For authors and works cited, see also the index of passages (p. 178). Works named in this index are discussed in general terms. Page numbers in italic indicate illustrations.
Achilles: in the Aethiopis, 88; and Athena, 21; Iliadic model of prayer, 46; and myth of Meleager, 69; origin of myth, 68; and Polyxena, 72, 73, 84
Adonia, 95–6
Adonis, 95–6, 108
Aegina, 56–7, 58–9
Aeschylus: Lycurgus trilogy, 106
Aethiopis, 88
afterlife, 8, 97, 98
Agamemnon, Tarentum cult of, 73
Aglauros, 82
Agrionia, 25
altars, 19, 34–5
Amazons, 88, 89
Amphiaraos, 40, 87
Anthesteria, 25, 44, 57–62
Apatouria, 21
Aphrodisia, 56–7
Aphrodite, 16, 18, 56, 70, 114; Amathus sanctuary, 74; and Ares, 56, 89; and Ariadne, 74; and Dionysos, 26; and doves, 17; festivals of, 56–7; and Poseidon, 29–30, 56; position in pantheon, 19–20, 27–8; as role model, 88; sacrifice to, 49; in Thebes, 56
Apollo, 21–2, 33, 37; A. Agyieus, 32; A. Aleos, 35; A. Delphinios, 22, 36; aniconic statuary, 32; conflation with Helios, 106; and Dionysos, 26, 27; and gates, 37; hymns to, 46; and initiation, 16, 21–2, 41; in Ionian genealogy, 71; A. Lykeios, 22; Marsyas myth, 14; and paean, 46; and Poseidon, 23, 27; position in pantheon, 20, 27, 29; A. Pythios, 39; sanctuaries of, 10, 35, 36, 39
Apollodorus: Library, 78
Ares: and Aphrodite, 56; mythic origin, 25; position in pantheon, 19–20, 27–8, 29; sacrifice to, 28, 49
Argonauts, 71, 77–78
Argos, 36, 71, 73; Heraion, 10, 36, 84
Ariadne, 14, 60, 74, 86–7
Aristophanes, and seers 107; Lysistrata, 84; Thesmophoriazusae, 91
Arrhephoria, 21, 81, 82–3
Art, see cult images; vase–painting; visual art
Artemis, 21, 22–3, 89; A. Agrotera, 16; in Calydonian boar myth, 70; and Dionysos, 26; epithets and identities, 16, 114; as girls' name, 89; and Hippolytus, 110; and initiation, 16, 22, 23, 41, 81; A. Limnatis, 36-37; A. Lochia, 16; A. Phosphoros, 22-23; position in pantheon, 20, 27; sanctuaries of, 36–7, 40, 81; A. Soteira, 22; statues of, 32–3
Asclepiades of Tragilus: Subjects of Tragedy, 78
Asclepius, 33, 49, 71, 107–8; temple of, Athens, 43
asebeia (impiety), 6
atheism, 3, 106–7
Athena, 16, 17, 20–1, 114, 115; Ariadne myth, 14; arrhêphoria myth, 82–3; cult officiants, 34, 84; A. Ergane, 21; and Hephaistos, 22; A. Ilias, 81; and initiation, 21, 82; A. Nike, 16; in Orphic theogony, 102; and owl, 16; A. Polias, 16, 21; A. Poliouchos, 21; and Poseidon, 23, 27, 30; position in pantheon, 20, 27; priest/ess, 31, 34; as role model, 88, 89; sanctuaries of, 20, 35–6, 81; spread of cult, 4; statues of, 21, 32
Athens: altar to the Twelve Gods, 19; Athena and, 4, 21, 23; Athenocentric bias, 1, 11, 107; festivals, 21, 50–1, 75, 90, 91, 92, 97–9 (see also Anthesteria; Panathenaea); gender differentiation, 79; heroes and, 37, 73, 74, 77, 98; initiations, 21, 54, 55, 81, 82–3; local myths, 23, 82–3, 98; local oracle, 40; new cults of fifth century, 107–10; politics and religion, 4, 83, 112; response to Prodicus, 106; sanctuaries, 5, 35, 36, 39; temple of Asclepius, 43; vase–painting, 76–7, 86; women and cult in, 85
atheos, 3
