ANCH2030 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Isthmian Games, Acrocorinth, Parthenon Frieze
Week 5 Lecture
Greek Civic religion at Athens, Corinth and Sparta
Civic religion:
Collective festivals for gods/ goddesses and heroes
Polis religion
Processions and prayers, sacrifices, rituals, and comps involving the whole polis or a
significant part of the polis – all have a role to play
Alter, temple, sanctuary, acropolis, agora, theatre, stadium – can just be a bit of ground
House for the god – can be tiny but can be built to show off
Sanctuary – any space where you might seek asylum, in the protection of the gods – clearly
defined boundary (stones, walls, everything outside is not sacred)
Acropolis (high city, military space) – patron dietary (Athena or Aphrodite), protects the
military and the city
Agora (market place) – protectors of government
Theatre/ Stadiums (gathering places) – places where people can sit and watch, natural slope
with permeance
Evidence:
Athens – Panathenaia for Athens (festival for all of Athens, focus on Athena) – offering up a
tithe – central civic cult (every July)
Tyrannicides (many stories) at Panathenaiac Procession in Thucydides 6.54 (about 100 years
later)
Tyrannicides – older man approaches younger man, sister in procession (unworthy)
Parthenon Frieze Peplos
Peplos (traditional dress of women and priestesses
Warship Float and Stadium – aspect of the procession going back to the classical period
Comps – prizes of olive oil, athletic, singing, torch race (Olympic torch originates) running
race with fire element
Agora – Athena, Hephaestus, Aphrodite (arts/ crafts/ protection), Zeus (freedom), Apollo
(ancestor of the Athenians), Mater (mother of the gods) – cult sites
Acropolis temple (5 BC) – Parthenon, Erechtheion, Athena Nike (Athena of victory), place for
armours and shrine of Artimus
Inside – in guise as the warrior goddess – used as a mosque and then a monument
Erechtheion/ Athena Polias (civic Athena) Temple – trident spring, olive tree and xoana (3
entrances), most sacred statue of Athena
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Greek civic religion at athens, corinth and sparta. Processions and prayers, sacrifices, rituals, and comps involving the whole polis or a significant part of the polis all have a role to play. Alter, temple, sanctuary, acropolis, agora, theatre, stadium can just be a bit of ground. House for the god can be tiny but can be built to show off. Sanctuary any space where you might seek asylum, in the protection of the gods clearly defined boundary (stones, walls, everything outside is not sacred) Acropolis (high city, military space) patron dietary (athena or aphrodite), protects the military and the city. Theatre/ stadiums (gathering places) places where people can sit and watch, natural slope with permeance. Athens panathenaia for athens (festival for all of athens, focus on athena) offering up a tithe central civic cult (every july) Tyrannicides (many stories) at panathenaiac procession in thucydides 6. 54 (about 100 years later) Tyrannicides older man approaches younger man, sister in procession (unworthy)
