Heroes, Politics, and the Problem of Ethnicity in Archaic and Classical Sparta
As Sparta was a Dorian polis, many of its heroic cults have been interpreted as part of Sparta’s so-called ‘Achaian’ policy, which introduced Achaian heroes in order to legitimise its territorial claims in the Peloponnese. This article reviews the topic of ethnicity as a motivating factor behind the...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Centre
2021
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| In: |
Kernos
Year: 2021, Volume: 34, Pages: 9-53 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | As Sparta was a Dorian polis, many of its heroic cults have been interpreted as part of Sparta’s so-called ‘Achaian’ policy, which introduced Achaian heroes in order to legitimise its territorial claims in the Peloponnese. This article reviews the topic of ethnicity as a motivating factor behind the instigation of hero-cults in the Greek world. It focuses on three case studies in Sparta: the cult of Agamemnon, the transfer of the bones of Orestes, and of those belonging to his son Teisamenos. By examining the evidence within Greek religious tradition and by placing it in its historical context, I challenge the persisting views associated with the cults of these heroes. In turn, I argue that Sparta worshiped these heroes because they were traditionally local and their foundation was not driven by any ethnic consideration. I emphasise how there has been a scholarly tendency to overuse political interpretation in the understanding of these cults, while their religious significance has been frequently neglected. Sparte étant une cité dorienne, nombre de ses cultes héroïques ont été interprétés comme faisant partie de la politique dite « achéenne » de Sparte, qui aurait introduit des héros achéens afin de légitimer ses revendications territoriales dans le Péloponnèse. Cet article examine le thème de l’ethnicité comme élément instigateur des cultes héroïques dans le monde grec. Il se concentre sur trois études de cas à Sparte : le culte d’Agamemnon, le transfert des ossements d’Oreste et de ceux de son fils Teisamenos. En replaçant dans leur contexte historique les éléments de la tradition religieuse, le point de vue habituel sur les cultes de ces héros est remis en question. En fait, Sparte vénérait ces héros parce qu’ils étaient traditionnellement locaux et leur fondation ne reposait pas sur des considérations ethniques. L’article souligne la tendance des chercheurs à utiliser à l’excès l’interprétation politique dans la compréhension de ces cultes, alors que leur signification religieuse a souvent été négligée. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Kernos
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.4000/kernos.3833 |