The Ages of Man: " Mythological, Socio-Economic & Scientific "

The first extant account of the successive ages of humanity comes from the Greek poet Hesiod's Works and Days (lines 109–201). His list is: • Golden Age – The Golden Age is the only age that falls within the rule of Cronus. Created by the immortals who live on Olympus, these humans were said to live among the gods, and freely mingled with them. Peace and harmony prevailed during this age. • Silver Age – The Silver Age and every age that follows fall within the rule of Cronus' successor and son, Zeus. Men in the Silver age lived for one hundred years under the dominion of their mothers. During this Age men refused to worship the gods and Zeus destroyed them for their impiety. After death, humans of this age became "blessed spirits" of the underworld. • Bronze Age – Men of the Bronze Age were hardened and tough, as war was their purpose and passion. Zeus created these humans out of the ash tree. Their armor was forged of bronze, as were their homes, and tools. • Heroic Age – The Heroic Age is the one age that does not correspond with any metal. It is also the only age that improves upon the age it follows. It was the heroes of this Age who fought at Thebes and Troy. This race of humans died and went to Elysium. • Iron Age – Hesiod finds himself in the Iron Age. During this age humans live an existence of toil and misery. Children dishonor their parents, brother fights with brother and the social contract between guest and host (xenia) is forgotten. During this age might makes right, and the gods will have completely forsaken humanity: "there will be no help against evil." The Roman poet Ovid (1st century BC – 1st century AD) tells a similar myth of Four Ages in Book 1.89–150 of the Metamorphoses. His account is similar to Hesiod's with the exception that he omits the Heroic Age. Ovid the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. Similar ages exist in the following histories: • Christian: Six Ages of the World, Dispensationalism • Hindu: Yuga (Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali - during each successive Yuga, there is a general decline in the morality and values of the society) • Mesoamerican: Five Suns • Modern archaeology: Three-age system (Stone, Bronze and Iron), with each of the stages further divided into sub-stages (e.g. Stone Age comprises Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic). This book gives the latest thorough compilation and discussion of these “ Ages of Man.”