Greek hero cult

Okay kiddo, so the Greeks had these big strong people called heroes who did amazing things. And long ago, people thought that these heroes were still around even after they died. They believed that the heroes could still help them and protect them, especially if they prayed to them and gave them offerings like food, flowers, and wine. That's what a hero cult is, it's a group of people who worship and honor a specific hero. They would build special places called shrines where they could go and leave gifts for the hero.

But it's not just any hero that could become part of a cult, only the really famous and important ones. For example, Hercules was a super strong hero who did lots of great things, like fighting monsters and saving people. He became one of the most popular heroes to have a cult dedicated to him.

People also believed that the heroes could do things like control the weather or heal people who were sick. So if someone was really sick, they might go to the shrine and leave an offering for the hero, hoping that they would be healed. It was like asking a superhero for help!

So, hero cults were a way for the Greeks to honor and remember the amazing things that their heroes did. And even though the heroes were no longer alive, they believed that they could still help them out in their daily lives if they treated them with respect and offered them gifts.