religion: heroes and the dead

defintion of a hero

dead mortal

retain some influence after death

cult worship beyond their kin

could be traced to heroic age

ties to locality

could become a god

could be bad eg. Cleomedes killed kids

history of heroes

Iron Age origins

links communities to their past

Menelaion, Sparta- C15BC

Theoxenia

meal left out to gods in votive dedication

not burnt offering

often as mortals eat/banquet

summoning ghosts

ancient idea but not popular until Classical period where had power interfere with human life

thoughts on death

psyche leaves body for Underworld (Iliad on Hector)

dont know what they thought, but they probs didnt know

how to summon ghost

Odyssey- dead cant be conscious but maybe if drink blood? Tiresias as exception and guide

Papyri - write spell on a hide and put it under the dead person, they will appear

places particularly susceptible eg. Nekuomanteion, where Periander in Herodotus consults dead wife, or Heracleia where Herakles descended.