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[house-of-hermes]

Divine Inspiration: Theia Mania

[Part 1 out of 3]

Foreword Most of present-day knowledge of theia mania (otherwise known as divine madness) in Ancient Greece specifically comes from Plato's "Phaedrus," his dialogue with Socrates. Plato especially, was an eccentric—his ideas often differed from his contemporaries. And as such, we must also acknowledge that Plato's words may not always accurately reflect the beliefs of the time¹. Scholars have long since debated whether the concept of "divine mania" (both in its entirely and specific aspects) existed in ancient Greek society, or if it was the mental creation of Plato himself.

I cannot hope to answer that. Rather, I aim to condense and highlight some of aspects of divine mania I wished people talked more about. This series will cites Yulia Ustinova's "Divine Mania: Alteration of the Consciousness in Ancient Greece," heavily, and I recommend that people interested in the topic check it out.

Plato was the first to define theia (divine) mania into what we know it now. He provided four succinct categories which highlight a wide array of situations:

Prophetic (foreseeing the future),

Ritual/Telestic (ritualistic release),

Poetic (artistic inspiration), and

Erotic (intense emotions/passion)

In order to properly understand each category of mania, we must first recognize that the word "mania," here is more akin to the word inspiration. To experience divine mania is to be divinely inspired—and the category (prophetic, telestic, poetic, erotic) varies depending on how that inspiration manifests in the real world. Terms such as "mania" or "madness" paint a picture of anguish, despair and agony which isn't always reflected in ancient depictions. Plato quotes Socrates as saying:

"It might be so if madness were simply an evil; but there is also a madness which is a divine gift, and the source of the chiefest blessings granted to men. For prophecy is a madness, and the prophetess at Delphi and the priestesses at Dodona when out of their senses have conferred great benefits on Hellas, both in public and private life, but when in their senses few or none.²"

The Pythia at Delphi and the Priestess at Dodona were known to be "mad," and yet people traveled far and wide to receive an Oracle from them. That's because their "madness" was a sign of the Theoi.

And at its core, that's what divine mania is—it's a connection with the Theoi.

Sources [1] Ustinova, "Divine Mania...in Ancient Greece," 2. [2] Plato, "Phaedrus," (trans. Jowett)

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navi.

ʚ ⠀⠀ notebook ⠀⠀ ៸៸៸ ⠀⠀main: @wayfind-er⠀⠀ ‹𝟹 ⠀⠀latest

This is blog is just for interacting with the HelPol community since my actual main blog has been restricted. I just want to research and have people engage with that research in a meaningful way. Any asks should be directed to my main or here!

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Seers in Ancient Greece

[long post under the cut]

Foreword This post primarily focuses on the responsibilities of being a Seer in ancient Greece. It discusses at length and refers to oracles as strictly divine announcements from the Gods and the location where divine messages are received. Some people may not agree with my definitions. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the modern association with oracles as a role someone could be; however, I find this to be more of a modern association than something rooted in historical sources. That's not to say that people cannot call themselves Oracles, but it is just not the focus of this post.

Understanding the Oracle

When you think of an Oracle, you may immediately think of the oracle of Delphi; however, the Pythia—Priestess of Apollo most associated with oracles—would not have been called an oracle by locals.

The etymology of oracle comes from the Latin verb, ōrāre ("to speak"), and the Latin word ōrāclum ("divine announcement").

You couldn't be an Oracle; instead, "oracle" referred to the oracular center (such as the oracle of Delphi) and divine messages from the Gods themselves.

In ancient Greece, these divine utterances were called the chresmos¹, and those who interpreted these were called Chresmologoi, a type of Manteis or Seers.

The Pythia were Priestesses of Apollo (an official job) who delivered oracles (divine announcements) in an oracular center (the temple where they received the divine announcements)—this made them Manteis (the ones who interpret omens).

ʚଓ ⁄ Oracular Center & Deities

Seer, for the sake of brevity, is an umbrella term for those who interpret omens.

Seers did not necessarily have to be Priests or Priestesses devoted to a deity, and not all Temples were oracular centers with a Seer stationed there.

In antiquity, only a handful of deities bestowed divine announcements.

Apollo was the most predominant oracular deity. However, Zeus, Demeter (only concerning sick individuals), Hermes, and certain deified heroes (Amphilochus, Trophonius, Heracles, etc.)² also had oracular centers associated with them.

Some of them, such as the oracle of Hermes in the Marketplace of Pharae, did not require consulting a Seer.

Instead, you approached a statue of Hermes, gave offerings, and whispered the question into the ear of the statue. Then you'd cover your ears until you left the marketplace, and then the first thing you heard was the oracle.

Consulting a Seer was often a privilege afforded to the wealthy and influential. The Oracle of Delphi, the most popular oracle, was closed for the winter months, and oracles were delivered only on the Seventh. Not to mention that at Delphi, the most influential had a special privilege called promanteia, which allowed them to skip the line³. Even if you wanted to consult a Seer, you often had to plan in advance and prepare well.

You were never guaranteed an audience, and as such, many people of the time sought to receive oracles without a Seer.

