Rituals and priests Flashcards
what political significance did priests have
no actual direct political significance
who selected the priests
the archon basileus
what were priests employed to do by the city
- perform rituals at civic occasions
- assist magistrates
- interpret oracles
who was allowed to perform a sacrifice
anyone who had the means to do so
how were most priests chosen
by lot
what was the role of priests
to be a mediator between humans and divine.
advantages of being a priest
- Front row seats for Theatre of Dionysus depending on priesthood
- Best cuts of sacrificial meat
- well regarded in society
- prestige in the post- people would aspire to be one
Disadvantages of being a priest
- unpaid or only part time, probably couldn’t feed a family on the salary
- Not a way of life.
what was a hereditary priesthood
one that would be passed down through the family e.g. father to son or mother to daughter
how long did a hereditary priesthood last
life long
what were two other ways of becoming a priest other than hereditary
by lot or by purchasing the priesthood
who was the most important female priestess in Athens
the priestess of Athena Polias
who would priestesses often appear alongside
important political officials
why were female priestess hoods so important
because women were often excluded from politics and so religion was the one area they could have an influence
