Artemis
by CTCWeb Editors
Associated Rituals
The nature of a god or goddess may be discerned from the rituals performed for the favor of that god or goddess. Students should look at the rituals performed in favor of Artemis. Students will also want to look at where the rituals are performed, who performs the rituals, and whether the societies that include these rituals in their religious practices worship only Artemis or Artemis along with other gods and goddesses.
Historical Overview 10.1.5 Occasions of Sacrifice and Festivals - Artemis, the goddess of wild animals, was the special patroness of the Athenian council of 500.
Brauron, Stoa at Artemision - The maidens who served Artemis may have been housed here.
Delphi, Site Description - The Pythian Games, reorganized and presided over by the Amphictoyony, were formerly instituted in honor of Apollo, Artemis, and Leto.
Apollodorus, Epitome Note 6.27 - During the ritual of Artemis at Halae, a priest drew the blood from the throat of a chosen man with a sword. They regarded this man as a substitute for Orestes, by whom Artemis had been defrauded.
Herodotus 4.33.5 - When the Thracian and Paeonian women sacrifice to the Royal Artemis, they have straw with them while they sacrifice.
Pausanias 2.27.4 - “There he became king and devoted a precinct to Artemis, where down to my time the prize for the victor in single combat was the priesthood of the goddess. The contest was open to no freeman, but only to slaves who had run away from their masters.”
Pausanias 2.30.7-9 - A man named Saron loved to hunt. He chased a doe onto the beach and out to sea. Saron chased the doe all the way out into the open sea and his strength failed him. The drown body of Saron washed ashore at the grove of Artemis by the Phoebaean lagoon.
Pausanias 2.32.10 - For Saronian Artemis a festival is held every year called Saronia.
Pausanias 4.31.7 - The people of Calydon worshipped Artemis above all the gods and gave her the title “Laphria.” The Messenians adopted Artemis as their goddess, called Laphria, from the people of Calydon. The Laphria also spread to the Messenians and to the Achaeans of Patrae but no further.
Pausanias 6.22.1 - At a sanctuary of Artemis, surnamed Cordax, the followers of Pelops celebrated their victory and danced the “cordax,” a dance performed to the people who dwell around Mount Sipylus.
Pausanias 7.18.11 - “Every year too the people of Patrae celebrate the festival Laphria in honor of their Artemis, and at it they employ a method of sacrifice peculiar to the place . . . The festival begins with a most splendid procession in honor of Artemis, and the maiden officiating as priestess rides last in the procession upon a car yoked to deer . . . there are wild boars, deer and gazelles; some bring wolf-cubs or bear-cubs, others the full-grown beasts. They also place upon the altar fruit of cultivated trees.”
Pausanias 8. 53.2-3 - Leimon was shot by Artemis for killing his brother, Scephrus. Tegeates and Maera made sacrifices to Apollo and Artemis but a famine befell the land. The oracle at Delphi ordered a mourning period for Scephrus. As a result of this story the Lord of Streets rites is performed in honor of Scephrus. The priestess of Artemis chases a man pretending to be Artemis pursuing Leimon.
Pausanias 10.35.7 - The Hyampolians worship Artemis above all other gods and they have a temple for the goddess. They open the sanctuary only twice each year. Supposively, whatever cattle the Hyampolians consecrate to Artemis develop immunity to disease and grow fatter than the other cattle.
