Philosopher
Euhemerus
Overview
Euhemerus (; also spelled Euemeros or Evemerus; Ancient Greek: Εὐήμερος Euhēmeros, "happy; prosperous"; late fourth century BC) was a Greek mythographer at the court of Cassander, the king of Macedon. Euhemerus' birthplace is disputed, with Messina in Sicily as the most probable location, while others suggest Chios or Tegea.
The philosophy attributed to and named for Euhemerus, euhemerism, holds that many mythological tales can be attributed to historical persons and events, the accounts of which have become altered and exaggerated over time.
Euhemerus's work combined elements of fiction and political utopianism. Early Christian writers, such as Lactantius, used Euhemerus's belief that the ancient gods were originally human to confirm their inferiority regarding the Christian God.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Ideas Euhemerus discusses
- Eusebius
- Herodotus
- Hesiod
- India
- Chios
- Anacharsis
- Lactantius
- Augustine of Hippo
- Atlantis
- Xenophanes
- Plato
- Plutarch
- Myth
- Sicily
- Golden Age
- Utopia
- Zeus
- Macedonia (ancient kingdom)
- Agrigento
- Peloponnese
- Mores
- Crete
- Clement of Alexandria
- Diodorus Siculus
Place in the tradition
Part of Atheism.