#Greek representation

[margaretkart]

Why is the West Obsessed with the Skin Color of Ancient Greeks?

It’s 2025, yet somehow, debates about the skin color of the ancient Greeks remain alive and... well, frustrating. As a Greek myself, I find it baffling how modern misconceptions about my country's history have reached a point where even our identity is distorted for the sake of Western narratives.

First, geography and genetics.

Greece is situated in Southern Europe, with a Mediterranean climate and population. According to legit records ,like anthropological studies, the majority of Greeks (ancient and modern) have been light-skinned with olive undertones, a trait shared across Mediterranean populations. Sure, there was some variation, ancient art shows people with different tones, reflecting interactions with neighboring regions. But the idea that all Greeks were black? It’s simply not supported by evidence.

Here’s some geography-backed context:

Greece is part of the Mediterranean, not sub-Saharan Africa.

Genetics studies (like those from the European Journal of Human Genetics) have shown that Greeks today have maintained strong continuity with their ancestors.

And because of the West's global influence, these misconceptions have spread to other countries. People from entirely different regions now parrot these false narratives, thinking they are historically accurate. Suddenly, Greeks find themselves having to defend their heritage against a world that’s been misinformed by media and pop culture. It’s not just frustrating—it’s harmful. It reduces our history to a battleground for other people’s identity politics while sidelining the true richness of Greek and African cultures alike.

This constant distortion has a negative impact on modern Greeks. Many of us are left defending our identity against a barrage of false claims. It also shifts focus away from celebrating the real diversity of history. why not care about actual African mythology, like the rich lore of the Yoruba pantheons? Why insist on fitting everything into a Western-centric mold, ignoring authenticity?

It’s exhausting to see this obsession continue in recent times. Representation matters, yes, but it should never come at the cost of erasing someone else’s history

[gemsofgreece]

https://x.com/OsheaJacksonJr/status/1856165129659797858

Here we go again :/ same excuses "Greek gods were mythology characters" "they could take any form" how are these excuses of a greek god to change it's ethnicity??

Gotta love how at this point they openly admit the stuff they make is gonna make people mad but they do it anyway XD

Look at the dude's profile pic though. The man is wearing a western European military uniform and thinks he fights for African heritage. Even if he does it out of reactionism, he still does nothing for the African identity. I hope regular African American people have started picking up on how counter-productive all this is for their very own identity.

Then again why anyone expects something good from Percy Jackson. The whole premise is that Greece became so lame the gods moved to the Empire State building. So they can throw in your face, "well now the gods are American, African American Athena is just about right!". Saw a trailer, it looks absolutedy ridiculous with an American white kid in full inaccurate armour trying to appear menacing as an inheritor of ancient divine glory. Just for laughs.

[thegeekytaurus]

...None of these actors are Greek or Mediterranean

[olive-garden-hoe]

Greeks every time they see a Greek name in the credits

[laurenfoxmakesthings]

I've watched this before, but I got around to watch it again. I learnt a lot more about Greek culture thanks to this.

[dreamsandconstellations]

Song 21 be like:

[wordsmithic]

unpopular opinion but with the new tide of Greek mythology stories and retellings, Greek Cultural Sensitivity Readings are absolutely necessary. We are in 2024, with thousands of fics and retellings out there!! How is this not a thing yet?? There's vast improvement one can achieve by working professionally on their text with a Greek. I've seen it so many times!!

Also, duh, I'm offering the service BUT I want you to know that the situation with the inaccuracies of SERIOUS works is so dire that initially I didn't even do it for money. As a writer I just wanted to... fix things, to set a new standard for writers and the industry that sells us the most heavily Americanized pop-culture material and passes it as "authentic vibes of Greek mythology". (And of course there were writers who wanted to do right by their story and they had reached out to me. So kudos to them as well!)

Okay, but why does Cultural Sensitivity Reading make a vast difference and it's not just smoke and mirrors?

As a Greek, I am tired of well-meaning writers and authors butchering very basic elements of my culture. It's not their fault exactly, since they were raised in another culture with a different perspective. And nobody clued them in on how different Greek culture is from theirs, so writers sometimes assume that their culture is the default and they project that into ancient Greece. (Even published professionals like Madeline Miller have written "UK or US in antiquity" (with a very colonialist flavor) instead of writing "Ancient Greece". (Looking at you, Circe!)

Even writers who researched a lot before coming to me still had a lot of misinformation or wrong information in their text, easily verifiable by the average Greek. Again, not their fault. They can only access certain information, which does not include Greek scholarly work and scientific articles that DO offer valuable context.

