Summarize the history of the Roman pantheon taking inspiration from the Greeks. The Etruscans, the ancient civilization of Italy, incorporated some of the Greek gods into their culture. In the 8th century B.C., Greek colonies were founded in southern Italy and shared stories of their gods with the Romans. In the 4th century B.C., Alexander the Great conquered the Hellenistic world and adopted even more Greek beliefs. This basic history will provide children with information about how the Romans knew about and incorporated Greek mythology.
Review the general differences between Greek and Roman gods. There are many thematic ways to distinguish these pantheons. Emphasize a few of the most important ones so children will remember the most unique characteristics and traits. First, Greek gods are beautiful in form, while Roman gods have no physical form at all and can only be imagined. Next, Greek gods are based on human traits like honor, love, and jealousy, while Roman gods are based on objects or actions. Finally, Greek gods are glorified as individuals, whereas Roman gods are praised as members of a political community.
Introduce the most important literary works for each pantheon. The names of specific authors and works may be difficult for children to memorize, but it is worth the trouble because references to both sets of gods will likely appear in literature they read throughout their lives. Knowing the names of the foundational texts will help them distinguish between the pantheons. For the Greek gods, the most important sources are Ovid's Metamorphoses and Homer's The Iliad. The most important sources for the Roman myths are Virgil's The Aeneid and Titus Livy's history.
Describe the most important Greek gods and their equivalents in the Roman pantheon. This will require more memorization, but games will make the process easier. Memory games can be made using flashcards with descriptions of the gods on one side and the name of the gods or an image of the symbols associated with them on the other. The most important to memorize, listing first the Greek god and then the Roman counterpart, are: King of Gods, Zeus and Jupiter; Goddess of Love, Aphrodite and Venus; God of Light, Apollo and Apollo; God of War, Ares and Mars; Messenger of the Gods, Hermes and Mercury; Queen of the Gods; Hera and Juno; God of the Underworld; Hades and Pluto; and God of Love, Eros and Cupid.