Ancient religon, Priestesses, Rituals

Question 1

What does Temenos mean?

Answer 1

Sanctuary

Question 2

How many priests or priestesses did each sanctuary have?

Answer 2

Each sanctuary had its own priest or priestess

Question 3

What does ‘Hiereia’ mean?

Answer 3

Priestess/Godess

Question 4

What does ‘Hiereus’ mean?

Answer 4

Priest/God

Question 5

Where could women have influence in society?

Answer 5

As a priestess in a sanctuary

Question 6

Did priests/priestesses belong to a specific temple or many?

Answer 6

A preist belonged to a specific temple
Would be titled accordingly
e.g. Priestess of Athena Polias

Question 7

What were the duties required of a priest or priestess?

Answer 7

Presiding sacrifices (but the priest didn’t do the killing)
Supervising the ceremonial washing and robing of the statue
Looking after the temple building and temenos (with attendents

Question 8

How did someone become a priest/priestess?

Answer 8

Some were elected
Some paid to become one
Some were inherited roles (through the family)

Question 9

How were priests and priestesses supervised?

Answer 9

They were supervised by the temple commissioners

Question 10

Who were the temple commissioners?

Answer 10

A board of citizens appointed by the state

Question 11

What was the role of the board of commissioners?

Answer 11

Supervised priests and priestesses

Looked after money and maintenance

Question 12

Who were the most important gods in greek religion?

Answer 12

The twelve Olympians
But they had other gods for every aspect of life
These had different responsibilities

Question 13

Give some examples of the responsibilities of some gods

Answer 13

Demeter was responsible for the harvest
Zeus for the rain
Ares for war

Question 14

Why was religion important for women?

Answer 14

Gave women the opportunity to leave their homes and engage with the community beyond their household
Could give women influence over the public sphere of government

Question 15

What are some similarities between Ancient greek religion and modern religion?

Answer 15

Rites of passage
Festivals
Pilgrimage

Question 16

What are some differences between Ancient greek religion and modern religion?

Answer 16

Institutionalised religon
Relations between gods and men
Afterlife
Moral code of conduct

Question 17

Outline the basics of ancient religion

Answer 17

No centralised religious authority
No scripture
No formal moral code
Little hope of a good life after death
No concept of conversion as there were no other religions
Worshipping the same gods was tied to greek identity + their common language

Question 18

What rituals did greeks perform in the name of their religion?

Answer 18

Recited prayers
Made offerings
Made sacrifices

Question 19

What is a sacrifice?

Answer 19

Offering to the gods

Question 20

What elements did a ritual often include?

Answer 20

Prayer
Washing
Libations (the pouring of liquids)
Incense or flowers
Food
Objects of value

Question 21

What was the aim of purification in a ritual?

Answer 21

To rid the person or the community of pollution

Question 22

What was the cause of ‘pollution?’

Answer 22

Pollution could be caused by an act of impiety or failure to carry out a religious obligation correctly

Question 23

How were ritual actions set apart from normal behaviour?

Answer 23

Wearing special behaviour and adornments
Avoidance of certain behaviours or foods
Burning incense
Offering flowers or branches