Translation, accuracy, and meaning: If you ever wondered what a word means or how to pronounce it, here's your chance! There are Greeks like me who are knowledgeable and have a keen interest in antiquity and they will be able to read and compare ancient texts, and dive deeper into the work of Greek scholars regarding those texts.

If you want to create new words, you can do that as well! (It doesn't always work, but we can try. Greek is a really rich language and has a word about everything) If you use existing words, I can help you separate reality from fantasy in the context of your story.

(Do not assume we Greeks are ignorant of our heritage, or that we don't know how to research! Our archaeology sector is huge and archaeological museums are closer to most of us than your local Target is to you)

I guarantee there are things you never thought about Greece and the Mediterranean - from the ancient to the modern era. Sprinkling elements like phrases, types of interactions, customs, songs, instruments, dances, etc , into your text will make your text absolutely rich in culture.

Names matter!!! The genders of the names matter, diminutives matter (If I see one more "Perse" for Persephone I will claw my eyes out along with a few thousand Greeks), naming traditions matter!!! In many cases you should not even use a diminutive!!

You will be able to write about a foreign culture easily! Because of the continuity of Greek culture, you can even write a few more recent Greek elements to fill in the gaps. I can make sure they are not mismatched, and they will complement your ancient setting. I have observed a few things I didn't know we had since antiquity, but they make sense because our land has certain characteristics.

Non-Greek writers often miss the whole context of Greek culture! Do you know how Greek respect towards deities and parents looks like? What tones we use when we talk to our elders? When to use honorific plural - if your setting is more modernized?

Oh, and please let's avoid caricatures when describing Greeks?? (even fantasy Greeks) There can be heavy exotisation and odd descriptions of Greeks, as if we are another species. Even in published works. For many western writers it's difficult to catch, unfortunately.

The whole process is actually way easier than you think. You send me a text, I make notes and then we have some discussion on your vision.

It's always okay to seek guidance from the locals! You are not "guilty" when you admit you don't know! How can you know if you don't ask?? You can't imagine what relief and "πάλι καλά!!!" I read/see from other Greeks when I tell them another foreigner is using me for cultural sensitivity? Greeks want you to seek help and will NOT shame you for it!

(On the contrary, you have no idea how many eye-rolls Greeks do when they see a blatantly wrong thing in a story... Which has happened pretty often for many years now. Can we do better as an industry?? Please???)

You can send me a personal message to share your story, or ask what this whole cultural sensitivity thing is all about, or ask about what I have done so far and how I can help. But for the love of all that's good, don't let your story be another "generic greek myth retelling"! And don't let others sell you their generic greek myth retellings!!

[matt-w-blogging]

Why you should watch KAOS (2024) on Neftlix:

- Jeff Goldblum as Zeus

- Disabled actors play disabled characters (Mat Fraser & another secret one [because spoilers])

- A trans actor plays a trans character (I won't say which one since it's kind of a spoiler)

- Set in modern times, uses characters from old myths but isn't a simple retelling; it's a whole new story

- All your favs are there (Prometheus, Daedalus, Persephone, Dionysus, Cassandra, Medusa, Charon, Ariadne, the Fates, the Furies, just to name a few)

- Speaking of Persephone, she and Hades are actually in love (the version of the myth which I know much of you love)

- Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss Hera (as in, she literally does all those things)

- The gods' actors' ages actually make sense, they didn't cast solely young people or make young people look older; you've got Zeus (72), Hera (63), Hades (61), Persephone (56), Poseidon (56), Dionysus (27), you get the idea

- Killer soundtrack

- Actual realistic queer characters/representation in a natural, unforced way

- Enjoyable story and comedic but also has depth (I binge-watched it in a day)

- Not a huge commitment (8 episodes of about 50 minutes each)

- Have you ever thought "What would the Ancient Greek gods be doing in modern times?" This show answers that question!

- It wasn't renewed for a second season due to viewership, so if the views explode, maybe they'll renew it and I can find out what happens next (I know it's not likely, but I can dream; besides, if just one person watches and enjoys it, then this post will have been worth it)

[margaretkart]

The Double Standard in Depicting Greek Gods

It’s honestly baffling how people will bend over backward to justify changing the ethnicity of Greek gods while acknowledging that it would be wrong for other deities. The excuses? “The gods have many interpretations!” or “They’re universal concepts!” But here’s the thing—the Ancient Greeks never portrayed their gods as anything other than Greek. That’s a fact.

Now imagine if someone depicted Guan Yu, a major Chinese deity, as a Black man. Or if Thor, a Norse god, was drawn as a South Asian man. Or if Anubis, an Egyptian deity, was suddenly given blonde hair and blue eyes. People would immediately call it out as disrespectful, inaccurate, and erasing cultural history. And they’d be right. So why is it that when it comes to Greek gods, suddenly everything is up for interpretation?

