4: Religion (not mythology)

Question 1

What is the most common religious or cult practise for Greek pagans?

Answer 1

Sacrifices.

Question 2

What does Sacrifice generally entail?

Answer 2

Killing pigs, goats and other animals on an alter to the gods. The fat and bones are burnt as an offering and the blood is drained into the earth.

Question 3

What animal was the most expensive for sacrifices?

Answer 3

Cows.

Question 4

What particular kind of sacrifice to Ares did the Spartans practice?

Answer 4

Human sacrifice.

Question 5

Name 1 importnat alter.

Answer 5

The Alter of the Twelve Gods.

Question 6

What other than animal sacrifices, was another common form of offering?

Answer 6

Wine and food. It was said that the gods enjoyed the smell of the burning food.

Question 7

How did the Greeks communicate with the gods?

Answer 7

Divination and Oracles.

Question 8

Name 2 different types of Divination.

Answer 8

Inductive Divination + Inspired divination.

Question 9

What is Inductive Divination?

Answer 9

The art of reading abstract and artificial images to divine the will of the gods. Eg/ smoke patterns and rolling of bones (like dice)

Question 10

What is Inspired Divination?

Answer 10

When an oracle is particularly inspired to speak the will of the gods. Ed/ Dreams and fortune telling.

Question 11

Name 1 famous Oracle.

Answer 11

The Oracle of Apollo in Delphi, or the Delphi Oracle.

Question 12

Name 1 important religious location, beside Delphi.

Answer 12

The Classical temple of Pythian Apollo.

Question 13

How big was the Classical temple of Pythian Apollo?

Answer 13

c. 128 m x 183 m

Question 14

What can be found at the Classical temple of Pythian Apollo?

Answer 14

A colossal silver krater (21,7430 L) dedicated by Croesus.

Question 15

What can be found in the Classical temple of Pythian Apollo’s cella?

Answer 15

statues of the Fats, Zeus and Apollo.

The Adyton.

Question 16

What was the Adyton?

Answer 16

Meaning the place that could not be entered. A small room, with a small alter, statues of Apollo and Dionysus, a tripod and the omphalus.

Question 17

What is another term for Oracle?

Answer 17

Pythia.

Question 18

Who was the Pythia?

Answer 18

A priestess who served her entire life. Often portrayed as young.

Question 19

What does Diodorus say about the Pythia?

Answer 19

That she is old, but dresses young.

Question 20

What does the Pythia do before she speaks a prophesy?

Answer 20

purifies herself, by washing the the water from the sacred Castilian spring.

Question 21

What does the Pythia do after purifying herself?

Answer 21

Sits on the tripod in the adyton, burning barley meal and laurel leaves.

Question 22

Who spoke when the Pythia did?

Answer 22

Apollo, through her.

Question 23

What do modern historians debate about, about the Pythia’s prophecies?

Answer 23

Whether she spoke in gibberish, riddles or pure Greek.

Question 24

What do modern Scholar say ‘inspired’ the Pythia?

Answer 24

The prussic acid in the laurel leaves.

Ethylene, which has a sweet + musty odour.

Question 25

How many records of Oracles of Delphi do we have?

Answer 25

600 +

Question 26

How many of Oracles of Delphi do modern scholars class as ‘genuine’ or real?

Answer 26

75

Question 27

How many of Oracles of Delphi do modern scholars class as ‘quasi-historical’?

Answer 27

268

Question 28

What does ‘Quasi-Historical’ mean?

Answer 28

recorded out of Chronological context

Question 29

What percentage of ‘quasi-historical’ oracles relate to plagues, famine or/and war?

Answer 29

40%

Question 30

Give 1 example of a person who asked the Oracle of Delphi for wisdom.

Answer 30

Croesus King of Lydia.

Question 31

What did Croesus of Lydia offer the gods before his meeting with the Oracle of Delphi?

Answer 31

117 gold Ingots, a gold statue of a lion weighing 10 talents. Every kind of animal, gold, silver, golden cups, purple cloaks, tunics.

Question 32

What did Croesus of Lydia ask the Oracle of Delphi and what did she say?

Answer 32

Should he attack Persia? She said that if he did, he would destroy a great empire.

Question 33

Whose empire did Croesus of Lydia destroy when he battled the Persians?

Answer 33

His own.