Lecture 18 - Religion and Politics

Question 1

12 Olympian Gods

Answer 1

Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hades, Hephaistus, Hera, Hermes, Hestia, Persephone, Poseidon, Zeus.

Question 2

Political functions of religion within the polis - patron deities

Answer 2

Patron deities such as Athena (Athens and Sparta).

Question 3

Political functions of religion within the polis - Heroes

Answer 3

Such as Theseus at Athens. Cimon eagerly sought to discover Theseus’ grave as the oracle had instructed the Athenians to bring back his bones and honour him as he was a hero.

Question 4

Political function - religion and hierarchies

Answer 4

For example the kings of Sparta. According to Herodotus, “At all public sacrifices the kings first sit down to the banquet and are served first”.

Question 5

Inter-polis relations - religion and alliances

Answer 5

E.g. the treaty between Knossos, Tylissos and Argos. “Whatever we both win together…the finest of the spoils shall be sent to Delphi by both cities jointly”.

Question 6

Political function - Panhellenism

Answer 6

Common identity. Participation of panhellenic festivals requires ‘Greekness’. “We come together in one place, where, as we make our prayers and sacrifices in common, we are reminded of the kinship which exists among us”.