For the ancient Greeks the world was full of gods. Their religion had no holy book like the Bible or the Quran, no dogma to believe and no organised church. What mattered were actions: honouring the gods with prayers, offerings and sacrifices, in the way handed down by the ancestors, to win their favour. Religion was part of public life: every city had its protecting gods, and religious festivals were civic festivals too.
Gods and heroes
At the top were the twelve Olympian gods, led by Zeus, but the Greeks also worshipped countless minor deities: nymphs of woods and springs, river gods, Pan, the Muses. They also honoured heroes, extraordinary men of the past such as Heracles or Theseus, bringing offerings to their tombs. The gods were immortal and all-powerful but had human characters, passions and whims: the myths told their stories.
Prayer and sacrifice
People prayed standing, arms raised to the sky for heavenly gods or lowered towards the earth for those below. The most important rite was sacrifice:
- A procession led the animal, decked with ribbons, to the altar in front of the temple.
- Water and barley grains were sprinkled; the animal had to seem willing, nodding its head.
- After the killing, bones wrapped in fat were burned for the gods, who fed on the smoke.
- The meat was cooked and eaten by all participants in a great feast.
In myth it was Prometheus who tricked Zeus so that humans got the best share. People also offered libations of wine, milk and honey, cakes and fruit, and votive offerings such as figurines or valuables.
Temples and sanctuaries
The temple was the god's house, holding the statue; worshippers did not go in to pray, because rites took place at the outdoor altar. The great Panhellenic sanctuaries, such as Delphi, Olympia and Delos, drew pilgrims from across the Greek world, who left gifts and built "treasuries" to house them.
Priests and oracles
Priests and priestesses were not a separate caste: they were citizens, often chosen by lot or by family, who looked after a sanctuary's rites. To learn the gods' will people consulted oracles:
| Oracle | Deity | How it answered |
|---|---|---|
| Delphi | Apollo | The Pythia, a priestess, spoke in a trance; priests interpreted |
| Dodona, Epirus | Zeus | The rustling of the sacred oak's leaves |
| Siwa, Egypt | Amun, identified with Zeus | Visited by Alexander the Great |
| Necromanteion, Epirus | The dead | Summoning of souls |
Mysteries
Alongside civic religion there were mystery cults, entered through secret initiation. The most famous were the Eleusinian Mysteries, near Athens, devoted to Demeter and Persephone: for almost two thousand years thousands of initiates took part, and no one revealed what happened. They promised a better fate after death. Other mysteries were held on Samothrace, and Orphism taught the immortality of the soul (see Orpheus).
Festivals
The calendar was full of festivals. In Athens the Panathenaea, in summer, culminated in a great procession, shown on the Parthenon frieze, bringing Athena a new robe; the Dionysia hosted the theatre contests; the Thesmophoria were for women only. The Olympic Games too were a religious festival for Zeus.
The end
Christianity spread slowly. At the end of the 4th century Emperor Theodosius' edicts banned sacrifices and closed temples. Many sanctuaries were abandoned or turned into churches: the Parthenon itself became a church of the Virgin. But many ancient gestures, such as votive offerings and processions, survive transformed in Greek folk religion.
See also Greek mythology and the underworld.