ÿþ<html> <head> <title> WHKMLA : Historical Dictionaries : Graeco-Roman Paganism </title> <!-- copyright Alexander Ganse, 2004-2006 --> </head> <body bgcolor="lightblue" text="black" link="blue" vlink="red" alink="brown"> <style> <!-- A{ font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-face: arial; } --> </style> <DIV align ="center"> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../index.html"> <img src = "../../whkmla2.jpg" border = "0"></a></TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width = "150" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> Timeline </b></font></TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../timelines/wh/tlgrpaganism.html"> <img src = "../../region/arrowleft.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"> </a></TD> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../timelines/whchapters.html"> <img src = "../banhistdic.jpg" border = "0"> </TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../biographies/wh/biogrpaganism.html"> <img src = "../../region/arrowright.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"> </a></TD> <TD width = "100" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> Biographies </b></font></TD></TR></TABLE> <font size = "3" face = "arial"><B><i>First posted on June 28th 2004 </i></b></font><BR><BR><BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center" width = "900"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "5"><B> Historical Dictionaries : Graeco-Roman Paganism </B></font> <BR> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"><i> http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histdic/wh/hdgrpaganism.html </i></font> </B></font></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "left" valign = "center" width = "150"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"> <A NAME = "aphrodite">Aphrodite</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "apollo">Apollo</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "ares">Ares</A> <BR> <A NAME = "artemis">Artemis</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "augurs">Augurs</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "auspices">Auspices</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "bacchanalia">Bacchanalia</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "bacchus">Bacchus</A> <BR> <A NAME = "dionysus">Dionysus</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "eleusianmysteries">Eleusian Mysteries</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "festivalofmars">Festival of Mars</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "festivalofvesta">Festival of Vesta</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "floralia">Floralia</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "hades">Hades</A> <BR> <A NAME = "hephaistos">Hephaistos</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "hermes">Hermes</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "hestia">Hestia</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "janus">Janus</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "jupiter">Jupiter</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "lemuria">Lemuria</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "lupercalia">Lupercalia</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "mars">Mars</A> <BR><BR><BR> Mars, Festival of <BR> <A NAME = "mithraism">Mithraism</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "muses">Muses</A> <BR><BR> Neptun <BR> <A NAME = "omen">Omen</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "oracle">Oracle</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "paganism">Paganism</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "pallasathene">Pallas Athene</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "pan">Pan</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "panathenaicfestival">Panathenaic Festival</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "pantheon">Pantheon</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "parentalia">Parentalia</A> <BR> <A NAME = "pontifexmaximus">Pontifex Maximus</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "pontificalcollege">Pontifical College</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "poseidon">Poseidon</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "pythia">Pythia</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "pythiangames">Pythian Games</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "rexsacrorum">Rex Sacrorum</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "sacredwars">Sacred Wars</A> <BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "saturnalia">Saturnalia</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "satyr">Satyrs</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "sibyl">Sibyl</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "sibyllinebooks">Sibylline Books</A> <BR><BR><BR><BR> <A NAME = "solinvictus">Sol Invictus</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "titans">Titans</A> <BR><BR><BR> Venus <BR> Vesta <BR> Vesta, Festival of <BR> <A NAME = "vestalvirgins">Vestal Virgins</A> <BR><BR> <A NAME = "zeus">Zeus</A> <BR><BR><BR> </font></TD> <TD align = "left" valign = "center" width = "500"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"> Greek goddess of love, beauty, seduction; always depicted naked, sometimes <BR> rising out of a clam. