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

[MoonSong]

Apart from Greek and Norse, others I haven't mentioned other mythologies and where I learned them from.

"Aztec" Mythology. Mostly because the myths are widespread in the National textbooks, I also read one book where it explained it for children. Motifs are important in national archeology books of which I've read some -they are good inspiration for Dungeons-. Later on I took some courses about Codices and learned of the Calendar. Unlike other Enworlders, I have never read the D&D books inspired by it. So you might catch me flatfooted with references that are common among D&Ders.

Indian/Hindu/Vedic Mythology. A huge influence on me. I started late with this mythology. Mostly from the internet when I was in High School. I was first made aware by a short documentary series that mentioned Shiva as a side note -curiously making the classic mistake of referring to him as "she"- and a mention in a universal history book when glancing over India in Middle School. Got a lot of references through Yugioh cards, Final Fantasy, and the occasional anime. To date I've read the Ramayana and wish I had the patience for the Mahabaratha. Fun fact, I referenced the Atharvaveda when I was making my first Heartbreaker. I prefer to reference the Vedic period rather than the later Brahamanic era.

Shinto. As a good Weeb, I got parts of it through Anime, the aforementioned Yugioh (I love playing with Spirits), and the original Kamigawa block in MTG. So again in High school.


Mayan. Know very little. My knowledge is limited to the Popol Vuh and some minor quasi-equivalences with more Central Mexico deities. But since it was referenced in the same Mexican Mythology for Children that I mentioned before, I became aware of it very early on.

Egyptian. I started getting it through documentaries. And references in movies like Stargate, The Mummy, and a couple cartoons. (Asterix and Obelix, and one weird cartoon about some travelers that used a "charriot of Osiris" artifact to travel through time)

Incan. The Emperor's new Groove. And a short story in the national textbooks about Manco Capac emerging from a Mountain or something.

 

[Voadam]

I remember a fantastic colorful Egyptian myth story book that got read to us in library class in either kindergarten or first grade. I don’t remember the specifics but the art was amazing and evocative and Thoth is still my favorite Egyptian god. It might have had the moon betting story. Maybe Osiris Set Isis Horus cycle, simplified.

Daulaire Greek and Norse books were big for me in early elementary school, a friend had the Greek one in their house and I checked them out from the library. I then branched out further in both from there getting more Greek and Norse myth books from the library.

I remember watching the old old Hercules cartoon pretty young, though it was not strongly connected to actual myths, just he was strong (from a magic ring?) and had adventures and fights and he was more of a good guy hero.

I had a decent basis in Greek and Norse myths when deities and demigods came out. An ok one in Egyptian.

 

[Tonguez]

I remember a fantastic colorful Egyptian myth story book that got read to us in library class in either kindergarten or first grade. I don’t remember the specifics but the art was amazing and evocative and Thoth is still my favorite Egyptian god. It might have had the moon betting story. Maybe Osiris Set Isis Horus cycle, simplified.

The idea of the Osiris-Horus cycle being read to kindergartners is mindboggling, but then I suppose its no more scandalously gruesome than many of Grimms fairytales.

RE Howard also gave introduction to a few co-opted deities like Set, Mitra, Erlik Khan (Turkic myth) and maybe Crom (Cruac)

Monkey Magic was my early 'deep dive' into Chinese mythology, although we already knew the concept of Taoist Immortals and the Buddha from kung fu movies.

Gunga Din and similar British Raj movies featured Thugee villains and "Kali Ma", were probably an unfortunate gateway to Hindu myth. With Hanuman and Ganesha representing the 'good guys'

I first learnt about the god Tlaloc when my mother was reading the novel Aztec by Gary Jennings, which includes details of human sacrifice. Quetzalcoatl came in soon after, along with the DnD depiction of feather serpents

I also think my introduction to Amaterasu was via DnD, I can still see the famous paintings of Izanami and Izanagi and Amaterasu though, so maybe it was those images instead

 

[Maxperson]

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?

I read mythology books when I was 8 or 9. When I hit junior high and high school years I read much more about the mythologies of many different cultures. I even had a mythology class as an elective in high school(1988), which I aced since I already knew everything that would be covered and more.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I was hooked and picked up a copy of D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths at the local public library shortly thereafter and read it cover to cover. Later, I think in second grade, I found a book of Norse mythology at the school library and gobbled that up as well.

Also got hooked on D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths when I was a kid, somewhere in the range of 7-8 years old. Soon followed by the Book of Norse Myths. To this day, I adore those two books.

 

[MoonSong]

I read mythology books when I was 8 or 9. When I hit junior high and high school years I read much more about the mythologies of many different cultures. I even had a mythology class as an elective in high school(1988), which I aced since I already knew everything that would be covered and more.

I made an oral presentation on Greek Mythology for an English course. All of this basically pre-internet. (Ok, there was internet, but it was before Wikipedia was a thing)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

We learned Greek mythology in highschool, and little bits in elementary school (along with the greek alphabet).

But Irish, Welsh, and Norse, mythology, i learned on my own in libraries and book stores and online from highschool onward.

 

[Tonguez]

I made an oral presentation on Greek Mythology for an English course. All of this basically pre-internet. (Ok, there was internet, but it was before Wikipedia was a thing)

heh, so young!
many of us remember the age before PCs, wikipedia is modern times!

 

[Ryujin]

heh, so young!
many of us remember the age before PCs, wikipedia is modern times!

And who would have ever guessed that my library search skills translated so well to computers?

 

[Hriston]

Also got hooked on D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths when I was a kid, somewhere in the range of 7-8 years old. Soon followed by the Book of Norse Myths. To this day, I adore those two books.

I missed their book of Norse mythology and only found out about it much later (I still haven't read it and learned about Norse mythology from another source.), but their Greek mythology book had a huge influence on me. The art, although not of a style I particularly enjoy, was very interesting to me and colored how I imagine the Greek myths up to the present.