Definitely the ancient Greeks. If I ever had to choose one ancient culture that had the best storytellers, they would always be my immediate first pick. The Greeks presented so many concepts and creative ideas in their stories, a huge percentage of mythological beings that are referenced in popular media today primarily came from the Greeks; beings such as werewolves, mermaids, the Minotaur, the three-headed dog Cerberus, Medusa, and so many other icons. I think what really distinguished them as great storytellers is that their mythology didn’t just focus on a central pantheon of deities and the concept of death and afterlife, they also had stories about demigods, epic warriors/heroes fighting against monstrous creatures and impossible odds, a pantheon of primordial titans that existed before the modern gods, even waging spiritual warfare amongst each other, and stories about regular people’s encounters with the gods in a variety of ways. Most importantly, a good portion of their stories taught moral lessons like faith, patience, and love.
A story that I think perfectly exemplifies these aspects is the Story of Orpheus and Eurydice. The story centers around Orpheus, son of the god Apollo. He was a talented lyre player whose melodies were so beautiful that trees, rocks, and even the gods were said to be moved by his songs. He lived happily with his lover and wife Eurydice until one day, as Eurydice was wandering through the forest of the nymphs, a shepherd named Aristaeus saw her beauty and tried to make advances towards her. Frightened, Eurydice fled through the woods to escape him until she was bitten by a snake and died. Upon hearing the news of her death, Orpheus grieved and only sang woeful songs that saddened all who heard them. Apollo advised him to go to the Underworld to take Eurydice back from the clutches of Hades. Although mortal, Orpheus, with the protection of Apollo was able to descend into the Underworld to the realm of Stygia across the River Styx to find and rescue Eurydice. He encountered the demon dog Cerberus and played a tune so sweet that it appeased the three-headed beast and allowed him to further progress. He finally stood before Hades and his wife Persephone (some versions say it was actually Thanatos instead of Hades).
