Greek understanding of the cosmos ancient myths and science

Mythological perception of the cosmos:

For the ancient Greeks, the cosmos was not just a physical space but also the dwelling place of gods and heroes. Mythology played a key role in explaining the structure of the world and its phenomena.

Gaia and Uranus: According to myths, in the beginning there was Chaos, from which Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky) arose. They gave birth to the titans and other mythological creatures.
Hesiod's Cosmogony: Hesiod's Theogony describes the lineage of the gods and the creation of the world. He mentions how Zeus overthrew his father Cronus and established a new order in the cosmos.
Constellations and Myths: Many constellations we know today got their names and legends from Greek mythology. For example, the constellation of Orion is associated with the myth of the great hunter, and the constellation of Andromeda with the story of the beautiful princess rescued by Perseus.

Scientific view of the cosmos:
The Greeks made significant strides in understanding the nature of the cosmos and celestial bodies. Many of their discoveries and theories formed the basis of modern astronomy and science.
Thales of Miletus: One of the first Greek philosophers to suggest that the Earth floats on water and solar eclipses have a natural explanation.
Pythagoras and the geocentric model: Pythagoras and his followers proposed the idea of the spherical shape of the Earth and its position at the center of the universe.
Aristotle: Aristotle developed the geocentric model of the universe, where the Earth is at the center and all celestial bodies move around it in perfect circular orbits.
Archimedes: The greatest mathematician and engineer who proposed methods for measuring the volumes and surfaces of celestial bodies.
Hipparchus: One of the greatest astronomers of antiquity, who created the first star chart and discovered the precession of the Earth's axis.
Ptolemy: The creator of the complex geocentric model of the universe described in his Almagest. This model remained the dominant model in science until Copernicus.

The Legacy of Ancient Greek Astronomy:
The achievements of Greek astronomers and philosophers laid the foundation for the further development of science. Their observational methods and mathematical calculations had a great influence on subsequent generations of scientists. Interesting fact: The Greek philosopher Democritus was one of the first to suggest that the Milky Way was made up of many stars.