Gaea's

The notion of a bygone age where people lived happier lives goes back at least as far as the 7^th century BCE during which time the Greek poet Hesiod presented a view of the successive ages of humankind, in his Words and Days, culminating in Hesiod’s own time, the Age of Iron.

Golden Age: Under the rule of Zeus’ father, the Titan Cronus, people enjoyed lives of comfort and ease without the miseries of old age. Death came to them like sleep. Eventually they were wiped out by a natural disaster (earthquake or flood).

Silver Age: Ruled by Zeus, people worked for a living and built house for shelter. They enjoyed an extended childhood but then harmed each other and neglected the gods. Zeus annihilated them for their bad behavior.

Bronze Age: In this age people made weapons and tools out of bronze. They waged perpetual  war. Their house were also made of bronze. Their violent lifestyle eventually led to their downfall. They ended up forgotten in Hades.

Heroic Age: This period was peopled by demi-gods with human masters. Among them were the heroes of the Theban and Trojan wars. Many fell in battle. Some found a posthumous home in the Isles of the Blessed.

Age of Iron: This race was born to work. Families fell apart and evil triumphed. Hesiod believed it would end when babies were born white-haired.

Taken from The Mind, Body, Spirit Miscellany by Jane Alexander

Related posts:

1. Myths of Human Origin
2. The Earth Goddess – Gaea

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