Inspired by a recent thread on Reddit about what everyday life was like at an ancient Greek sanctuary, the team got together to talk about sanctuaries in ancient Greece. We define what a “sanctuary” is and what kind of sacred places there in the ancient Greek world. We then give a chronological overview of developments in Greek religion and sanctuaries from the Late Bronze Age onwards.
Sanctuaries are the focal point for religion, so we naturally also talk about priests and priestesses, festivals, and sacrifices. Greek plays and athletic competitions were usually organized in honour of the gods. We also talk about the main elements of the typical sanctuary and pay particular attention to the altar, which was also a place of refuge for those fearing for their lives. In short, we cover a lot of ground, yet still only scratch the surface.
This episode is also available on YouTube.