Jackie Mahaffey
Pilgrims and Pilgrimage
in Ancient Greece by Matthew Dillon
Chapter 6: Cult Regulations
at Sanctuaries
Introduction: This chapter dealt with cult regulations at sanctuaries,
which pertained to the pilgrims that visited them. According to Dillon,
“cult centers should be taken as applying to pilgrims, for they were
the main body of worshipers at these sites”(149).
Entry to the Sacred Site
1. various sanctuaries restricted both local and foreign access to templesthere
were certain requirements when entering a sanctuary. You needed to be pure
to enter sanctuary, whether that meant bathing or having the proper clothing.
2. regulations to being considered pure were mostly against ‘outsiders’.
On the other hand, these Panhellenic festival were open to all Greeks: Olympia,
Pythia, Isthmia and Nemea, as well at the mysteries Eleusis and Samothrace.
The ethnic groups, Ionians and Dorians, had their own festivals which
others were excluded. So, these regulations went both ways, either for Greeks
or ‘non-Greeks’.
Incidents of ethnic prejudice:
- The Spartan king Kleomenes was refused entry in to a temple of Hera
at Argos and Athena’s temple because no Dorians were allowed! (believed
to be political concerns involved)- Furthermore, Arkesine of Amorgos orders neokoros (temple
attendant) to ensure no xenoi (foreigners) are able to enter
sanctuaries, which was meant to keep people from sleeping there. Penalty:
neokoroi were fined 10 drachmas)- Dorians were excluded from the temples on the Ionian island of Paros.
On the other hand: Xenophobic Spartans had a festival Gymnopaidiai which
xenoi were allowed to attend, and Gephyraioi clan had their own shrines
that the Athenians could not worship.
The Need for Priest or Priestess: In a few cases, worshippers might be
denied entry because priest or priestess had to be present. For example,
there was a problem with priestess of Demeter at Arkesine: complaining about
public sacrifice and women that were doing them. In retaliation, the boule
and demos passed a decree, saying that female worshipers were not
allowed in unless priestess were present.
Trouble at the Temple of Dionysus
On the other hand, anyone could perform sacrifice as long as rituals
were followed.
Slaves at Sanctuaries
Prohibition on participation of slaves at the annual festival at Plataea
, p. 151. This was a festival to celebrate the freedom of the Greeks from
the Persians, and therefore only free people were allowed to participate.
Plutarch, Life of Aristides, sec. 24: “These are followed
by young men of free birth who carry libations of wine and milk in jars
and pitchers of olive-oil and myrrh, and no slave is allowed to play any
part in the ceremony, since the men who are being honoured gave their lives
for freedom.” Eleusinian, Samothracian, Andrian mystery slaves could
be there.
Certain Days Allowed Entry
Access to some temples were only allowed on some days of the year, the
priest or priestess were only allowed unlimited access. Even some sanctuaries
only cult personnel were allowed in, and in some cases no entry was permitted.
Shrine that only opens once a year:
1. Temple of Dionysos the Deliverer in Boeotia was only open on certain
daysonce a year. They believed that Dionysus visited the shrine when
it was closed.
2. Sanctuary of Eurynomeopened on the same day each year.
3. Sanctuary of the Mother Dindymene near the river Dirke in Boeotia(Pindar
himself dedicated the image of Dindymenewas only opened one day a yearPausanias
was there on that day.
4. Temple of Artemis at Hyampolis was opened twice a year.
Statue of Hera at Aigion in Achaea could only be seen by the priestesssanctuary
of Zeus Lykaios at Megalopolis had no entrance.
Panhellenic sanctuaries were always openin some cases the main cult
activity of the Olympic festival at Olympia occurred infrequentlyevery
four years. In addition, the Lesser and Greater Eleusinian Mysteries were
celebrated once a year.
At Samothrace the inscribed list of Mystai gave the dates of initiationfrom
April to Novemberwhenever enough people arrived there would be an initiation.
The healing shrines were open on regular basis:
1. There is no evidence that their doors were closed at a particular
part of the year.
2. Healing sanctuaries never invited the sick through special embassies
(theoriai).
3. Seasonal factors did effect the attendance at the healing shrinesinscriptions
from Oropos instruct the priest of Amphiaraos to be present at the shrine
from the end of winter until summer ploughingperhaps because travel
was easier.
4. The guardian and priest needed to be at the shrine.
5. Some healing sanctuaries had festivals distinct from their role as
a healing place and pilgrims were invited to attend thesePanhellenic
festival in honor of Asklepios are attested at Epidauros, Pergamon and Koslike
all other festivals these involved processions, sacrifices, and contests.
