Mythology

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Definition

Myths are a part of every culture in the world and are used to explain natural phenomena, where a people came from and how their civilization developed, and why things happen as they do. At their most basic level, myths comfort by giving a sense of order and meaning to what can sometimes seem a chaotic world.

More about: Mythology

Timeline

  • c. 4000 BCE
    Earliest Egyptian Myths Recorded.
  • c. 3000 BCE
    Hathor, known as Mistress of Dendera, cult center flourishes in the city of Dendera.
  • c. 2500 BCE
    Osiris as Dying and Reviving God and God of the Dead appears in Pyramid Texts.
  • 2285 BCE - 2250 BCE
    Life of Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon of Akkad, and world's first author known by name.
  • c. 2150 BCE - c. 1400 BCE
    The tales of Gilgamesh written which inform The Epic of Gilgamesh
  • c. 1640 BCE - c. 1700 BCE
    Written form of the Atrahasis Myth of the Great Flood.
  • c. 1300 BCE
    The Myth of Adapa appears in written form.
  • c. 1120 BCE
    Extant copy of the Sumerian Enuma Elish (creation story) is made from much older text.
  • c. 826 BCE - c. 823 BCE
    Mahabharata likely composed.
  • c. 800 BCE - c. 700 BCE
    Homer of Greece writes his Iliad and Odyssey.
  • 753 BCE
    The legendary founding date of Rome.
  • c. 700 BCE
    Greek poet Hesiod writes his Theogony and Works and Days.
  • c. 515 BCE - 70 CE
    Biblical Book of Genesis revised, along with other Hebrew scripture, during the Second Temple Period.
  • c. 400 BCE
    Roman tale of mythical twins Romulus and Remus first recorded.
  • c. 400 BCE - c. 200 CE
    Bhagavad Gita likely written down from earlier oral tradition.
  • c. 30 BCE - c. 19 BCE
    Roman poet Virgil writes his Aeneid.
  • c. 65 CE - c. 100 CE
    The tales of the life and work of Jesus (gospels) composed.
  • 712 CE
    The Kojiki is written, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.
  • 720 CE
    The Nihon Shoki is written, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.
  • c. 807 CE
    Imibe-no-Hironari writes the Kogoshui, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.
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