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How did Atenism explain night-time?
Atenism was Egypt's state religion during the reign of Akhenaten. The religion considered Aten - the sun disc - as the supreme and only god, a radical departure from traditional beliefs.
I realize Atenism only lasted for a few years and probably…
yannis
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How did Odysseus's ship get wrecked, and how did Odysseus himself land to Ogygia?
I have tried to read Homer's Odyssey and commentaries to find out details about how Odysseus's shipwreck happened, how many men were involved and saved and so forth. It looks like the first book starts when Odysseus was already in the Ogygia island,…
MarkokraM
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Japanese Trickster Demons
Are there any trickster demons in Japanese mythology, I am aware of the somewhat tricksy Japanese god Susanoo-no-Mikoto, but are there any demons known for tricking people in Japanese mythology?
John Doe
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What is the Norse equivalent to the Great Flood?
I have constantly heard that every mythology has its own version to explain why the ocean rose after the last ice age ended(roughly 10,000 years ago). But, I have only heard the christian version with Noah, and the Greek version.
Andrew Johnson
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Are there any pre-Philostratus accounts of Apollonius of Tyana?
I am interested in the life of Apollonius of Tyana, but the account by Philostratus seems a little late. Are there any other accounts of Apollonius outside Philostratus, either before him, or independent of him?
Quus
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Are there religions with no concept of afterlife?
Are there any accepted religions that have never developed a concept for where individuals go when they die? (i.e. Heaven/Hell, Valhalla, reincarnation, etc.)
I only ask because I believe this to be the focal point of most religions: People's belief…
BobDylan
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Why can't vampires walk in the sun?
A very common trope in vampire fiction is that vampires can't walk in the sun, and will die if they try to. See, for example, Suicide by Sunlight on TVTropes.
Why is that? What is the origin of the myth?
Wikipedia's Vampire folklore by region…
Ouroboros
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How did the seasons change, according to the Romans?
In Greek mythology the seasons change because Hades takes a beautiful girl down to the Underworld, her mother weeps and while in deep sorrow it becomes winter.
What did the Romans believe for the change of seasons?
Young Guilo
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How did Pan die?
From bleh's answer in Can the Greek Gods Be "Killed"?, I learned that Pan is dead 1:
He returned no answer to the first calls; but at the third he replied, Here ! here! I am the man. Then the voice said aloud to him, When you are arrived at…
Girsan Virlee
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Why does archaic mythic literature undercut its own pretensions to explain origins?
The myth of Prometheus is commonly understood to account for how humanity first came to possess fire. Likewise the mythic content of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter is commonly understood to account for how the cycle of the seasons first arose. And the…
Brian Donovan
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How many sons did Zeus father through mortal women?
Heracles and Perseus were two well-known sons of Zeus fathered by mortal women.
How many other male offspring did Zeus father by human women?
How many of these (sons of mortal mothers) specifically do not have alternate versions of their paternity…
user28
10
votes
2 answers
What is the origin of the centaurs?
Can someone please explain to me how centaurs were created?
Does it seem weird to anyone else that we know about it, but we don't know the full story?
Aspen the Artist and Author
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Hittite story similar to the story of Jason and Medea?
The BBC History article Ancient History in depth: Jason and the Golden Fleece. BBC - History mentions a Hittite story similar to the story of Jason and Medea:
Thus the classic triangle of hero, dark power and female helper is formed, to be repeated…
yannis
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Are there any stories that present solar eclipses as a good sign?
I have been reading about solar eclipses and it appears most cultures view them as a bad sign. For example, according to the article Solar Eclipses in History and Mythology it appears that all cultures either believed solar eclipses are "bad" sign…
William
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10
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Use of the terms "Dīs" and "Orcus" in the Aeneid
The common terms used to refer to the Greek/Roman god of death are Hades or Pluto, yet in the Aeneid, the god of death is commonly referred to as Dīs. Further, the realm of Hades (the Underworld, which I've also heard referred to as Hades) is…
auden
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