Religion 1

Question 1

How does religion work?

Answer 1

Works like a business; worship and sacrifice in return for favours.

Question 2

Priests

Answer 2

Don’t spend their whole life devoted to religion. They may advise but they don’t monopolise religion.

Question 3

Communications

Answer 3

Oracles such as Delphi
Divination - gain insight into something via a religious ritual
Incubation - sleeping at a god’s sanctuary in order to get divine guidance

Question 4

Religion and society?

Answer 4

No real division between religion and civic activity. Religion was polis-based.

Question 5

The ‘Greekness’ of Greek religion

Answer 5

Greek religion was distinct and recognizable

Question 6

Temples

Answer 6

For the gods to live in
Worship carried out in a sacred enclosure
Splendour often reflects political rather than religious influences.

Question 7

Cult statues

Answer 7

Great anthropomorphic statues such as Zeus at Olympia
Cult objects - the most sacred objects were not always the showiest. For example, at Athens, the most scared object was not even really a statue, it was a wooden idol of Athena polias.

Question 8

Cult practices

Answer 8

Sacrifices - holocaust (burning victim whole).

Question 9

Working of religion within the community: Athens

Answer 9

Civic functions - most come under protection of the gods. For example, Zeus Agoraions protects the Agora.
Festivals - atleast 130 days of festivals, sacrifice is the climax of these festivals

Question 10

The Panathenaia

Answer 10

Celebrates the Athenian community under the protection of Athena. Athenian communities overseas sent a cow to be sacrificed.

Question 11

The Apatouria

Answer 11

Celebrated the hereditary family groups
Rites of passage
Register and attest status of citizen children,
sacrifices to dead members