When and where did you learn about Greek/roman and others mythology?

Well, I’m 50 and was educated in the U.K. from when I was 6 (so 1981 onwards). Greek and Norse myths were briefly mentioned in primary school, and then I started doing Latin at school when I was 8 and then Greek when I was 9. Both classes mentioned Greek myths extensively, so I read about them mostly in books by Roger Lancelyn Green, and that’s basically where I got all my basic mythological education.

(Prior to this in South Korea, I of course had zero exposure to Greek or Norse myths.)

Roger Lancelyn Green was one of the Inklings - the guys who hung out in the Eagle and Child pub in Oxford with C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien - and his stock in trade was retelling myths in well-written if somewhat biased books for kids, so he covered Greek/Roman myths (including the Iliad and the Odyssey), Norse myth, King Arthur, Robin Hood, and Egyptian myths. Rosemary Sutcliff then filled me in on Fionn Mac Cumhail, the Roman occupation of Britain, and the historicity of King Arthur. I got bits and pieces of Welsh myth from other novels and stories such as The Owl Service by Alan Garner.

Later classics studies at school meant I read a certain amount of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid in their original languages, as well as some classic Greek plays (Oedipus Rex, Antigone, Alcestis etc.) and Herodotus and Livy’s dubious semi-historical myths such as Gyges and Horatius (though of course the story of Brennus and “Vae victis!” is an extremely important myth and clue to the Roman psyche).

We covered Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse myths in elementary school, like 2nd-8th grade. Also picked up a little African myths in 7th-8th grade.

Johnathan

Earliest memories are Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans and the Colliers Junior Classics Legends of Long Ago.

Mum was into Egyptology in the 70s so the names of Amun-Ra, Horus, Anubis were heard in our house

and of course Fairytales are also Mythology - so from birth

Not really sure. They’ve always been there. Comic books as a little kid. Norse and a smattering of Greek with Thor and Hercules. Movies as a little kid. Mostly Greek with Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans among so many others. D&D books of course. Various books on mythology growing up. Almost did a history or classics degree because of it.

Just remembered more stuff.

There was (is?) a series of books that abridged the classics. (Polidoro) One of these was about Greek Myths. I read it at around 9 or 10 in a local library.
Later on there was an animated series about Greek Myths on Discovery Kids (before they revamped the channel into toddler programming). It was heavily sanitized and they dumped an Aesop every episode, but it was good. At least they kept Icarus death.
Also I was like seven or eight when I caught a documentary about Troy.

As for Norse Myths, I'm not sure when I was first made aware of them. I guess there were lots of small references through cartoons and some movies. (Like the Mask and Gargoyles. One season of Saint Seiya had characters based on Norse myths now that I think of it, but they weren't instantaneously recognizable to me) Though the largest reference, ironically, was when I was like 16 and read a webcomic. (SGVY, now defunct)

K-12 schools. Some literature mention, reading and study. Some from science class for sources of names of planets, stars and constellations. At least one Star Trek Original series episode.

I remember growing up mum had kid's books on norse mythology, might have been some greek ones as well. I remember reading kid's books on Maori myths as well. No idea when I learnt about Greek and Egyptian myths. Some other cultures I probably have a bunch of wrong stories stuck in my head thanks to DnD.

trappedslider said:

So, at least when i was growing up in the school system (1990-2004 roughly), I had never heard any mythology beyond knowing the basics due to Disney movies, then internet memes, then the Percy Jackson and other related books.

But what about you fellow forum users?

Click to expand...

I picked up random bits that were worth looking up from early Final Fantasy games, like Asura, Bahamut, and Aegis.

That's in addition to a year or two of Christian mythology from the local church.

Being European (but not Greek), probably at kindergarten. Had I been Greek though...

What I find interesting is what I didn't learn at primary school. For example, I didn't hear of Beowulf until I was well into being an adult. Rosemary Sutcliff wrote a children's translation in 1956 but I never came across it when I was of school age. And local fairy and folk tales generally, I didn't come across. Given that Boggart Hole Clough is around 50 miles from were I grew up, I find that quite surprising.