1. "The Greeks themselves had different depictions!"

Sure, different regions had variations in how they portrayed their gods, but guess what? They were still Greek. Whether Athena was shown in Athenian or Spartan armor, she was never depicted as, say, Egyptian or Persian. Regional differences do not equal changing an entire ethnic identity.

2. "Gods are universal!"

Okay, let’s test that logic. Are Shinto kami “universal”? Would it be acceptable to depict Amaterasu as an Indigenous American deity? Of course not. Every pantheon belongs to a specific culture. The Greek gods were born from Greek mythology, created by Greek people, reflecting Greek values. They weren’t plucked from the void to be reshaped however anyone pleases.

3. "It’s just artistic interpretation!"

Sure, and if someone decided to "artistically interpret" African or Indigenous deities as white, it would be immediately criticized as colonialist erasure. So why doesn’t that same logic apply to Greek mythology? If people actually respected Greek culture, they’d represent its gods accurately instead of making them fit whatever aesthetic they prefer.

4. "Ancient Greece was diverse!"

Yes, Greece had trade and cultural exchanges, but Greek religion remained Greek. No amount of foreigners passing through Athens would make Zeus suddenly look Indian or East Asian. Just like how Egyptian gods stayed Egyptian despite foreign influences, and Norse gods remained Norse despite trade with other cultures.

Greek mythology belongs to Greek culture, just like every other pantheon belongs to its own people. It’s completely valid to call out inaccurate representations, and it’s frustrating that Greek mythology is treated as some open-source fantasy world while other cultures get to have their gods respected. If people genuinely admire Greek mythology, they should respect its origins instead of twisting it into something unrecognizable.

[gemsofgreece]

did you hear the creators of Arcane are making a feature film about Penelope of Sparta? the poster is beautiful, it’s more sci-fi esque but to be honest based on Penelope’s character design i’m confident that they’ll actually do pretty good in representing the mythos (also Penelope actually looks Greek which is a great start!!). this tik tok goes more in depth: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSYAXyYYU/

Hey Anon...... I'm not liking it

Everything about this looks like a red flag to me ... Looks like a cross between Hermione Granger and Pocahontas brought to your local american high school and then it's gonna be sci-fi??? I love how the TikToker says that it will obviously be heavily inspired by Greek Mythology. I am interested to see exactly what's going to be Greek about this... the title? XD

Jk I'm not interested at all tbh

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

2,000-Year-Old Fayum Portraits from Roman Egypt: also known as "mummy portraits," these funerary paintings were often fastened to the coffins of the people they depicted

Above: Fayum portrait of a woman from Roman-occupied Egypt, c.100-110 CE

Fayum portraiture was a popular funerary practice among the upper-class families of Roman Egypt from about 50 CE to 250 CE. Given the high mortality rates for children during this period, many of these portraits depict children and youths, but adults were often featured, too.

Above: portrait of a youth wearing a golden wreath, c.130-150 CE; the wreath and the background of the portrait are both gilded

The population of the Faiyum Delta, where most of these portraits were found, largely contained individuals with both native Egyptian/North African and Greek heritage. The Greek lineages can be traced back to the Ptolemaic period, when the Greeks gained control of Egypt and began to establish settlements throughout the region, gradually leading to a cultural diffusion between the Greek and Egyptian populations. The Romans eventually took control of Egypt in 31 CE, absorbing it into the Roman Empire and colonizing much of North Africa, but the demographics of the Faiyum Delta remained largely unchanged.

Above: portrait of a man with a mole on his nose, c.130-150 CE

Many of these Fayum portraits reflect the same blend of ethnic and cultural roots, depicting individuals with both Greek and native Egyptian heritage (a claim that is supported by both archaeological and genetic evidence). Some portraits may also depict native Egyptians who did not have any European ancestry, but had been integrated into Greco-Roman society.

Above: portrait of a bearded man, c.170-180 CE

These representations of native Egyptians provide us with unique insights into the actual demographics of Roman-occupied Egypt (and the ancient world at large). Non-European peoples are rarely included in depictions of the classical world; it's also interesting to see the blend of cultural elements that these portraits represent.

Above: portrait of a priest of Serapis, c.140-160 CE; the man in this portrait is shown wearing a fillet/crown that bears the seven-pointed star of the Greco-Egyptian god, Serapis

As this article explains:

In the 1800s and early 1900s, Western art historians didn’t know what to make of these portraits. Scholars of Roman history labeled them Egyptian. Scholars of Egyptian history labeled them Greco-Roman. These binary academic classifications failed to capture the true complexity of the ancient (or, indeed, modern) Mediterranean. In reality, Fayum portraits are a syncretic form, merging Egyptian and Greco-Roman art and funerary practices. They reflect the cosmopolitanism of both Roman and Egyptian history.