Attica, 37, 50, 102, 108–9; see also Anthesteria; Athens; Brauron; Eleusis; Phlya
Battle of Chaeronea, 107; of Plataea, 46
beauty contest, 82, 99
belief, 8
Bendis, 108
Boeotia, 23, 35, 114
books, 105
Bouphonia (Dipolieia), 50–1
Brasidas, 112
Brauron, 35, 81, 82, 83
Brimo, 98, 103
Burkert, Walter: on the gods, 29, 89–90; Greek Religion, 44; Homo necans, 57; on myth, 66, 67, 74; on sacrifice, 47–8, 50, 51, 52, 114–15
Calame, Claude, 75–6
calendar, 50, 62
Chios, 25, 29, 82
choê, 114
Choes, 44, 57, 58–62
choral lyric, 69
class: and initiation practices, 53–4, 55, 81, 83; and women in cult, 85, 90, 95
comedy, 13, 106, 107, 108; see also Aristophanes
contests: drinking, 58, 59; as feature of festivals, 46; initiation, 74, 76, 82, 99
Conti, Natale, 64
Corinth, 36, 38, 81, 90
Crete, 39, 115; Dreros, 36; Gortyn, 39; Ida, 31; initiation practices, 52–5, 83; Orphic tablets, 102
Croesus, 41
Croton, 35, 36
cult images, 21, 32–3, 46
curse tablets, 112
daimôn, 12
Danaids, 87, 91
dance, 45–6, 81, 82
death, 8
dedications see votives
Delos, 39, 42
Delphi, 23, 26, 32, 35, 40, 42; see oracle
Demeter, 16, 23–4, 28–9, 68, 97–8; D. Eleusinia, 16, 99; and Eleusis, 29, 97–100; in Orphism, 102, 104, 106; position in pantheon, 19–20, 28–9; D. Patroie, 23; and Poseidon, 23–24; as role model, 88–9; sacrifice to, 48, 49; sanctuaries of, 36, 99; in Sicily, 24; and Thesmophoria, 90–92
democracy, 4, 83, 112
Democritus, 45, 85
Demosthenes, 3, 91, 107
Derveni papyrus, 101–2, 104
Detienne, Marcel, 66, 92
diachronic development, 2; attitudes to the gods, 30, 105–7; dedication practice, 43; divination, 107; fifth-century Athenian trends, 107–10; of the pantheon, 18–19, 20, 24, 29; vase-painting subjects, 77, 94–5; see also Hellenistic period
Didyma, 46
Dione, 20
Dionysos, 24–6, 26, 27, 28, 48–9; D. Anthroporrhaistes, 25; and Aphrodite, 26; and Apollo, 26; and Artemis, 26; in the Bacchae, 110; and Dionysia, 25, 47; and dithyrambs, 46; and goats, 60; D. Omadios, 25; D. Omestes, 25; in Orphic theogony, 102; position in pantheon, 19–20, 28–9; sanctuaries of, 36; statues of, 32–3; theriomorphism, 14; see also Anthesteria; maenads; Orphism
Dioskouroi, 80, 114
Dipolieia, 50–1
divination, 22, 40, 115–16; see also oracle; seers
divine intervention, 6–8, 12, 107
Dorians, 71
Eastern influences, 115–16; Anthesteria, 62; cult of Adonis, 95; cult of Kybele, 108; on myth, 9–10, 68–9, 75, 76; Orphism, 101; sacrificial practice, 51
ecstatic cults, 108–9
Egypt, 75, 91, 102
Eileithyia, 20, 36, 49, 88
Eirene, 112
Ekdysia, 54
Eleusis, 10, 16, 29; Eleusinian Mysteries, 97–9, 102, 105, 107
Eleutherae, 35
embeddedness, 1–5
Empedocles, 51
enslaved people, 60; festival licence, 25, 46, 59–60, 61, 62, 75; and religion, 3
Enuma Elish, 10, 69
Eos, 114
Epicureans, 61, 98
epithets of gods, 9, 16, 115; Apollo, 22, 36; Artemis, 16, 22–3, 36–7; Athena, 16, 21; Demeter, 16, 99; Dionysos, 25, 58; Hermes, 16; Poseidon, 23; Zeus, 115
Erechtheus/Erichthonius, 68, 71, 82–3
Eumelos: Corinthiaca, 77
Eumolpids, 99
