1.1 The nature of the Olympian gods
- Within epithets used for certain gods and goddesses, this would not apply to women
since they were not involved within spheres of work that would permit them to need
to worship a god for their success and wellbeing in general life.
- However, if a woman was pregnant, she may have difficulty in worshipping Zeus
Philos or Artemis. Therefore, a woman may struggle in her worship to certain gods
that are central to her need.
- Gods and heroes could be worshipped in a personal way within their home or in a
localised way, such as in their deme.
1.2 Personal experience of the divine
- The Eleusinian mysteries allowed women/ slaves/ free slaves old/young greeks/
non-greeks (as long as they spoke Greek). This would allow the women something
different in their lives and give them a chance to be joined with men etc.. way to meet
people.
- On the Ninnion tablet, there are women depicted as heading in procession to be
initiated.
- Women were able to visit the sanctuary of Epidaurus for Asclepius. Shown through
the healing of Cleo.
- Women could not visit the sanctuary of Dadona.
- The male head of the Greek household, the Kyrios, was in charge of the household
religion. The women of the household had very different roles. Women had very
limited political rights, such as not being considered full citizens and their exclusion
from household religion. Their role was tied to the household.
- Young girls could take part in a series of cults. Lysistrata comments on this in one of
his plays saying that when the girl was 7 years old, she was a Arrephoros, then
grinder, then brauronia, basket-bearer and a girl wearing dried figs.
- Girls could take part in the Arrēphoros- secret ritual performed in May to the temple
of Athena Polias. The 2 chosen maidens took a basket from a nearby temple of the
Acropolis to an underground passage to the temple of Aphrodite in the gardens.
- Girls could do something involved in being a grinder. This is where they ground meal
for the cakes that would be offered to Athena at the Panatheniac festival.
- Girls would dress up as bears at the festival of Brauronia, and this was required
before all girls were married.
- Within epithets used for certain gods and goddesses, this would not apply to women
since they were not involved within spheres of work that would permit them to need
to worship a god for their success and wellbeing in general life.
- However, if a woman was pregnant, she may have difficulty in worshipping Zeus
Philos or Artemis. Therefore, a woman may struggle in her worship to certain gods
that are central to her need.
- Gods and heroes could be worshipped in a personal way within their home or in a
localised way, such as in their deme.
1.2 Personal experience of the divine
- The Eleusinian mysteries allowed women/ slaves/ free slaves old/young greeks/
non-greeks (as long as they spoke Greek). This would allow the women something
different in their lives and give them a chance to be joined with men etc.. way to meet
people.
- On the Ninnion tablet, there are women depicted as heading in procession to be
initiated.
- Women were able to visit the sanctuary of Epidaurus for Asclepius. Shown through
the healing of Cleo.
- Women could not visit the sanctuary of Dadona.
- The male head of the Greek household, the Kyrios, was in charge of the household
religion. The women of the household had very different roles. Women had very
limited political rights, such as not being considered full citizens and their exclusion
from household religion. Their role was tied to the household.
- Young girls could take part in a series of cults. Lysistrata comments on this in one of
his plays saying that when the girl was 7 years old, she was a Arrephoros, then
grinder, then brauronia, basket-bearer and a girl wearing dried figs.
- Girls could take part in the Arrēphoros- secret ritual performed in May to the temple
of Athena Polias. The 2 chosen maidens took a basket from a nearby temple of the
Acropolis to an underground passage to the temple of Aphrodite in the gardens.
- Girls could do something involved in being a grinder. This is where they ground meal
for the cakes that would be offered to Athena at the Panatheniac festival.
- Girls would dress up as bears at the festival of Brauronia, and this was required
before all girls were married.
