"Whether one looks at gods walking the earth, heroes killing monsters, or evil villains threatening society, the great mass of ancient Greek myths seems to overflow with colorful characters and stories. These tales were in a sense among the meat and potatoes of the classical Greeks' cultural identity. They felt that in certain ways their myths explained where they came from and to some degree who they were as a people"--

Young hero Bellerophon sets out to conquer the fire-breathing chimera and win the hand of Queen Anteia. The eighty-eight illustrations are all works of art covering several centuries.

Describes the ancient civilizations of the Aztecs and Mayans through their legends.

On the birth of Gaṇeśa, Hindu deity.

Examines the beliefs, myths, and legends of the Babylonians, including their creation myths and the epic of Gilgamesh.

Discusses the themes and characters of Roman mythology.

"This new series from Lucent Books helps younger researchers understand the role of mythology in major historical cultures of the world. Each volume explores the origins and cultural importance of a specific mythology. Presented in an engaging narrative that explains mythology as a product of the culture that created it, each volume details the major characters, gods/goddesses, and themes reflected in the stories. Volumes also discuss the impact of...

The mythology of Mesoamerica, which encompasses the general region of Central America, is a vast mixture of mythologies from many cultures. Yet even with so many cultures in the mix, each of the mythologies covers the same basic themes including those about creation and the afterlife.