DEI ED EROI NEI SANTUARI DELL’ACROPOLI E DI AMYKLAI A SPARTA. COESISTENZE E INTERAZIONI

Abstract

The complex and multifaceted sacred system of Sparta, deeply rooted in the social identity of the urban
community, is marked by a strong local connotation – which is largely connected to the education of the
youth and to the civic and military management of the polis – and by a recurring coexistence of different
cults in the main sanctuaries located inside and outside the settlement. In order to contribute to the discussion
on the nature of Greek polytheism, the paper considers two sacred areas that exemplify the plurality
of divine beings worshipped in Sparta and the complex relations among them, namely the sanctuary of the
Acropolis and that of Amyklai. The two temene act as emblematic case studies for the reflection on the relationship
between the main owner of the sanctuary and the additional honored gods and heroes. Moreover,
they illustrate the differences in the pertinent spheres of actions, groups of worshippers, types of consecrated
structures, offerings and ritual practices.