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/aphrodite.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> Greek god of healing and prophesy, af colonization, of poetry, dance. Son of Zeus, <BR> brother of Artemis. Beardless, often depicted holding a lyre. The Delphic Oracle <BR> was situated at the Temple of Apollo. <BR> Greek god of war, Latin name Mars. Son of Zeus and Hera. bearded. <BR> Greek goddess of hunt, healing, chastity and childbirth; daughter of Zeus, sister <BR> of Apollon, Latin name Diana. depicted with bow and arrows, a crescent moon, <BR> sometimes clothed, sometimes naked (multiple brests). <BR> Roman priests responsible for taking auspices. They also were in charge of con- <BR> ducting rites when elected public officials assumed their office (inauguration), <BR> when a colony was to be established (they had to delimit the plots); often they <BR> were responsible for burials being conducted properly. <BR> taking auspices, in ancient Rome, was a way to read an omen, by observing the <BR> pattern of the flight of birds. Augurs were in charge. From <i>avispex</i>. <BR> a festival dedicated to god Bacchus, which involved heavy drinking. When first <BR> introduced (c.200 B.C.), held on March 16th and 17th, and limited to women. <BR> Soon they were opened to men and held several times a month. Blamed for <BR> causing a rise in crimes, they were banned in 186 B.C. except for events pro- <BR> perly registered and permitted by the Senate. <BR> Latin name of Dionysus; see there <BR> Greek god of wine; son of Zeus. Latin name Bacchus. Persons intoxicated by <BR> alcohol were believed not to act on their own account, but being a medium god <BR> Dionysus would use to act. Dionysus is portrayed naked, with grapes. <BR> or Eleusinian Mysteries, held at the city of Eleusis, devoted to Demeter (god- <BR> dess of life, agriculture and fertility) and Persephone. Secretive initiation cere- <BR> mony. <BR> or (second) Equirria; March 14th. Celebrated to honour Mars, god of war and <BR> protector of Rome. On Campus Martius, horse races were held; priests carrying <BR> shields would dance in the streets. <BR> also called Vestalia, celebrated June 7th to 15th. On the first day of the festival, <BR> the inner sanctuary was opened to women bringing offerings; in the inner <BR> sanctuary the sacred fire of the Roman state, which burnt permanently, was <BR> kept. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/v/vesta.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> festival celebrated in Rome from April 28th to May 2nd, to honour Flora (Gr. <BR> Chloris). Involved dances of (often naked) girls crowned with rings made of <BR> flowers. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Floralia.html"> Lacus Curtius</A> <BR> Greek god, ruler of the underworld. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hades.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> Latinized spelling Hephaestus, Greek god of fire, thermal and volcanic activity, <BR> smiths and craftsmen. He was one of the twelve great Olympian gods. <BR> see article from <A HREF = "http://www.theoi.com/Olympioi/Hephaistos.html">Theoi Project</A> <BR> messenger of the Greek gods, god of shepherds, land travel, merchants, <BR> weights and measures, oratory, literature, athletics and thieves, and known <BR> for his cunning and shrewdness. Father of Pan. Depicted either with winged <BR> heels or a winged helmet, running. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hermes.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> Latin name Vesta, Greek goddess of the hearth fire, hence presiding over <BR> domestic life. Sister of Zeus, virgin goddess, tended the sacred fire on Mount <BR> Olympus. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hestia.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> Roman god of gates and doors (ianua), beginnings and endings, depicted <BR> with a double-faced head, the faces looking in opposite directions. He was <BR> worshipped at the beginning of harvest time, planting, marriage, birth, and <BR> other types of beginnings, especially the beginnings of important events in <BR> a person's life. J. also represents the transition between primitive life and <BR> civilization, between the countryside and the city, peace and war, and the <BR> growing-up of young people. When Rome was at peace, the doors of the <BR> temple of Janus were closed; when Rome was at war, they were wide open <BR> indicating that Janus had left his temple and was with the Roman army. <BR> see article of <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/j/janus.