Classics Daily: Is Mythology a made-up subject?.
Blogosphere ~ Is Mythology a made-up subject?
quidquid bene dictum est ab ullo, meum est
quidquid bene dictum est ab ullo, meum est
Classics Daily: Is Mythology a made-up subject?.
rogueclassicism 
Mythology – like folklore, fairy tales, and legends – carries fragments of the history and knowledge of ancient and prehistoric cultures. Oral tradition was used to record the lives of people and their communities long before there was literary tradition. Celtic bards memorized poems which told tales of heroes and villains, and escapades of their nations. When memorizing an entire cultures history, it is easier to symbolize groups with one character; for example, Hercules is a character in Greek mythology who represents Herculaneum. His trials were struggles the city went through. So I would say that mythology is not only a real subject, it is an important one. Decoding the stories and symbols accurately requires knowledge of history, climatology, human migration, and astronomy. So mythology also interfaces with other important subjects. Check out Once Upon a Time: The World of Symbols blog for some great info.