In History — What the People of the Ancient World Believed

Ever wondered what the people of the ancient world believed? How they interpreted certain natural events or circumstances? Imagine the terror felt by the people of early civilizations when the earth began to rumble, shake, or twist from a volcano or earthquake. With no scientific equipment, no way to share information, and a few written records, what could they have thought?

These early people had many ideas about what caused the earth to become violent. Most of these ideas involved actions of the gods they worshipped. These legends varied by location. Some of them seem humorous to us today.

Learned men from many civilizations believed that the earth needed to be held in place while the sun and moon moved around it. But what or who would be strong enough to hold it?

• One legend said the earth was circled by a chain of snakes. The ground trembled whenever one of the serpents chased its tail, hoping it was food.
• The Egyptians thought the earth was flat like a plate. Under this plate, they imagined a huge emerald. When the gods ordered it, the emerald shook the earth and its roots making an earthquake.
• Mongolians believed a gigantic frog held the weight of the world on its back. Each time the frog stumbled, the ground shook.
• The ancient Greeks believed the earth rested on the god Atlas. Whenever he shrugged and shifted his burden, the earth quaked.

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• Greek thinker Aristotle had a different theory. He said that gases escaped from within the earth. This caused CAVERNS to collapse and shake the earth.
• Another Greek, Anaximenes, claimed the earth shook when floods or droughts caused its surface to crack and break.
• The Greek sea god Poseidon was known to the Romans. They called him NEPTUNE. When he was angry, the story goes, he banged the floor of the sea with the TRIDENT he held in his hand.
• The Israelites lived in the ancient world too. They honored only one God. They called Him Jehovah or Yahweh. Like the people of other early civilizations, the Israelites thought disasters, such as floods and earthquakes showed their God’s anger.
• A Hindu MYTH said the earth sat on the back of eight huge elephants. The earth moved when they walked.

Thanks for reading.

Know any belief of the ancient world, do share in the comment section. Cheers!