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> Greek name Zeus; Jupiter was the head of the Roman pantheon. The temple <BR> on Capitol Hill, where the Roman Senate assembled, was dedicated to <BR> Jupiter. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/j/jupiter.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> or Lemuralia, festival held in Rome May 9th, 11th and 13th, in order to expel <BR> the ghosts of the dead from the houses; beans were offered to the spirits <BR> of the dead, the families would eat salt cakes baked by the Vestal Virgins. <BR> Roman festival celebrated February 15th; the center of the festivity was <BR> the Lupercal, the cave in which, according to legend, the wolf suckled <BR> Romulus and Remus. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Lupercalia.html">Lacus Curtius</A> <BR> Roman god of war, Greek name Ares. One of the most important gods <BR> worshipped in Rome; Campus Martius named after him. see article from <BR> <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/mars.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> see under Festival of Mars <BR> Mithraism was a Gnostic cult centering on worshipping Mithras, a god of eastern <BR> Mediterranean origin. It arose at the same time as christianity, spread throughout the <BR> Roman Empire and for some time competed with christianity. Temples were built <BR> underground, contain reliefs, statues, paintings. see article by <A HREF = "http://www.well.com/user/davidu/mithras.html">David Ulansey</A> <BR> nine Greek demi-goddesses; daughters of Zeus, responsible for the arts. Clio is the <BR> muse of history. <BR> Latin name for Poseidon, see there <BR> (Latin) plural omina, a prediction of the future; Romans, before entering in an <BR> undertaking, often had Augurs take an omen (see under Augurs) to learn if the gods <BR> looked favourably on the undertaking in question. <BR> (Greek) prediction of the future, administered by certain temples dedicated to Apollo <BR> (in Greece), most notably Delphi, by Sibyls (in Italy). Usually ambivalent; the oracles <BR> required interpretation. <BR> in the time of the Roman Empire, expanding, but illegitimate christianity 'competed' with <BR> the polytheistic beliefs of Romans, Greeks and numerous other peoples. In the third <BR> century, christianity had gained such a large followership, that the adherents of the <BR> traditional Roman etc. gods got organized as pagans (expression derived from Latin <BR> 'pagus' (land, district), i.e. the men from the land, in contrast to the strangers - christianity <BR> interpreted as foreign). Even after christianity was elevated (a) state religion by <BR> Constantine in 325, paganism continued. In the Eastern Empire, paganism was terminated <BR> by Theodosius (379-395). In the west, the incursions of Germanic invaders (as Arian <BR> christians, they left Catholic churches untouched, but plundered pagan temples) dealt a <BR> heavy blow to paganism. see article of <A HREF = "http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11388a.htm">Catholic Encyclopedia</A> <BR> Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. Daughter of Zeus. <BR> Goddess of Athens; Latin name Minerva, always depicted clothed and armed; symbol <BR> the owl. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/athena.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> son of Hermes, half goat, half man, Greek god of shepherds and flocks. He was <BR> depicted as a satyr, had a wrinkled face with a very prominent chin. On his forehead <BR> were two horns, his body was hairy. God of fertility and carnal desire. <BR> see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pan.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> celebrated in Athens in mid-August, on what was believed to have been the birthday <BR> of Pallas Athene; most important festival held in Athens. Athletic competitions, song <BR> contests etc. were held. Everybody, except for slaves, could attend. see article <BR> from <A HREF = "http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/athnlife/rligious.htm">Athenian Daily Life</A> <BR> family or house of the gods. The Greeks believed them to reside on Mount Olympus <BR> and recognized Zeus as the head of the family of gods. <BR> held in Rome Feb. 13th to 21st; on this occasion, the ancestors were honoured. <BR> in ancient Rome, head of the Pontifical College, highest-ranking priest in Rome. They <BR> also functioned as archivists, as they were responsible for keeping the minutes of <BR> the magistrates, and the annales. <BR> in Latin Collegium Pontificum, highest body of Roman official religion (see Paganism). <BR> directed by the Pontifex Maximus. Other members of this priesthood included the <BR> Rex Sacrorum (king of the sacred rites), the Flaminii, and the Vestales. The number <BR> of Pontifices, elected by cooptation, was originally six, increased to fifteen in 1st <BR> century BC. The Pontifices served for life. <BR> Greek god of the sea, Latin name Neptun. Depicted bearded, wearing a crown, <BR> holding a trident. Also responsible for earthquakes, horses. Symbol the dolphin. <BR> see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/poseidon.