Hymnia ( Ancient Greek: Ὑμνία) was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis under which she was worshipped throughout Arcadia. She had a temple someplace between Orchomenus and Mantineia. We know from the geographer Pausanias that Orchomenus at least used to hold festivals in her honor. [1]
The priests and priestesses of Hymnia were at first always virgins who were to remain celibate in the priesthood. [2] They were also subject to high standards of propriety, such as being forbidden to enter into the home of a private individual. [3] This lifetime celibacy was fairly unusual for ancient Greek priesthoods. [4]
In the early 7th century BCE, after the king Aristocrates of Orchomenus raped one of the priestesses in the temple, [5] it was deemed that the priestess should always be a married woman, [6] or, according to some, an elderly woman, [7] or one who had simply ceased or had had "enough" sex with men. [8] [9]
The sanctuary of Artemis Hymnia is believed to have been near the modern town of Levidi, on the northern slope of Mt. Anchisia. [10] [11]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain:
Schmitz, Leonhard (1870).
"Hymnia". In
Smith, William (ed.).
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 2. p. 537.
Hymnia ( Ancient Greek: Ὑμνία) was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis under which she was worshipped throughout Arcadia. She had a temple someplace between Orchomenus and Mantineia. We know from the geographer Pausanias that Orchomenus at least used to hold festivals in her honor. [1]
The priests and priestesses of Hymnia were at first always virgins who were to remain celibate in the priesthood. [2] They were also subject to high standards of propriety, such as being forbidden to enter into the home of a private individual. [3] This lifetime celibacy was fairly unusual for ancient Greek priesthoods. [4]
In the early 7th century BCE, after the king Aristocrates of Orchomenus raped one of the priestesses in the temple, [5] it was deemed that the priestess should always be a married woman, [6] or, according to some, an elderly woman, [7] or one who had simply ceased or had had "enough" sex with men. [8] [9]
The sanctuary of Artemis Hymnia is believed to have been near the modern town of Levidi, on the northern slope of Mt. Anchisia. [10] [11]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain:
Schmitz, Leonhard (1870).
"Hymnia". In
Smith, William (ed.).
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 2. p. 537.