Religion
The ancient Greeks all spoke the same language. They believed in the same gods. They shared a common heritage. They perceived themselves as Greeks. Religion was a mixture of old Minoan beliefs. Like all of those people, people in ancient Greece believed that there were invisible, powerful gods and spirits that could control what happened to you. Most people also thought that you could control those gods and spirits through sacrifice, prayer, and living a good life.The most important spirits and gods were natural things like rain and how plants grew. If you controlled these successfully, you would have enough food, and if not, you might starve. People also tried to control other natural forces like earthquakes, volcanoes, ocean storms, and plagues. And they prayed to win battles and wars. Usually whole towns prayed and sacrificed together for these big things. When an earthquake or a plague hit a town, people thought it must be something the whole town had done wrong, or maybe something the rulers of the town had done wrong, like King Oedipus killing his father. In your own family, you prayed and sacrificed for a sick child, a safe trip, or success in a race or at school. People who were slaves prayed for their freedom.