Euripides, 94, 106–7; Antigone, 94; Bacchae, 8, 25, 92, 108, 109–11; Helen, 72, 107; Heracles, 94; Hippolytus, 6, 13, 80, 110–11; Ion, 71, 107, 110–11; Iphigeneia in Tauris, 107; Orestes, 107
eusebeia (piety), 6
family relations, 72, 86–7
feasting, 50–1, 56, 59, 61
festival licence and disorder: Artemis and, 22, 32–3; Demeter and, 24, 28–9; Dionysos and, 25, 28–9, 32–3; enslaved people and, 60, 61, 75; la grande festa, 62; Hera and, 32–3, 36; statues and, 32–3, 46
festivals, 45–7, 56–7; Anthesteria, 25, 44, 57–62; Dipolieia, 50–1; New Year, 62; women's, 24, 57, 68, 85, 88, 90–6; see also festival licence and disorder; initiation; Mysteries
Fontenelle, Bernard de, 64
founder cults, 15, 37
fountains, 84
Frazer, James G., 65
Fréret, Nicolas, 64–5
gender, 79; priesthood and, 34; see also women and girls
genealogy, 71, 78, 105
gods/goddesses, 12; anonymous, 6; anthropomorphism of, 13–15, 105–6; Chthonian, 19; dangers of dishonouring, 70; exclusivity of devotion, 6, 110–11; and heroes, 15, 32, 34–5; hierarchy, 19–20, 27–9, 48–9; Homeric, 13–14; individual identities, 15–17; pantheon, 18–20, 29; as powers vs. persons, 29–30; pre- and post-Homeric understandings, 14–15, 105–7; role models for women, 88–9; theogonic myth, 68–9, 101–2; theriomorphism, 14, 25; twelve, 18; see also names of individual gods
Graf, Fritz, 57
Great Goddess, 100
Hades, 9–10, 20, 97, 99
hagios, 4
hagnos, 4, 114
Harrison, Jane, 65
healing cults, 41, 107–8; see also Asclepius
hecatombs, 114–15
Hekate, 49
Helen, 70, 82
heortai, 45
Hephaistos, 18, 20, 21, 68, 71
Hera, 20, 115; H. Akraia, 81; and Argonaut myth, 70; Argos priestesses of, 10, 84; Elis festival, 82; H. Lacinia, 35; position in pantheon, 19–20; as role model, 88, 89; sanctuaries of (Heraia), 35, 36, 42, 81; statues of, 32–3
Heracles, 68, 76, 77, 84, 88, 89
Heraclitus, 40
Hermes, 20, 29
heroes, origin of cult, 15; and gods, 15; local appropriation of, 73, 77; sanctuaries and shrines of, 19, 32, 33, 34–5, 37–8; secret graves, 37
Hestia, 19, 48
Heyne, Christian G., 65
hieros, 4, 5, 114
Homer: gods in, 13–14, 21, 36, 115; sanctuaries in, 31; women in, 88
Homeric Hymns, 16; to Demeter, 99–100
homosexual activity, 7, 81; see also pederasty
hosios, 4–5
Humphreys, Sally, 108
Hyacinthia, 47
hymns, 46
Indo-European roots, 12, 24, 52, 68, 114–15
initiation, Apollo and, 21–2; Artemis and, 22, 23, 37; in Crete, 52–55; dedications on, 41; Dionysos and, 24; Hera and, 36, 81; Mystery cults, 97–8, 99–100; Perseus and, 74; priest role, 34; in Sparta, 47, 52–3, 55, 74, 81, 82, 83
interconnectedness, 7
Ionia, 62, 68, 71, 99
Jameson, Michael, 74
justice, 5, 13, 50
Kabeiroi, 100
Kakodaimonistai, 107
Keos, 81
Kerykes, 99
kleision, 100
kleos andrôn/aphthiton, 114
korai, 83
Kore see Persephone
kouroi, 41, 42
Kronia, 62, 74–5
Kronos, 74, 75
Kybele, 108, 109
Lady/Lord of the animals, 22, 109
Lemnos, 76, 87, 100
Lesbos, 18, 25, 81, 102
Leto, 16, 19, 21, 54
Leukippides, 80
Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, 76
libation, 58, 86, 114
light, 22–3
literacy, 8
Locri, 81
Lysander, 112
maenads, 25, 77, 92–5, 108
magic, 111–12
Manichaeism, 85