Above: portrait of a man, c.80-100 CE (left); portrait of a bearded officer, sometimes referred to as "Perseus," c.130-175 CE (right)

Above: portrait of a young woman in red, c.90-120 CE

Nearly 1,000 of these portraits are currently known to exist.

Above: portrait of a man wearing a gilded ivy wreath, c.100-150 CE

Above: portrait of a bearded man, c.150-170 CE

Sources & More Info:

Curationist: Fayum Portraits

Harvard Art Museums: Giving the Dead their Due: an Exhibition Re-Examines Funerary Portraits from Roman Egypt

Getty Museum: APPEAR Project

Getty Museum: Faces of Roman Egypt

National Geographic: Ancient Egypt's Stunning, Lifelike Mummy Portraits

The Athens Centre: The Myth of Whiteness in Classical Sculpture

Forbes: Whitewashing Ancient Statues: Whiteness, Racism and Color in the Ancient World

[chimeride]

Lernean Crab, the 245th Known One.

[h0bg0blin-meat]

I understand Greek people who ask the Greek gods to be depicted as Greek only but they should not bring the Hindu gods as an example of how "Hindus would not like it if you forced racial diversity into their gods"

Because these two pantheons are not comparable on this particular basis.

The Hindu pantheon has a wide variety of skin colors, as do the Indian populations, ranging from pale white (Shiva, Saraswati, Gauri etc.) to extremely dark-skinned (Krishna/Vishnu, Kali, Shani etc.). Many gods also have skin colors that aren't observed in humans, and the color blue is especially found in several deities, as we already know.

Hindu gods also have hair color variety. Believe it or not, many of the earliest Hindu gods (in the Vedic era) were blond, like Savitr, Indra, etc. Most of them were also mentioned to have fair skin at the time.

Hinduism spread from India to the far east (Japan), the Southeast Asia, and even many parts of Africa, and majority of these cultures had their own versions of the Hindu gods, designed to match their races and ethnicities. Also we need to remember that "Indian" is NOT a race or an ethnicity. Majority of us are extremely mixed. So again, saying that "Hindus would not like it if they changed the Hindu gods' races" does not hold much water, (because Indians and thereby Hindus come in almost all races), unless someone culturally appropriates the pantheon or, say, whitewashes a dark-skinned deity, for example (but again that's something that even many Indian Hindus do cuz colorism :'D)

Lastly, Hinduism has been one continuous religion (given it has changed a lot since the Rigvedic period), so people have been interpreting the Gods differently in different periods of time. Back in the Rigvedic times Indra was a blondie, then we got him with black hair. Now in modern day I as an Indian draw him with say light blue skin and dark grey hair. So it's all subjective.

So yes, comparing the Greek and the Hindu pantheons in this case is misleading. Both these religions are similar in many ways, and share a lot in common in cases of both mythology and deities, but not in this specific case.

But again, like I said, if the representation is shabby, forced and lacks depth, the Hindus will obviously react.

[zippyskyfalls]

Isn't it sort of offensive to draw GREEK (aka Europeans with white skin) gods with different skin colors?

just saying, not trying to be rude

Okay, I'm gonna say this as a Hellenistic Polytheist, okay?

The gods... do not care.

I don't see any reason to portray the Greek Gods in a way that I'm not comfortable with. Can you tell me who I'm hurting here? Who does this affect in a negative way? In my experience as an immigrant, it is incredibly difficult for me to see American Latino characters in media. I see African, Indian, Western Asian, Northern + western Asian characters fortunately appear more prominently in western Media. but it's still rare to see Latino characters in media (at least in the media I consume)

The point is, I know what it's like not to grow up with Media that doesn't represent you, which is exactly why me and many other artists in the Greek mythology artist community try to have as much representation as possible with skin color, outfit inspiration, face shapes, etc

The only people who this is hurting are people who are used to having all media directed to them and are angry that they now have to share this with different demographics

drawings of Gods are just that, drawings. They represent the Gods that real people (including me) pray to and worship, but it is not necessary for them to be exactly like the bronze age naked statues of the gods that were invented in the BCE.

If you're pissed off that Aphrodite has dark skin, fucking cry about it.

[crowleysgirl56]

Just watched the final episode of Kaos, and HOLY FUCKING SHIT THIS SHOW IS PHENOMENAL!

I’ve said this before if you haven’t watched this show yet, get on it now it is SO. GOOD!

Now let us all sit back and wait for Netflix to cancel it 🙄