1. the sanctuary of Isis(Tithoreans)required the person be sent
a dream of innovation to enter the sanctuary.
2. village of Acharakaa cave for healing(Charonion)healing
based on dream interpretation. The priest would sleep and dream and offer
their own interpretation of the dreams pertaining to the illnesses of those
that come to the site for healing.(only priest and ill were allowed at the
site) “to all others the place is forbidden and deadly”(152).
Days for Consultation of the Delphic Oracle
The Delphic Oracle could not be consulted at any timethere were
special days set aside for this purpose.
If a pilgrim was coming into town he would have to await these daysany
of those coming a long distance planning might have been difficult.
Consultations took place during the month of Bysios only on the 7th dayApollo’s
Birthdayit was finally extended from one day to the entire month. In
addition, it is confirmed by Plutarch that once a month a god would enter
a mortal body.
Apollo visiting the Hyperboreans:
It is suggested that the oracle was open on several days of the month
with direct oracular consult on the one day, and consultation by the lot-oracle
on other daysif there was a lot-oracle it was unlikely they it consulted
on a different day.
Priestess was only available one day a month for verbal consultation.
Alexander the Great traveled to Delphi to consult the Pythia
Diodoros after capturing Delphi and looting the treasure decided to consult
the oracle about his war against the Boeotiansunwilling.
Procedures for a sacrificial victim for consultation with oracle:
1. The sacrificial victimwhich was supposed to be sacrificed prior
to consultationwas sacrificed to see if the god wanted to communicateif
did not respondthe consultation was not suppose to go ahead.
Needed to be accompanied by a proxenos, needed to come at right
time of the month, and needed to pay for the pelanos (sacred cake)
and sacrifice a goat to see the oracle of Pythia.
Not having a proxenos to represent you:
For instance for the Sardinians, who did not have a proxenos,
the city of Delphi appointed itself as proxenos.
Other cities without proxenosDelphians kept a record of who
the proxenoi werethe list contained the Delphians who were the proxenoi
for various statesinside and outside Greece including Rome.
Waiting to see the oracle and the order in which you entered:
1. The order they were to enter the temple and put their questions to
the Pythia was decided by lot.
2. Institution of the promanteia granted the Delphians the
ask questions first before the pilgrims.
3. Degree of importance of the inquirer also played a role in who was
able to consult the Pythia.
The privilege of promanteia could be awarded as a mark of honor.
Initiation for the Eleusinian Mysteries
Sometimes it was required that the pilgrim be initiated to the cult rather
than being just a presence of the rite itself.
The initiation of Eleusis may have been denied if the individual had
not been initiated in the Lesser Mysteries.
Initiation was done in 2 stages:
1. Lesser Mysteriesin the month of Anthesterionwas only a preparation
for the Greater Mysteries.
2. Initiation into the Greater Mysteriesinitiate could seek a higher
degree of initiation at a subsequent celebration (epopteia or become
an epoptes).
Incident: Demetrios wished to be initiated but he arrived after the initiations
were donethe Lesser Mysteries were repeated and renamed to the current
month Anthesterion
Each mystes at the Greater Mysteries had his/her own mystagogos
-mystes leader- who was responsible for him/her throughout the celebration.
Sacrifice and other preliminary rites at healing sanctuaries
Sacrifice was essential in all cults and was usually the central feature
of religious rites.
Preliminary Rites for those who wanted to be
healed:
1. Cult of Asklepios depended upon the visitation by the god and the
sicknesses were cured by dreams.
2. Procedure of incubation was a religious ritualpilgrims had to
carry out a series of acts to see to it that they got cured.
3. Sleeping in a special chamberabatonwhich was not
the temple.
4. Asklepieion at PergamonConsultant dressed in white and wearing
a wreath and animal sacrificecakes decorated with olive sprigs were
sacrificed to various gods, needed to put on another wreath when commencing
the sacrifice of the cakes, then a pig was sacrificed on the altar and 3
obols placed into the thesauros.
5. If you wanted further consultation you needed to make another sacrifice
of a pig.
6. Needed to be pure when entering the small incubatory chamberfor
those who wanted to make a second consultation.
Ritual Bathing:
Consultant at the oracular incubatory center of Trophonios at Lebadeia
bath in the rive Herkyna.
Bathing was part of the healing process
Asklepieiawater therapy was used in the 4th century.