marriage, 80–1; Hera and, 20, 88; Sacred Marriage festival, 62; see also weddings
Medea, 86–7
Meleager, 69–70
metics, 3, 47
Meuli, Karl, 49–52
Miletos, 40, 46
Minoan culture, 52, 115
mourning, 86
Müller, Friedrich Max, 65
Müller, Karl Otfried, 65
Mycenaean culture, 20, 73–4, 115
mysteria, 97
Mysteries: Bacchic, 100, 104–5; Eleusinian, 97–9, 102, 105, 107; Lemnos, 100; Lykomids, 99–100; Phlya, 99–100; Samothrace, 97, 100; Thebes, 100
myth, 64; cross-cultural influence, 9–10, 68–9, 75, 76, 102; definition of, 67-68; and divine function and identity, 16, 25; of divine supremacy struggles, 23; as evidence for thought and custom, 71–2; festival aetiology, 58–9; and immortal–mortal boundary, 14; initiatory, 82–3; and landscape, 71–2; and ritual, 72–6; scholarly approaches, 64–7; status of, 77–8; uses, 69–71, 74, 78; in visual art, 76–7, 78; women in, 86–8
mythography, 66–7, 78
mythos, 67
naming practices, 13, 38, 88–9
New Comedy, 107
Nike, 53
Nilsson, Martin P., 65
nomizomena, ta, 11, 44
Nymphs, 19, 22, 29, 108–9; nympholeptos, 109
Oedipus, 6
Okeanos, 10, 20
Olbia, 36, 101, 104
Olympia, 32, 35, 42, 43
Olympian gods, 19
oracle, 40, 84, 107; of Delphi, 22, 84; of Didyma, 10, 40; of Dodona, 20, 40; of Klaros, 40; of Oropos, 40; of Trophonios, 40; see also seers
Orestes, 59
Orphism, 51, 85, 100–6; Gold Tablets/Leaves, 85, 102–4, 103
Oschophoria, 54
paeans, 46
Palladium, 21
Pan, 14, 19, 29, 108, 110
Panathenaea, 21, 46–7, 62, 67, 77
Pandora, 86
Pandrosos, 82
pantheon, 5–6, 18–20, 29; see also names of individual gods
Parker, Robert, 16, 51
patria, ta, 11
pederasty, 55, 83
Pegasus, 73, 76
Pelinna Gold Tablets, 102–4, 103
Peloponnese, 71, 90–1, 99, 108; see also Argos; Sparta
Pentheus, 108
Periblemaia, 54
Persephone, 24, 68, 97–99, 102
Perseus myth, 73–6
personal religion, 3, 11, 38, 111, 112
Phryne, 85
piety, 6
Pindar, 106; First Nemean, 76
Pisistratus (the younger), 19
pistis, 6
Plato: Phaedrus, 98; Symposium, 98
poets, 1, 10–11, 77–8; and visual arts, 76–7
poleis, 1, 3–4, 11, 35–6; appropriation of Panhellenic heroes, 73, 77; and Hellenistic religion, 111; local pantheons, 29; political use of myths, 71
polis religion, 11
pollution, 7; see also purity/purification
polytheism, 5–6
Poseidon, 16, 23–4, 29–30; Aeginetan festival of, 56–7, 58–9; and Aphrodite, 29–30, 56; and Apollo, 23, 27; P. Asphaleios, 23; and Athena, 23, 27, 30; and Demeter, 23–24; and earthquakes, 7, 23; P. Hippios, 23; in the Hippolytus, 13; in the Iliad, 9–10, 23; position in pantheon, 19–20, 27–8, 29; sanctuaries of, 28, 35, 36, 84; trident of, 16; women excluded, 84
prayer, 46
Priapus, 49
priests and priestesses, 8–9, 10, 33–4, 74, 8416
processions, 46–7
Prodicus, 106
prostitution, 7
purity/purification, 4, 5, 7; Apollo and, 22; choice of sacrifice and, 49, 106; Mystery rites and, 97, 104; women and, 84
Pythagoreanism, 51, 101, 106
ritual, 44–5, 62–3; definition of, 45; Eastern influence, 115–16; myth and, 72–6; reversal in, 58; see also festivals; initiation; sacrifice
rivers, 19, 71
Romanticism, 19, 24
ruler cult, 112
Sabazios, 85, 108
