Polytheism
the faith of the Lords of Kobol
Polytheism was the dominant religion of the Twelve Worlds, originating on Kobol and worshipping many deities known as the Lords of Kobol. Its faith shaped Colonial politics, ritual, and community, and stood in long opposition to the Monotheist belief in a single God.
Polytheism was a religion that thrived throughout the Twelve Worlds, originating on Kobol. Polytheists believed in many deities of varying prominence, each representing different aspects of human life.
The Lords of Kobol#
The individuals of the pantheon were called the Lords of Kobol, among them Zeus, Aphrodite, and Ares. The colonists believed that the Lords had ruled ancestral tribes on Kobol and had delivered them to the Twelve Colonies more than two thousand years earlier. They also held that service to the gods was rewarded with eternal salvation.
A faith woven through Colonial life#
Faith in the gods touched every part of Colonial life. Nearly everyone prayed to the Lords for guidance and support. Children were dedicated to one or two of the Lords at birth, and those gods were said to influence the child's talents, personality, and success. Funeral services called upon the gods to lead the spirits of the dead out of darkness and to grant them immortality.
Religion was also central to Colonial politics. Priests swore officials into office and served as advisors, prayers formed part of debates and votes, and the clergy functioned as a recognised body of government that influenced all the others to some degree.
A communal faith#
Colonial faith was communal in character. Temples existed on every ship, some dedicated to particular Lords or beliefs and others open to all. A worshipper could pray alone, but the group was always present. Faith groups shepherded one another through the pain of the destruction of the colonies. Before facing their enemies, soldiers broke a salt line and prayed together, and even the highest expression of faith was communal, captured in the shared affirmation, "So say we all."
Priests and oracles#
Two types of clergy tended to the believers. Priests were the foot soldiers of the Lords, keeping the temples, performing services, and caring for the faithful. Oracles performed all the functions of priests but were widely held to be something more, having given themselves to the gods and claiming to receive many gifts in return. Oracles sometimes took chamalla, an extract of a bitter root from a hallucinogenic plant. Nonbelievers often dismissed the visions that followed its consumption as mere hallucinations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Polytheism in Battlestar Galactica?
- Polytheism was the dominant religion of the Twelve Worlds, originating on Kobol. Its followers worshipped many deities of varying prominence, each representing different aspects of human life.
- Who are the Lords of Kobol?
- The Lords of Kobol were the deities of the polytheist pantheon, among them Zeus, Aphrodite, and Ares. Colonists believed the Lords had ruled ancestral tribes on Kobol and delivered them to the Twelve Colonies more than two thousand years earlier, and that service to the gods was rewarded with eternal salvation.
- How did Polytheism shape Colonial life?
- Faith in the gods touched every part of Colonial life. Children were dedicated to one or two of the Lords at birth, funeral services called on the gods to grant the dead immortality, and priests swore officials into office and served as advisors, with the clergy functioning as a recognised body of government.
- What is the difference between priests and oracles in the Colonial faith?
- Priests were the foot soldiers of the Lords, keeping the temples, performing services, and caring for the faithful. Oracles performed all the functions of priests but were held to be something more, having given themselves to the gods and claiming to receive many gifts in return, sometimes taking the hallucinogenic chamalla.
- What is chamalla in Battlestar Galactica?
- Chamalla was an extract of a bitter root from a hallucinogenic plant, sometimes taken by oracles. Nonbelievers often dismissed the visions that followed its consumption as mere hallucinations.
Sources
- WikiPolytheism — Battlestar Wiki entry
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Related entries
Twelve Colonies of Kobol
The United Colonies of Kobol, also called the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, was the interplanetary state that represented humanity from the Cylon War until its dissolution upon the settling of the second Earth.
Zeus
Zeus was a vast gas giant in the Cyrannus star system and the largest planet in Cyrannus. Two of its many moons, Hebe and Nike, possessed breathable atmospheres.
Kobol
Kobol was the ancestral homeworld of the Twelve Tribes and the Thirteenth Tribe, abandoned for over two thousand years and rediscovered by the refugee fleet during its search for Earth.
Algae planet
The algae planet was a habitable world orbiting a dying star, briefly settled by the Thirteenth Tribe and later sought by human refugees for its algae before a supernova destroyed it.
Atlas: Lord of Kobol who bore the sky
Atlas was one of the Lords of Kobol worshipped in the Colonial polytheist faith. In myth he was a giant said to bear the sky of Kobol upon his shoulders, and he gave his name to Caprica City's Atlas Arena, where a great statue of him stood watch.
Colonial Fleet
The Colonial Fleet was the naval arm of the military of the United Colonies of Kobol, founded during the Cylon War to unite the forces of the Twelve Worlds. At its height it numbered some 120 battlestars, yet a single Cylon exploit reduced it to two ships in the opening minutes of the Fall.
Mentioned in2 entries
God: the One True God of the Monotheists
God, or the One True God, was a metaphysical entity especially concerned with the evolution of humans and Cylons. Its worshippers, called Monotheists, held it to be the only deity worthy of worship, setting their faith apart from the polytheistic belief in the Lords of Kobol.
Monotheism
Monotheism was a human religion teaching of a single omnipotent and omniscient deity called the One True God. A minority faith across the Twelve Colonies, it was often treated as zealotry, yet its largest colonial home lay on Gemenon and its conflict with Polytheism recurred throughout the Cycle of Time.
Get new articles in your inbox
No spam. New lore drops, canon conflicts, and deep dives only when they’re worth reading.
Some links on Lore Fortress are affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.