Oropos the deity Amphiaraos effected curessacrifice was needed here
as well. The priest if present was to say prayers and put the sacred portion
on the altarif the priest was not there the person making the sacrifice
needed to do this.
Pausaniasthe consultants had to enter in a state of purificationand
sacrifice needed to be made to all gods that were named on the altar. Then
the person was to sacrifice a ram and lie down on its fleece and wait for
a dream.
When a pilgrim did not have the provisions to make a sacrifice the provisions
were provided. Priest of Asklepios to provide grain, wood and wreaths essential
items for sacrifice.
Ritual meals at sanctuaries
Tents were erected for the purpose of dining at these sites.
Dining halls at Corinthbuilt in dining couches for local cult of
Demeter and Kore.
Other pilgrimage centers : Epidauros, Eleusis, Brauron, Isthmia, the
Asklepieion at hestiatoria, dining halls, on the island of Tenos.
Skenaiaccommodation for the pilgrims could be erected in
the sanctuary.
The sacrifice was consumed in the tent and all of it had to be consumed
there none of it can be taken away. Sacrifice considered consecrated because
not taken away from the site.
Cult inscription from Oropossays that worshipers could sacrifice
whatever they wishedbut again the meat had to be consumed within
the sanctuary.
Clothing Regulations
Asklepieion Cultthe god Asklepios was described as being dressed
in white as were the suppliants seeking a cure.
Wreaths were necessary at most sitesneeded to wear them during the
sacrifice and after incubation the wreath needed to be left on incubatory
beda thanksgiving item.
Cult of Trophonios at Lebadeia in Boeotiaclothing was a ritual requirement.
Needed to undergo purification rites and needed to spend several days in
a dwelling sacred to Daimon and Tyche and bathing in the river Herkyna.
Then there was a sacrifice of ramits entrails were observedthen
he proceeded in a linen garment which was tied with ribbons and wearing
boots that were made locally and descended in the chasm of earth.
Vast winding passages: Pausanias describes difficulties involved in descending
into the shrineneed to lie on back and while holding offspring had
descend into the hole feet first and had to come back out feet first.
Proscribed foods: Pilgrims had to
avoid certain foodstuffs: At Pergamon the shrine of Asklepios were required
to be abstinent from goat cheese and goat meat for one day.
Cult of Trophonios several types of fish were bannedcult of Amphiaraos
at Oropos had to abstain from food for a day beforehand and wine for three
days as the message of the god was obscured by alcohol.
Healing cultsthose that needed healing maybe left in a chamber without
food for several days.
Eleusis the initiates seem not have eaten red mulletpilgrims did
not drink wine for a part of Eleusinina mysteries-in imitation of Demeter(the
myth).
Exclusion of Non-Greek Speakers
The Greek world was surrounded by barbaroi-the non-Greek speakers,
and they were excluded from pilgrimage sites and various religious activities.
Example: Mysa Carianneeded to talk to the oracle at Lebadeiahe
had to pay someone that was Greek to go in for him to ask the questions.
Oracular inspiration: Activethe god appeared to the consultant.
Passivethe god talked through prophet.
Gods only appeared to the Greeks (the questions had to be in Greek and
non-Greeks could not get close to shrine)
The mysteries involved verbal explanations by the hierophantneeded
to be able to make sense of content and needed to be first hand.
Expenses of Pilgrimage
Sanctuaries had various charges that had to be paid, if not paid you
would be denied access to sanctuary.
Reimbursement for animal sacrifice.
Healing sanctuaries charged for sleeping and initiation ceremony they
charged for initiation.
Up keep of the shrine: Pay for consultation of an oraclepelanos.
Fees for Eleusis
Thanking the Gods: It was expected for the person to leave gift for thanks
of healingwreath, goblet, clay pig, etc.
Votive offeringsterra cotta
Socratesroosters were cheapsocioeconomic factors determine
value of gifts.
Dedications for victories in Panhellenic Contests:
Religious framework was very important of competitors at festivals.
- The contest held in the honor of the Godsneeded their assistance.
- A victor would set up a statue for dedicationat market places
or religious sites. - Chariots
Economic Social Status
Consultation by Proxy
You were able to send others to receive oraclesmonarchs and states
could do this.
Mystery Cults: Eleusis celebrations were only to be seen by those that
were initiated and the initiated was not to tell what happened. Eleusian”locked
in Golden Silence”.
Diagoras of Melos told people about it and was sentenced to death.
Initiated to enter sanctuary.
Return to Main Page: CLST 4003 H. Honors Colloquium
on Greek Religion. Univ. of Arkansas
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