Religions 7: Gender and Transformations

Gender Study of social and cultural position of man and woman Study of social and cultural position of man and woman put on the map by Sarah Pomeroy put on the map by Sarah Pomeroy Initiation rituals: Initiation rituals: - Arrephoroi - ‘Bears’ at Brauron Features: physical endurance, beauty (Helen), dancing and women’s tasks In course of archaic period: only aristocratic girls (not in Athens); marriage

Patriarchal society Women associated with dirt and pollution Women associated with dirt and pollution No access to ‘macho’ gods, e.g. Poseidon No access to ‘macho’ gods, e.g. Poseidon Negative portrayal in art and myth (see below) Negative portrayal in art and myth (see below) Only temporary freedom: women’s festivals (see below) Only temporary freedom: women’s festivals (see below) Role in mystery cults Role in mystery cults

Representations of women On vases: mostly negative; otherwise conforming to female roles On vases: mostly negative; otherwise conforming to female roles Myth: Myth: - Young girls to be tamed/domesticated (Io) - Betrayal of family (Helen, Medea, Ariadne) > does not end well - Married women: betrayal of husbands (women of Lemnos) - Older women frightning (Medusa, Moirai, Erinyes) - Women outside Greek world: ‘barbarian’ (Amazons) - Women in tragedies: tragic heroines, but are destroyed by own feminity (Medea) - Goddesses not role models, as they often take on aspects of the male world (Athena, Artemis)

Women’s festivals Thesmophoria: 3 days (like Anthesteria), for aristocratic, married women, under male supervision: Day 1: Anodos Day 1: Anodos (Ascent): to sanctuary of Demeter, procession with pigs (victim of Demeter), antaphrodisiac plants symbolising temporary leaving of marriage (Danaids) Day 2: Nesteia (Fasting): reversal, cf. Anthesteria Day 3: Kalligeneia (Beautiful Birth): pigs sacrificied, offerings to Kalligeneia

Maenads Eating raw meat, ecstatic dance, walking bare feet on hills, wear panther or deer skin, carry staff or thyrsus Eating raw meat, ecstatic dance, walking bare feet on hills, wear panther or deer skin, carry staff or thyrsus Followers of Dionysus; perhaps background in initiation Followers of Dionysus; perhaps background in initiation Euripides, Bacchae (Friday!) Euripides, Bacchae (Friday!) Effect: Leaving home and talking to other women, religious experience, temporary escape from bonds of polis (cf. shamanism) Effect: Leaving home and talking to other women, religious experience, temporary escape from bonds of polis (cf. shamanism) However: participation only of aristocracy, only every other year, male supervision However: participation only of aristocracy, only every other year, male supervision

Transformations From ca. 500 onwards mystery cults (mysteria); features: secluded, initiation, hereafter a. a. Eleusinian mysteries Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore = Persephone Autumn festival + initiation Myth: Demeter started cult after regaining daughter > ritual: gift of life = corn Agricultural > eschatological character after V

b. Orphism: Orpheus, starts ca. 500, connection with Pythagoreanism and Bacchic rites Interest in hereafter, vegetarianism, reincarnation Derveni papyrus (ca. 325 BCE): Theogony, central text in Orphic mystery cults First movement in which holy books become central Tickets to the underworld: initiatory or funerary? Important in Hellenistic/Late Antique periods

Derveni papyrus

Compare with ‘normal’ Greek religion: what are the differences?

1. Exclusivity instead of inclusiveness of Greek religion 2. Private initiation instead of openness/communal character of Greek religion 3. Afterlife vs. here and now 4. Focus on one god 5. Holy books vs. oral character

Other transformations (than 1. mysteries): 2. Increasing criticism/blurring of gods 3. New gods: Asklepios (ca. 425), Cybele, Adonis, Bendis: ecstatic, private piety 4. Preference for one god: ‘Lord’ vs. ‘servants, slaves’, Dionysus becomes ‘Saviour’ (characteristic of Hellenistic period) 5. Private cults: Brasidas (foreshadowing of Hellenistic ruler cult)

Kaineus myth