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> title of the high priestess at the Delphic oracle. These priestesses had to be virgins. <BR> see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pythia.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> games held at Delphi every four years. In contrast to the Olympic Games, women <BR> were permitted to attend and participate. <BR> when the monarchy was abolished in Rome in 509 B.C., the religious functions of <BR> the king were transferred to a priest, the Rex Sacrorum of Rex Sacrificus. Member <BR> of the Pontifical College. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.ukans.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Rex_Sacrificulus.html">Lacus Curtius</A> <BR> wars fought by the Delphic amphictyonia against those who violated the sanctity <BR> of the temple at Delphi. The first three such sacred wars were fought against the <BR> Phocians 601-591, 447, 356-345, the fourth against the Locrians 339 N.C. <BR> celebrated in Rome Dec. 17th to 23rd (winter solstice). Similar to Catholic carnival, <BR> social roles were switched, a lot of alcohol was consumed etc. <BR> in Greek mythology, half-man half-beast spirits haunting woods and mountains, <BR> companions of Pan and Dionysus. Horned; promiscuous cowards. <BR> priestesses of Apollo, prophetesses in antiquity; the Sibyls of Cumae and of <BR> Erythreae the most famous ones. A Sibyl of Cumae sold the Sibylline books to <BR> Tarquinius Superbus, the last Roman king. see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/sibyl.html">Encyclopedia <BR> Mythica</A> <BR> a set of books containing predictions of future events, which, according to <BR> tradition, were kept by the Sibyls of Cumae until Roman King Tarquin offered <BR> to purchase them. Originally 9, he purchased three, the remainder was burnt <BR> by the Sibyl who was angry about his attempt to negotiate the price. <BR> sun god, the cult of which was introduced in Rome by Emperor Aurelian (270- <BR> 275) <BR> in Greek mythology, race of godlike giants who were considered to be the 12 <BR> personifications of the forces of nature. The Greek gods are their offspring. <BR> see article from <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/articles/t/titans.html">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> Latin name for Aphrodite, see there <BR> Latin name of Hestia, see there <BR> see under Festival of Vesta <BR> priestesses preserving the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta; they also prepared <BR> salted cakes consumed during the Parentalia. <BR> in Latin called Jupiter or Jovis; head of the Pantheon, married to Hera, notoriously <BR> unfaithful. Bearded, could transform himself into a bull, swan etc. The Olympic <BR> Games were held in his honour. <BR> </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "left" valign = "center" width = "700"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"> ONLINE REFERENCE : <BR> Roman Festivals, from <A HREF = "http://www.shagtown.com/days/roman.html">Encyclopedia of Days</A> <BR> Roman Religion, from <A HREF = "http://www.roman-empire.net/religion/religion.html">Roman Empire</A> <BR> <A HREF = "http://www.theoi.com/">Theoi Project</A>, A Guide to Greek Gods, Spirits and Monsters <BR> Greek Mythology, from <A HREF = "http://www.providence.edu/dwc/gremyth.htm">CivWeb</A> <BR> <A HREF = "http://www.pantheon.org/">Encyclopedia Mythica</A> <BR> </font></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> </DIV> </DIV> <DIV align="center"> <A href="mailto:aganse@hotmail.com"> <IMG src="../../email.gif" border="0"></a><BR> </DIV><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <!-- Start of CH Counter --> <script type="text/javascript"> //<!-- // chCounter v2.0.0 // settings: cstatus = "active"; visible = "0"; path_to_counterfile = "http://www.zum.de/whkmla/counter/counter.php"; urlhp = "http://www.zum.de"; //////////////// url = unescape(location.href); file = url.substring(url.lastIndexOf(urlhp) + urlhp.length, url.length); file = (file.charAt(0) != "/") ? "/" + file : file; referer = (document.referrer) ? document.referrer : ""; document.write("<script type=\"text/javascript\" "); document.write("src=\"" + path_to_counterfile + "?chCounter_mode=js&status=" + cstatus + "&visible=" + visible); document.write("&seite=" + file + "&referer=" + referer + "&res_width=" + screen.width + "&res_height=" + screen.height + "\"></" + "script>"); //--> </script> <!-- End of CH Counter --> <BR> </body> </html>