sacrifice, 47–52, 57; of birds, 49; comedy of innocence, 50; critique of, 50; of dogs, 49; of fish, 49; of goats, 48, 49, 60; human sacrifice, 48, 75; opposition to, 105, 106; of oxen, 50–1; of pigs, 48–9, 91–2; role of priest, 9, 34; sphagia, 44–5; by women, 92
Samos, 20, 36, 42, 112
sanctuaries: altar in, 32; functions, 38–43; groves, 32; of healing gods, 108; location, 35–8; numbers of, 5, 20; officiants, 33–4, 74; physical features, 31–3, 34–5, 91; water, 32
Sappho, 81
satyrs, 25, 27
seers, 4, 9, 10, 22, 84, 107
Seven against Thebes, 71, 73
sexuality/sexual activity: and the Dionysiac, 25; and initiation rites, 21, 55, 81, 83; and pollution, 7; priestly celibacy, 84; and the social order, 27–8; and women's festivals, 24, 90–1
shrines: heroic, 6, 37–8; oracular, 40; private, 85, 111
Sibyl, 84
Sicily: Anthesteria, 61; dedications at Delphi, 42; Demeter and, 24, 29, 90; evidence of women sacrificing, 92; sanctuary of Selinus, 39
singing, 22, 46, 94
Skira, 62
slaves see enslaved people
Socrates, 6
Sophocles, 59, 106, 108; Antigone, 87
Sparta: 462bc earthquake, 6–7; and genealogical myth, 71; Hyacinthia, 47; initiatory customs, 47, 52–3, 55, 74, 81, 82, 83; marriage, 80; religious authority, 4; rulers worshipped, 112
sphagia, 44–5
spondê, 114
statues see cult images; korai; kouroi
supplication, 4, 38, 86; pollution from transgressing, 6–7
Synoikia, 62
taboo, 4
Tarentum, 73
telestêria, 97, 99
temenos, 31
temples, 19, 31, 33, 34, 39–40, 43; see also sanctuaries
Tenedos, 25
Tethys, 10
Thebes, 37, 40, 56; Mysteries of the Kabeiroi, 100, 105; Seven against Thebes, 71, 73
Themistocles, 61, 99–100
theogony, 68–9, 101–2
theos, 12
Theseus myth, 54, 72, 74, 77, 86, 88
Thesmophoria, 24, 57, 68, 85, 88, 90–2; and magara/megara, 91
Thessaly, 80–1, 102
Thrace, 25
Thucydides, 107
Titans, 18, 102
tragedy, 10, 66, 78; 'atheistic' views in, 106–7; family discord in, 72; gods in, 8, 13; maenads in, 25, 94; mothers in, 87; seers in, 10
transvestism, 24, 54
treasure houses, 42
tree, as god, 14, olive, 23; in sanctuary, 32, 39
Triptolemos, 98
Usener, Hermann, 65
vase-painting: and ecstatic cults, 108; maenads in, 94–5; mythological trends, 76–7, 88; and pantheon hierarchy, 19–20, 27–9
Vernant, Jean-Pierre: on Artemis, 22; on Dionysos, 24; on the pantheon, 19, 27, 29–30; on sacrifice, 48, 51, 52; and study of myth, 66
Versnel, H. S., 91
visual art: attributes of gods, 16–17; votive, 20, 41–2, 43, 83, 108; women in, 88, 92–3, 94–5; and written myths, 76–7, 78; see also cult images; vase-painting
votives/dedications, 20, 40–3, 83, 85, 108
weddings, 46, 80, 83, 86
wine and drinking, 57–8, 59, 100
women and girls, 3; adolescence, 80–3; cult propagation, 85; festivals, 90–6; gathering opportunities, 84–5; goddesses and, 88–9; maenads, 25, 77, 92–5, 108; mythological depictions, 86–8; in mythology, 86–8; as priestesses, 34, 84; as seers, 10, 84
Xenophanes, 14, 105
Zeus, 16, 20, 114, 115; in the Iliad, 9–10, 42; in Orphism, 101, 102, 105; position in pantheon, 19, 27, 29; sanctuaries of, 35–6; Semele myth, 14; see also Apatouria
