What is the Greek afterlife?

The Greek afterlife is based primarily on ancient mythology from ancient Greece. The religion worshiped many gods in order to attain protection, wealth, fertility and other personal desires. For almost each human desire there was a specific god that could grant or take that away from a human being. Each god has specific powers and abilities that were used in accordance with the human desire they commanded. There is no real salvation outlined in Greek religion. Instead, the eternal destination one will visit is dependent more on status and deeds. However, opportunities are taken after death to escape from lower regions of Hades, or also called the underworld.

[edit] What happens to the human body after death?

The body is buried in a very specific way. It is preserved as well as possible and buried along with it are all the things that person may need in the after life. This could include material items and family members, slaves and livestock who were, at times, killed after the person died and then buried next to them so the deceased would not have to go through Hades alone. A coin was usually placed under the tongue of a deceased individual to pay for the passage from earth into Hades.

[edit] Elysium

This is the Greek version of heaven. It was thought that people who were virtuous in their hearts or real life heroes rested peacefully in the Elysian fields. In the Greek afterlife, the ruler of Elysium was Kronos, though that is a debated theory. Kronos was in Tartarus for some time before being released by the gods and placed as ruler in Elysium where he lived in a palace. Elysium was considered the highest place of Hades in the after life.

[edit] Tartarus

This was where people who were evil doers went after they died. It is the lowest region of Hades and considered very hellish by nature. There was torment and suffering for those who entered Tartarus, which was also the name of the ruler who is the equivalent of the Biblical Satan. People who fought against the gods and lost were thrown into Tartarus to suffer for all eternity there. It was possible for some to get out of this kind of hell, but it was left up to the gods and usually entailed some sort of a rescue mission.

[edit] Hades

Hades was, and still is for some Greeks today, the absolute destination in the Greek afterlife. It is the underworld where all mortals go when they die. There are three main levels of Hades which include Hades, Elysium and Tartarus. Hades was thought also as a deity called Pluto and was the ruler of Hades. Everyone not condemned to Tartartus or elevated to Elysium remained in what can only be called a middle ground of the after life – Hades. It has been suggested that people were placed in the wrong level of Hades by mistake or because they were kidnapped by one of the rulers of Hades. In the Old Testament of the Bible, Sheol is somewhat of a middle resting ground just like Hades.