Papers by Eleni Marantou
Religion and Gender, 2022
historicaltimesThe connection between Poseidon and the Peloponnese islong-standing.... more historicaltimesThe connection between Poseidon and the Peloponnese islong-standing. His name was mentioned already during theMycenaean ages, while later he took a place among the Olympiangods as lord of the sea, an extension of his power over the bowels ofthe earth, water and fountains.The Urst cults testify that he was a god with chthoniancharacteristics, related to “demon expressions of death” and thiswas his nature even later at many of his places of worship. Despitethe fact he was an old deity, he did not become one of the favoritegods during the historical ages and his cult places were limited.In the Peloponnese his places of worship were founded mostlyoutside the cities. Sometimes he appeared as a horse-shaped god,while his name was also connected to the famous psychopompeionat Tainaro. The myth and the cult actions connected him withDemeter, Despoina and Athena, and also with the mythical hero,Odysseus. He was worshipped as Hippios, Asphaleios or Gaiaochos,names that testify chthonian characteristics, but also as Genethliosor Domatitis, in which cases he appears as an Olympian god.The purpose of this paper is to present all the cult places ofPoseidon during the early historical ages (cult places either knownonly from the sources or already investigated) in central andsouthern Peloponnese and more speciUcally in the prefectures ofArcadia, Elis, Messenia and Laconia. The di_erent aspects of thechthonian and Olympian nature of the god will also be examined.Di_erent cult names and notable characteristics of his cult places,as well as myths which connect him with other deities at the sameareas, will also be taken into account. Emphasis will be placed on hischthonic nature, because it survived from the prehistoric ages and itgives important information about the origin of the deity, and alsoon his relation to di_erent geological phenomena which occurred atthe areas he was worshipped.It is certain that the god of earthquakes and water, Poseidon,was at Urst an important deity. Studying facts about him can provideus with information about the perception of divine power and theformation of religious context in early historical times.
Man began very early to queston the world around him and seek answers to his fears and concerns. ... more Man began very early to queston the world around him and seek answers to his fears and concerns. The mythology mainly kept the memory of the first answers and with it the roots of cosmological searches of the first humans. The gods appeared early to frigthen or to assist and thus remained in the memory of people and their cults, even when the subsequent structured society wanted to impose a more organized religious system, which except of religious needs would also serve political purposes.
This paper aims to investigate myths and cult places that refer to early beliefs of people for their gods and the creation of the Universe. This journey will take place in the Peloponnese with the help of the mythology with its dark elements that scare, but also reminiscent of the ecstasy of the first contact between man and the gods.
the agora was in the antiquity the hub of the public life of each city. It was the meeting point,... more the agora was in the antiquity the hub of the public life of each city. It was the meeting point, the
administrative and political centre, a place of debate and discussion, but also a place where gods were
worshipped.
the paper investigates why some gods are preferred in the cult system of a city. It examines
whether specific facts related to a city’s historical or mythological past were taken into consideration
or whether the selection was based on other criteria.
It focuses on the region of the central and southern Peloponnese, and the temples that were built
in the agoras of the ancient cities there. an attempt is made to interpret the reasons why specific gods
were preferred for worship in the most central and lively place of each city, the agora.
PhD Thesis by Eleni Marantou
Articles by Eleni Marantou
Abstracts by Eleni Marantou
Τεχνικές των θεών στα χέρια των ανθρώπων: Μάγια και γιατροσόφια στους μύθους της Θεσσαλικής Γης
Ιεροί χώροι: Τόποι λατρείας ή χώροι πολιτικής εξουσίας; Παραδείγματα από την κεντρική και νότια Π... more Ιεροί χώροι: Τόποι λατρείας ή χώροι πολιτικής εξουσίας; Παραδείγματα από την κεντρική και νότια Πελοπόννησο των αρχαϊκών χρόνων
Conference Organization by Eleni Marantou
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Papers by Eleni Marantou
This paper aims to investigate myths and cult places that refer to early beliefs of people for their gods and the creation of the Universe. This journey will take place in the Peloponnese with the help of the mythology with its dark elements that scare, but also reminiscent of the ecstasy of the first contact between man and the gods.
administrative and political centre, a place of debate and discussion, but also a place where gods were
worshipped.
the paper investigates why some gods are preferred in the cult system of a city. It examines
whether specific facts related to a city’s historical or mythological past were taken into consideration
or whether the selection was based on other criteria.
It focuses on the region of the central and southern Peloponnese, and the temples that were built
in the agoras of the ancient cities there. an attempt is made to interpret the reasons why specific gods
were preferred for worship in the most central and lively place of each city, the agora.
PhD Thesis by Eleni Marantou
Articles by Eleni Marantou
Abstracts by Eleni Marantou
Conference Organization by Eleni Marantou
This paper aims to investigate myths and cult places that refer to early beliefs of people for their gods and the creation of the Universe. This journey will take place in the Peloponnese with the help of the mythology with its dark elements that scare, but also reminiscent of the ecstasy of the first contact between man and the gods.
administrative and political centre, a place of debate and discussion, but also a place where gods were
worshipped.
the paper investigates why some gods are preferred in the cult system of a city. It examines
whether specific facts related to a city’s historical or mythological past were taken into consideration
or whether the selection was based on other criteria.
It focuses on the region of the central and southern Peloponnese, and the temples that were built
in the agoras of the ancient cities there. an attempt is made to interpret the reasons why specific gods
were preferred for worship in the most central and lively place of each city, the agora.