1.3 Temples - Revision

• Ancient History
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• GCSE

1.3 Temples - Revision

What MUST you remember to do when answering 8-markers?

What MUST you remember to do when answering Section C1?

What MUST you remember to do when writing 15-markers in Myth & Religion?

Describe a typical Greek temple.

1. On a plinth to raise above ground level
2. Colonnade running around to provide support for temple roof
3. Cella or naos: room housing god's cult statue
4. Opisthodomos (treasury) at rear
5. Decoration on pediments and/or friezes

Explain how the Parthenon differs from a typical Greek temple.

• Parthenon: second row of columns supporting Ionic frieze in addition to Doric, to increase grandeur

Describe a typical Roman temple.

1. Orientated east-to-west
2. Placed on podium, so you could only enter from front
3. Colonnade of semi-engaged columns (half protruding from wall) running around temple
4. Cella, containing cult statue of god

Explain how the Pantheon differs from a typical Roman temple.

1. Pantheon: rotunda (round building with dome) at rear of temple, capped with dome which has oculus at top
2. Circular plan allows for several statues of gods in cella

Explain the role the Parthenon, Temple of Zeus and Pantheon played in the worship of their gods.

• Parthenon: Contained stories about Athena to honour her (birth of Athena, Athena vs Poseidon); chryselephantine statue of her
• Temple of Zeus: Contained stories about him (judging Oinomaos and Pelops' chariot racefor Hippodamia); contains twelve labours of Heracles; another chyselephantine statue
• Pantheon: design allowed several cult statues of gods to be celebrated simultaneously

Describe what happened in a Greek blood sacrifice.

1. Preparation: must be clean and well to not pollute sacrifice, wear best clothes and garlands of leaves/twigs; gild animal's horns; procession with musicians to lead animal to sanctuary; fire lit; handful of grain taken and water poured onto head of animal, so it nodded and agreed to sacrifice; grain thrown into fire
2. Remove hairs with knife, throwing them into fire; throat cut; blood poured over altar; women let out high-pitched scream
3. Sharing: wrap thigh bones in fat  and burned; entrails read for omens before being shared among participants; rest shared among wider community; animal skin given to sanctuary.

How did a Roman blood sacrifice differ?

1. Preparation: led by pontifex or private citizen, priest would veil head with toga
2. Mola salsa sprinkled on animal's head, then wine; popa stuns animal and cultrarius slits throat - must be killed in single blow
3. Sharing: had hierarchy - gods, priests, sentate, elite citizens, etc.

Why was blood sacrifice important to the Greeks and Romans?

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Explain the following terms: hiereus, hiereia, mantis.

• hiereus and hiereia: Greek priest and priestess, overseeing correct ritual
• mantis: soothsayer who reads entrails or bird signs to predict future

Explain the following terms: pontifex, augur, haruspex.

pontifex: priest in charge of protecting temples, regulating religious law and overseeing religious calendar

augur: reads flight of birds to predict outcome of future events

haruspex: priest who read omens from entrails

Describe the selection criteria, responsibilities, rewards and punishments of the Vestal Virgins.

• Selection: ages 6-10, fit and healthy with two living parents, vow of chastity, from most prestigious families
• Responsibilities: protect sacred flame for safety of state (if it went out, Rome would fall); protect state documents like treaties and wills; made mola salsa
• Rewards: lived in house of the Vestals; front row seats at certain games; freed from father's authority and able to make a will
• Punishments: whipped if flame went out, buried alive if breaking chastity while male responsible was whipped to death

Explain the difference between a Greek and Roman priest in their respective societies.

• Greek priests: temporary role for one year, correct rituals, looking after temple, etc., everyone does it at some point
• Roman priests: wider range, more political appointment, ambition politicians did this to further careers