Euhemerus ancient Greek mythographer
Euhemerus (or Euemeros) was an ancient Greek mythographer, who is best known for his work entitled “Sacred History,” though the original text has been lost and is known only through fragments and references by later authors.
Euhemerism, the theory named after him, suggests that the gods of mythology were originally human beings whose extraordinary deeds led future generations to honor them as divinities.
Historical Context: Euhemerus probably lived during the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BCE. He is often associated with the court of Cassander, the king of Macedonia (305–297 BCE), or with the court of one of Cassander’s successors.
Euhemerism: The central idea of Euhemerism is that the deities of various cultures were originally real human beings who were posthumously deified due to their heroic or beneficial deeds. According to Euhemerus, the stories and myths surrounding these figures were embellishments upon their real lives.
“Sacred History”: In his most famous work, “Sacred History” (Greek: Ἱερὰ Ἀναγραφή), Euhemerus claimed to have discovered an inscription on a golden column in the Indian Ocean, on an island called Panchaea, detailing the history of the gods who were once kings and heroes on Earth. This narrative provided a supposedly historical basis for the deification of humans.
Influence and Reception: The ideas of Euhemerus had a significant impact on both ancient and later thought. His work was used by early Christian apologists, such as Eusebius of Caesarea, to argue against paganism by suggesting that pagan gods were merely deified humans. However, his views were also criticized by some ancient writers for undermining traditional religious beliefs.
Criticism and Legacy: While some ancient and medieval thinkers found Euhemerism appealing as a rational explanation for the origins of gods, others criticized it for oversimplifying the complex nature of myth and religion. Despite this, Euhemerism influenced various intellectual traditions, including the study of mythology, religion, and the development of early anthropological and sociological theories.
Literary and Historical Works: Although the primary texts of Euhemerus have been lost, his ideas are referenced and discussed by several ancient authors, including Diodorus Siculus, Lactantius, and Ennius, allowing modern scholars to piece together an understanding of his theories.
Euhemerus’s approach represents an early attempt to rationalize mythology and interpret the divine through a human-centered perspective. This approach marked a significant departure from purely supernatural explanations of the gods and set the stage for later philosophical and religious debates about the nature of divinity and myth.