The afterlife and heroes travelli̇ng to the afterli̇fe i̇n anci̇ent Greek thought

Death has been the subject of people's interests, thoughts and experiences as much as life, so recognizing death is as old as human history. Human beings, who experience the realities of life day by day, have accepted that they will face the reality of death one day, and while continuing their vital activities, they have never lost their inquisitive attitude towards death and beyond. In addition to emotions such as losing a loved one, being alone, and suffering, it also indicates death and uncertainty. Perhaps what really frightened people was the uncertainty that death would bring. This uncertainty; It has enabled the formation of social experiences (familial, religious rituals, etc.) that will include other people. This formation not only caused different interpretations in many different cultures and from time to time, but also revealed the understanding of these cultures about the afterlife and immortality. In our study, which we created using the literature review method, we examined death, death practices, the afterlife and journeys to the afterlife in Ancient Greek thought, adhering to the limitations of the Ancient Age. In our study; Ancient texts were examined to understand the early traces of the idea of death and the afterlife; As death occurs, death and beyond are approached holistically and the details that develop in the process are included. A completely different world where the dead go and the design of that world, the descent, arrival, judgment and officials included in this design are discussed, the concept of soul in Ancient Greek thought is examined from a philosophical perspective, and then the change-transformation processes of the concept in the Homeric period and after are revealed. The stories of heroes who journeyed to the underworld in Greek mythology were compiled and similarities and differences were identified. Key Words: Ancient Greece, Death, Afterlife, Soul, Journey