diana to Artemis - Artemis always struck me as more of a badass hunter, while Diana always kind of came across as a boring prissy prude. Granted, they were both royal prudes, but at least there seems to be more to Artemis.

 

[spartan231490]

Did Poseidon rule the sea? Or was it Neptune? Personally I'm more leaning toward Greek mythology but I need to hear you!!

I prefer greek, but roman is pretty much just greek mythology that had all the names changed. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but most of roman culture was heavily borrowed from greek culture, same with the mythology.

 

[Bullfrog1983]

They're the same dude.

 

[WolfThomas]

I find it interesting that in the Greek Pantheon Ares was a god to be despised and loathed. But in the Roman Pantheon he was one of the most important, in fact the Roman considered themselves the sons of Mars as he fits somewhere inbetween Aenas and Romulus/Remus.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Am I wrong but didn't the romans copy greek mythology? I'll find out in July when I take it up in university.

While much of Roman mythology was based on stories stolen from Greece, there were notable changes introduced during the transition between the two. As such, while you can often find a greek myth and a roman myth that deal with the same characters and follow the same general plot, they will be notably different. For example, Romans tend to exaggerate any earthly troubles in a myth and a wind storm on the sea in Greek myth would become a Hurricane in the Roman version.

 

[Julianking93]

I studied Greek mostly but from what I know, they're the same thing, just with the names changed a bit and perhaps a few events turned around.

I always went with Greek mythology more as it was the first I really ever got into.

 

[thylasos]

Greek Mythology as a whole, but I much prefer the Aeneid to the Iliad, it must be said.