What place did the gods of Ancient Greece occupy in people’s lives?

Religion occupied a very important place in the life of the ancient Greeks. Religious beliefs and people’s daily lives were tightly linked. The gods were presented to people as living beings who could love, hate, quarrel, intrigue. Thus, in the religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks, anthropomorphism prevailed, that is, endowing nature, mythical creatures with human features. But these features were manifested in a more sublime and exaggerated form. In addition, the gods could contact people: help them, punish them, enter into various kinds of connections. Each god played a certain role in the hierarchy of the pantheon, was the embodiment of some sphere of life (for example, Ares is the god of war, Aphrodite is the personification of beauty and love, and so on). Thanks to the myths and legends that have come down to us about the gods of Ancient Greece, it is easier for a modern person to imagine not only the religious ideas of that time, but also to learn about the life and customs of ordinary people.