Euhemerism is an approach to the interpretation of mythology in which mythological accounts are presumed to have originated from real historical events or personages. Euhemerism supposes that historical accounts become myths as they are exaggerated in the retelling, accumulating elaborations and alterations that reflect cultural
mores. It was named for the Greek mythographer
Euhemerus. In more recent literature of myth, such as
Bulfinch's Mythology, euhemerism is termed the "historical theory" of mythology. Euhemerus was not the first to attempt to rationalize mythology in historical terms, as euhemeristic views are found in earlier writings including those of
Xenophanes,
Herodotus,
Hecataeus of Abdera and
Ephorus. However, the enduring influence of Euhemerus upon later thinkers such as
Ennius and
Antoine Banier identified him as the traditional founder of this school of thought.