Receiving Oracles Alone

As a reminder, oracles refer to the divine announcement and/or the location where the message was received. Seers interpret the oracles from the Gods and deliver them to the querent.

Consulting a Seer was not possible for everyone; however, divination was still a large part of ancient Greek culture⁴—from planning events to waging wars, every major decision was discussed with the Gods.

Remember that a Seer interprets the omens from the divine; anyone could do it. There are literally hundreds of methods to do divination⁵, and the ancient Greeks knew that.

The most common (and perhaps the oldest) method was to observe the behaviors of birds as omens.

At the Oracle of Hermes in the Marketplace in Pharae, querents ask a question to a statue of Hermes and then hear the oracle in the words of those around them as they leave.

At the Oracle of Heracles at Bura, querents would roll dice in front of a statue of Heracles, and the position of the dice constituted the oracle.

Interpreting dreams was another common method of interpreting omens from the Gods⁶. In fact, as early as AD 180 and 210 (at the height of Classic Antiquity), Artemidoros wrote a five-book manual called Oneirocritica ("The Interpretation of Dreams") that detailed how to analyze dreams. By this point, many other books detailed dream interpretation; however, Artemidoros' was regarded as the best of the time.

"Various sortition methods involving dice, numbers, and knuckle bones existed, employed for knowledge of the future not only in formalised oracular settings but also in public places, which provided consultants with a set number of possible replies which they could use to apply to [...] their personal circumstances. ...[O]ther methods were also believed to provide divine guidance, from the surface of water to that of mirrors⁶."

So, Why Do Seers Matter?

We've already established that consulting with a Seer was a privilege afforded to the wealthy and influential and that oracles could be received without them (either by going to an oracular center or interpreting the omens themselves). So, we must now ask ourselves why people sought out Seers to begin with.

"The importance of the hiereus was largely determined by the prestige of the divinity and cult he served; by contrast, the authority of the mantis depended entirely on the 'reliability of his prophecies.' [...] While both perform animal sacrifice, only a mantis possesses the ritual know-how that allows him to interpret the divine will from, among other things, the appearance and behavior of the inner organs of the sacrificial animal.⁷”

Similar to the role of the Hiereiai—the ancient Greek Priest—being a Seer (Mantis) was a job someone had. The polis (city-state) often employed Seers and worked as civil workers.

One of the most common responsibilities of the Seer was to work alongside the Hiereiai and ensure that the Gods were satisfied with the sacrifices and offerings given, specifically during festivals. Seers frequently dealt with animal sacrifices and used the entrails to interpret omens.

It's important to note that not all Seers were bound to specific temples or sanctuaries.

"Priests were attached to particular sanctuaries; seers practiced their craft wherever their skills were needed—in different cities or demes, in public or in private, on the road, at sea, or on the battlefield.⁷"

"Recurrent in both epic and tragedy is the lesson that rulers and military commanders must heed prophetic specialists, even if those in authority find the manteis’ advice unpalatable, as failure to follow the predictions inevitably leads to disaster. As Chilon, the Spartan ephor and one of Greece's ‘Seven Wise Men’ warned: Do not have hatred for divination.⁸"

Seers were much more accessible than the Hiereiai. Seers could be hired and traveled far distances alongside military generals, businessmen, etc.

For those who lived too far from an oracle, they were their primary source for divination. While people could interpret omens themselves, Seers were sought after due to their wisdom.

As mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of different methods of divination, and Seers were considered experts with their specialties. Many were virtually indistinguishable from the Hiereiai⁷.

They could give sacrifices just before battle to appease the Gods (sphagia) and were seen as an invaluable wealth of knowledge on the battlefield. They could prophesize whether a battle would be a success just before the fight. They were often highly regarded, and their advice was generally heeded⁸. The status of a Seer depended on their accuracy⁷, and untrue prophecies reflected negatively on the Seer.

ʚଓ ⁄ Traveling Seers vs. Stationed Seer

Functionally, there was no difference between a Seer that traveled and one that stayed in a specific temple—both, one way or another, received omens from the Divine and interpreted those omens to those who needed to hear it.

Seers stationed at a specific oracular temple were more similar to the Hiereiai.

They most likely came from esteemed families (clans) with a lineage of Seers⁹, as it was thought the "mantic ability" was hereditary. That said, the most important metric to become a Seer was skill. It was not unheard of for “peasant” children with no background to become Seers.

Mantic abilities played a significant role in the prestige of being a mantis.

"Divination was known as manteia: [...] an oracular centre was a manteion, as was an oracular pronouncement [....]. Manteia and mantis are etymologically related to mania (inspired frenzy or madness), as with manteuomai, to divine...¹"

"...[M]ania refers to a range of multifarious conditions, which cannot be concisely described by the words ‘madness’ or ‘frenzy’ used in modern English translation. In Greek, mania also implies divine inspiration or revelation. Any deviation from an ordinary baseline state of consciousness, whether achieved voluntarily or involuntarily [...] could be dubbed mania.¹⁰"

ʚଓ ⁄ Theia Mania (Divine Madness)

Divine Mania is a complex topic, yet it is part of why Seers were so unique. Divine Mania (or Divine Madness) was believed to be the connection between a Seer and the Divine—the source of a Seer's mantic (manic/divination) abilities.

