sanctuaries and temples: introductory page
Sanctuaries were very
important in Ancient Greece because they provided the means of communication
with the gods. Without good
communication a good relation with the gods was very hard to maintain, and a
good relation was a necessity in a world which was full of gods. To get a good overview
of how these relations were maintained and how these sanctuaries functioned in
that respect, we shall explore four aspects of sanctuaries and temples in a
more detailed fashion.
The main form of communication with the gods was sacrifice, which was often accompanied by a procession, which shall be explored in some more detail below. Another form of communication was conducted in the use of oracles, which we shall investigate as well. The gods could also be placated through the giving of gifts. We call these gifts votives and we shall elaborate on this subject too. Lastly, this introductory page offers a short reflection on the political dimensions of sanctuaries. Several thematic subjects will be explored further in additional webpages: to access those, just click on the hyperlinks or navigate through the tabs at the top.
The main form of communication with the gods was sacrifice, which was often accompanied by a procession, which shall be explored in some more detail below. Another form of communication was conducted in the use of oracles, which we shall investigate as well. The gods could also be placated through the giving of gifts. We call these gifts votives and we shall elaborate on this subject too. Lastly, this introductory page offers a short reflection on the political dimensions of sanctuaries. Several thematic subjects will be explored further in additional webpages: to access those, just click on the hyperlinks or navigate through the tabs at the top.
Processions
Processions or pompai were of great importance in the ancient Greece, since they formed the integral part of Greek rituals. Processions usually were used to mark the beginning or end of an event. Thus, every religious ceremony in the ancient Greek world was connected with a procession performed by specific groups of people, who carried sacred items of the cult in order to honor a particular divinity. Since the processions had very strong performative aspects, they were very important in the communication between the worshippers and the gods.
In Athens, the Panathenaic procession was held in the name of the city’s patron deity, Athena. The procession started from the city wall and ended at the Acropolis, where a great sacrifice of animals took place. The most brilliant representation of the Pantathenaic procession is that on the Parthenon frieze. All the stages of the procession are depicted in this elaborate frieze that has been under vigorous debate.
An extended article on the depiction of the Panathenaic procession on the Parthenon frieze can be found here.
Oracles
In the ancient Greek world, oracles were a widespread phenomenon. They served to discover and analyze the will of the gods, and to ask them for advice. The main oracles of ancient Greece could be found in Dodona, Delphi, Claros and Oropos (see the map). The main deity of oracular divination is Apollo, but other gods could be addressed by oracles as well.
There were several forms of divination (receiving and interpreting superhuman information), and the information they yielded was interpreted by a chresmologos. At the oracle of Delphi an inspired priest, called the Pythia, performed divination; oracular information could also be gained by the interpretation of bird’s behavior (ornithomantis), dreams (oneiromantis) and gazing at water or flames. Oracles could be visited by individuals who had questions about their past, present of future situation, but oracles were also addressed in matters of major political issues. Especially the Delphic oracle was consulted with political questions, and even in the later Hellenistic and Roman periods oracles dedicated to Apollo in Didyma and the oracle of Clarian Apollo were consulted in times of political crisis.
An extended article on the oracle of Dodona can be found here.
Votives
An important find in many sanctuaries are votives. These are gifts from all sorts and sizes ranging from the temple building to small terracotta representations of people, cattle or the receiving god and from statues to tripod kettles. Some were badly executed while others were very well crafted. Votives are also one of the most important sources for historians and archeologists alike, because they can be found in large quantities and often in still good quality. The most important reason for dedicating votives was to maintain good relations with the Gods, which makes Greek religion a religion of giving, the giving of votives to the Gods.
The reasons for giving could vary, but all votives were given to thank the god(s) for their help. However, some people also gave votives for self-gratification, by gifting a huge statue. Others tried to outdo their rivals by offering the most beautifully crafted objects and others used expensive materials like gold, marble, silver and ivory.
To understand the reasons for dedicating better we shall take an in depth look at the Philippeion, built at Olympia by Philip II of Macedon. What reasons did he have for building this structure? You can discover this here .
The political dimension of sanctuaries
In Greek Antiquity, sanctuaries often had not only a religious dimension, but also a political one, which was often equally important. These two dimensions were almost always intertwined. By creating a connection, either as an individual or a political unity to a specific sanctuary, the person or unity in question becomes also connected the cultural norms expressed by this sanctuary and with other cult members. It is, in other words, partly a way of showing where you stand. Although this process functions on several levels, it operates most clearly on the polis and supra-polis level. A famous example is the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, to which almost all Greek cities had a certain connection. These connections are, however, dynamic and can change over time; this signifies the political relation between sanctuary and polis.
Another important, almost Pan-Hellenic, sanctuary for which this political dimension is important, was the sanctuary of Apollo at Delos. Delos became the center of the Delian-Attic League after the Persian Wars and this created a new, political dimension to the sanctuary of Apollo on the island, which on the polis level became more important than the religious dimension, although these dimension were strongly linked to each other.
The sanctuary of Apollo at Delos will be discussed here.