Levels Of Participation- Deme Flashcards
what is a deme
was a local community in ancient Greece, typically centred around a specific village or town. Each deme had its own religious traditions and practices, which were often closely tied to the local landscape and the cults of specific deities.
Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside seem to have existed in the 6th century BC and earlier, but did not acquire particular significance until the reforms of Cleisthenes in 508 BC. In those reforms, enrolment in the citizen-lists of a deme became the requirement for citizenship; prior to that time, citizenship had been based on membership in a phratry, or family group.
Cleisthenes was attempting to break down tribal loyalties in order to strengthen loyalty to the polis as a whole. At this same time, demes were established in the main city of Athens itself, where they had not previously existed; in all, at the end of Cleisthenes’ reforms, Athens was divided into 139 demes.
deme- religous participation
Athens was separated into demes. Each deme had its own set of religious festivals, organised in a sacred calendar. These differed between demes and although there were certain gods or heroes that were specific to individual demes, there were also many common festivals.
the deme- erchia
inscription with their sacred calander dates.
The deme Erchia, which had a population of about 500 male adults and 2,000–3,000 residents in total, we can see just how deme religious participation worked. An inscription with their sacred calendar dates to the 4th century. They had twenty-five days of sacrifices per year, during which they sacrificed fifty-nine animals. These were paid for by the wealthier demesmen.
The calendar records worship of six Apollos, defined by an epithet or locality:
- Apollo Apotropaios (averter of evil)
- Apollo Delphinios (of Delphi)
- Apollo Lykeios (of wolves)
- Apollo Nymphegetes (leader of the nymphs)
- Apollo Paion (healer)
- Apollo Pythios (the Pythian – again referring to Delphi)
lex sacra (sacred law)
the deme erchia
sacrafices and divinities to the gods
Much of what is known about Erchia comes from a lex sacra (sacred law) of the deme which has survived. In it are listed 59 annual sacrifices to 46 divinities (gods, nymphs and heroes), for a total cost of 547 drachmae; 21 of these sacrifices were made in the deme itself, the other 38 in the neighbouring demes or in Athens. Priests of these cults might also represent the deme at festivals that took place in Athens; Erchia is recorded to have offered sacrifices to gods such as Athena Polias on the Acropolis.
Participation in local religious events did not exclude people from state ones, just as they would be performing their household offerings at the same time. Rural demes would, moreover, honour gods relevant to their livelihoods. Since Erchia was in the countryside, they would celebrate festivals in honour of Demeter, goddess of agriculture, such as the Proerosia, a ‘pre-ploughing’ festival.
These festivals therefore served a practical purpose, but we should not ignore the fun and celebration that individuals enjoyed at them as well.
the mutliation of the herms and reial of alcibiades
Hermae were so called either because the head of Hermes was most common or from their etymological connection with the Greek word ἕρματα (blocks of stone), which originally had no reference to Hermes at all. In ancient Greece the statues were thought to ward off harm or evil, an apotropaic function, and were placed at crossings, country borders and boundaries as protection, in front of temples, near to tombs, outside houses, in the gymnasia, libraries, porticoes, and public places, at the corners of streets, on high roads as sign-posts, with distances inscribed upon them. Before his role as protector of merchants and travellers, Hermes was a phallic god, associated with fertility, luck, roads and borders. His name perhaps comes from the word herma referring to a square or rectangular pillar of stone.
plutarch, life of alcibades
talking baout deme
“…After the people (demos) had adopted this motion (to invade Sicily 415BC) and all things were made ready for the departure of the fleet, there were some unpropitious signs and portents, especially in connection with the festival, namely, the Adonia. [3] This fell at that time, and little images like dead folk carried forth to burial were in many places exposed to view by the women, who mimicked burial rites, beat their breasts, and sang dirges. Moreover, the mutilation of the Hermae, most of which, in a single night, had their faces and forms [phalli] disfigured, confounded the hearts of many, even among those who usually set small store by such things. It was said, it is true, that Corinthians had done the deed, Syracuse being a colony of theirs, in the hope that such portents would check or stop the war. [4] The multitude, however, were not moved by this reasoning, nor by that of those who thought the affair no terrible sign at all, but rather one of the common effects of strong wine, when dissolute youth, in mere sport, are carried away into wanton acts. They looked on the occurrence with wrath and fear, thinking it the sign of a bold and dangerous conspiracy. They therefore scrutinized keenly every suspicious circumstance, the council and the assembly convening for this purpose many times within a few days.”
primary sources for the role of the deme
the homeric hymns
which contain numerous references to local cults and religious practices in various demes. Homeric Hymn to Demeter: “In the rich land of Eleusis, where the people have their city, there the goddess, bright-coiffed Demeter, met him [Keleos], as he was coming from the fields, and with him the son whom she had borne.” Homeric Hymn to Hermes: “He sang of the holy demes, the tribes of men, and all the blessed gods who live forever.”
primary sources of the role of the deme
the work of pausanias
a 2nd-century AD geographer and traveller who provides detailed descriptions of the religious practices and cults of various demes throughout Greece. Pausanias Description of Greece: “The sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos is situated in the deme of Acamantis. It is said that Hypsistos was the first god worshipped by the Acamanians, and that the sanctuary was built by Acamas, son of Theseus.”
primary sources for the role of the deme
the inscriptions and texts found on religous artifacts
such as votive offerings and dedicatory inscriptions, which provide information about the cults and rituals of specific demes. Inscriptions and texts found on religious artifacts such as votive offerings and dedicatory inscriptions, which provide information about the cults and rituals of specific demes. For example, An inscription found at the Sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos in Acamantis which reads “Eudoros son of Ariston, from the deme of Acamantis, dedicates this to Zeus Hypsistos.” Inscription from the deme of Marathon: “To the god Apollo, the son of Zeus, the Marathonians set up this statue in fulfillment of a vow.”
walter burkert
Greek Religion provides an overview of the role of the deme in ancient Greek religion, highlighting the fact that each deme had its own religious traditions and practices that were often closely tied to the local landscape and the cults of specific deities.
martin p. nilsson
The Minoan-Mycenaean Religion and Its Survival in Greek Religion (1940) explores the continuity of religious practices and beliefs from the Minoan-Mycenaean period to the classical period, with a focus on how these were maintained at the deme level.
what was the purpose of the division of city into demes
In 508BC … Cleisthenes ….. introduces democracy …. He set out to loosen tribal ties and strength identification with the polis … phratry = 10 tribes of Athens
what kind og gods/heros were worshipped
Wide range … some shared with the polis eg 6x Apollos at Erchia …. Nyphs and naiads (pools rivers and stream … sylphs (spirits of the woodland etc etc»_space;> also local heroes»_space;» apotropaic = to ward off evil spirits … protect you …. From Erchia 46 different deities .. some very ancient
what do we learn from ericha
Gods were embedded in the landscape … lex sacra (sacred law inscription)»_space;> accounts ie how much the various sacrifices cost
what was the relationship between religion in the deme and religion in the polis
Deme and polis – shared some gods … had many more local ones … demes sent delegations to polis celebrations ….. to be a citizen of Athens, you had to first be registered in a deme
