Talk:Interpretatio graeca

Formatting

Before I delete a whole category, is there any cogent reason to keep the Roman Anglicization in the chart? Why not just have one Anglicized column with links to the deities? That way, users can see what the names of the deities are when they click on the article. As an analogy, we use "Natalie Portman" in articles, not "Natalie Hershlag". So why not just "Jupiter", and when they click on it, they'll be able to see "Jupiter (Lat. Iuppiter)" in the page. A similar problem exists with the Greek. Why is the Greek in Greek when it's not in other pages? Chris Weimer (talk) 14:20, 12 June 2011 (UTC)

Although there may be problems with the chart, its purpose seems to be to show how theonyms were either adopted (and Latinized, then Anglicized) or interpreted as the corresponding deity. That is, it doesn't show just correspondence, but also something about naming. Would you mind not making the deletion yet? I'll try to look at it soon, and have others who work regularly with the subject matter look too. I agree that what I see as the underlying use may not be articulated. There are some other problems with the article too. Cynwolfe (talk) 15:19, 12 June 2011 (UTC)

Yes, please hold off for now. Cynwolfe's points are well made. I'll need a good chunk of reading-time before I can even begin to wrap my head around this - I've only a small corner on interpretatio romana as basis for judgment - but at first glance, I doubt that an Anglicised list format could accurately represent what might be going on in each case; I think investigation and elucidation are called for, rather than further simplification. Haploidavey (talk) 20:43, 13 June 2011 (UTC)

I'm quite sure we can lose the links between the Greek names here, and their articles on the Greek Wikipedia. Haploidavey (talk) 22:12, 13 June 2011 (UTC)

OK, I looked at this a bit, and it isn't going to be quick to sort out. I don't have the patience for it at the moment. I'd leave the chart for now (with Haploidavey's point taken), because there's nothing terribly misleading about it, and it does point toward the issue of naming that's usually central to interpretatio. The "Meaning" column is problematic because it doesn't give the same kinds of info for each deity. The article just needs to be reworked with a few good sources. Cynwolfe (talk) 01:15, 14 June 2011 (UTC)

Mars & Ares

Why is it assumed that they are the same, of course they are both so-called gods of war. But if you put it this way, the only difference between Athena and Mars is the gender. I regret that I do not recall the title of the book where I've read that Mars traits are (very) different than those of Ares. Mars was to be a more heroic fighter, whereas Ares did not care how you achieved victory, only that victory was achieved. This also included very violent practices and perhaps dishonourable deeds. I will check on it later, but for now, can someone please tell me why Athena is not the equivalent. A source of Roman/Greek would do. In English. Mallerd 12:36, 27 September 2007 (UTC)

Athena is not the equivalent because the Romans did not associate her with Ares. The Romans co-opted and associated their gods and took Greek myths as their own. They associated Mars with Ares and Minerva with Athena. Maybe they were off, but it's too late to tell them that. Also, consider this: Roman attitudes of war were very different from Greek attitudes about war, particularly, pre-Alexander. What may be seen as a "just" and "unjust" war in the eyes of (certain) Greeks may have carried no such connotations with the Romans. Also it's important to note that some Greeks felt that war was "enough" for Ares; i.e. he didn't need or want the sacrifices given to other gods (animals, grains, etc); he wanted you to kill your enemy. But as you should know, views on deities changed over time, as did how you worshiped them. Views Greek and Roman religions were rather subjective. 64.191.211.54 (talk) 18:17, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

Interpretatio Graeca in Greek-ruled areas of India

I was wondering if anyone knows of any instances of Interpreatio graeca in the Graeco-Indian kingdoms. I know there was heavy Greek influence in Buddhist art in the area, but I wondering if there was any mingling with other polytheistic religions like Hinduism. 64.191.211.54 (talk) 18:11, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

Citations for verification

This article is in desperate need of sources, and seems to express a limited understanding of the subject matter. --151.201.149.209 (talk) 13:25, 15 September 2008 (UTC)

Egyptian gods

• Amun /Ammon = Zeus
• Ra = Helios
• Amun-Ra = Zeus-Helios
• Osiris = Dionysos
• Isis = Demeter /Selene
• Apis = Epaphus
• Thoth = Hermes
• Horus = Apollo
• Seth = Typhon
• Bastet/Bubastis = Artemis
• Hathor = Aphrodite
• Asar-Hapi /Osiris-Apis = Serapis
• Nut = Rhea
• Mut = Hera
• Nekhbet = Eileithyia
• Har-pe-khered = Harpocrates
• Hor-em-akhet= Harmachis /Böri (talk) 15:46, 27 February 2010 (UTC)

• Ptah = Hephaestus
• Neith = Athena

I forgot them! Böri (talk) 12:36, 9 November 2010 (UTC)

Interpretatio christiana

I was wondering if Interpretatio christiana should be integrated in this article as well... a term which covers the tendency of Christians either to demonize pagan deities or, especially in Iceland, to use Pagan Germanic myths to illustrate Christian philosophy. Simek's dictionary of Norse mythology has an entry on this, and it is true that this Interpretatio christiana is relevant to Norse mythology studies.--Munin75 (talk) 15:12, 17 October 2011 (UTC)

Interpretatio christiana is the subject of various scholarly studies, independent of those on Interpretatio Graeaca or Romana. Better, I think, that it has its own article; if you can find more sources than Simek alone (and they're certainly out there), perhaps you'd like to start such an article? On the following, I'd probably say "this looks interesting", if 1) I had access, and 2) my French was up to reading it: Interpretatio christiana. Les mutations des savoirs (cosmographie, géographie, ethnographie, histoire) dans l'antiquité chrétienne (30–630 après J.-C.). By Hervé Inglebert. (Collection des Études Augustiniennes. Série Antiquité, 166.) Pp. 632. Paris: Institut d'Études Augustiniennes, 2001. Haploidavey (talk) 15:25, 17 October 2011 (UTC)

This does sound interesting. Because it was applied to religions outside the Greco-Roman world per se, I'm inclined to agree with Davey. I see it ideally as a separate article (this one's already a bit confusing), with maybe a concise summary section here directing readers to the main article. If you start such an article, could you leave a note on my talk page? Cynwolfe (talk) 16:18, 17 October 2011 (UTC)