In the presence of the Divine, a Seer would become "divinely inspired" (enthusiastic/enthousiasmos)¹¹ or frenzied.

Plato defined four types of Mania:

Prophetic (foreseeing the future),

Ritual/Telestic (ritualistic release),

Poetic (artistic inspiration), and

Erotic (intense emotions/passion).

This mania—a deviation from the Seer’s ordinary—proved that they were communicating with the Divine.

As noted by Plato and Cicero¹¹, Divine Mania could only be achieved during states of altered consciousness—sleep was a common one; however, being under the influence of drugs (ex. the Pythia) or experiencing illness and delirium were also acceptable altered states.

Messages from the divinely inspired were considered superior¹¹ to those that weren't. However, that does not mean Seers constantly tried to alter their consciousness to have "superior" interpretations.

Divine Mania could be achieved by letting a God "seize" one's body in a practice similar to channeling. It took many forms, from inviting the Gods into one's space during a ritual to feeling a sudden, compulsive need to create, to being overwhelmed with emotions, to experiencing symbolic dreams or visions. This was called mantikê atechnos, a divine gift or gift of divination¹¹.

It is important to note here that Divine Mania occurs when a Seer is inspired by a Divine being and/or is in an altered state of consciousness and behaves differently than their baseline. Being in a state of Divine Mania does not necessarily mean you act outside of societal norms; however, it definitely can. If you are naturally and consistently excitable, then being divinely inspired may slow you down and dull some of that excitability. Divine Mania will not look the same in every Seer.

ʚଓ ⁄ Indirect Divination (Art of Divination)

While Divine Mania was considered a superior way of connecting with the Gods, we have to acknowledge that not every Seer could or did use this method.

As mentioned earlier, there were hundreds of different divination techniques, and Seers were experts with specialized skill sets. They had different titles that suited their skill sets.

I won't discuss every technique here. However, this wouldn't be complete without mentioning some of the more common titles people had.

Manetis (s. Mantis) interpreted omens (birds, natural phenomena).

Chresmologoi maintained a collection of previous oracles and selected an oracle to recite based on the situation.

Theiasantes used tools of divination (ex. dice) to make prophecies.

The Oneiropoloi used dreams to forecast prophecies.

Bringing it all Together

It's time to review everything we discussed. For starters, you could not be an Oracle in antiquity—it was something a Seer gave or a place you went.

Being an oracle was not a job you could get appointed; however, being a Seer was. Seer, just as a reminder, is an umbrella term for those who interpret divine announcements ("oracles") from the Gods. They are typically bound to work at a specific temple or sanctuary like the Hierari do, often traveling around and delivering oracles as required. In a time where divination was everything, Seers gave the layman a way to connect with the divine.

Seers were sought after due to their mantic (manic/divination) abilities, which allowed some of them to experience Divine Mania or an altered state of consciousness. This was an impressive feat at the time, as Divine Mania was associated with being in the direct presence of the Gods; however, it's important to note that not all Seers experienced this.

The gift of divination comes in many shapes and forms for many Seers, yet the importance of this role cannot be understated. Seers served as civil servants for their communities and bridged the gap between the mundane and the Divine for many.

Divider by @/sister-lucifer [1] Dillion, "Omens and Oracles," 5. [2] Smith, "Oraculum," [3] Flowers, "The Seer in Ancient Greece," 2. [4] Ulanowski, "Greek Divination in War," [5] Dillion, "Omens and Oracles," 3. [6] Dillion, "Omens and Oracles," 263. [7] Dignas, "Practitioner of the Divine," 16. [8] Dillion, "Omens and Oracles," 2-3. [9] Dillion, "Omens and Oracles," 55. [10] Ustinova, "Divine Mania," 2. [11] Ustinova, "Divine Mania," 55-57.

Updated March 7th, 2025.

[house-of-hermes]

"Priesthood" in Ancient Greece

[long post under the cut]

TL;DR: The Hiereiai (fem. hiereia, masc. hiereus) was the closest Greek equivalent to a Christian Priest; however, running a temple requires many different people with a variety of responsibilities, and the requirements changed at every temple. If you wanted to participate in a public ritual, you followed a hiereia (priestess) or hiereus (priest); if you wanted to give an offering or say a prayer in the presence of the Divine, you asked a Keyholder; and if you wanted a message from the Gods themselves, you requested a meeting with a Seer.

Recommended: @star-of-zeus' Priesthood Series.

Foreword

Throughout this post, I will use the term priesthood and priest as a gender-neutral term for female and male priests; however, like some scholars¹, I believe the modern definition of priesthood does not belong in Hellenistic Polytheism. Using them erases the complexities of the Greek Priest equivalent and combines the roles of many historically into one. In this post, I'll go more in-depth into what "priesthood" meant in ancient Greece.

Greek "Priesthood" in Antiquity

Our concept of priesthood is heavily Christian-inspired.

While priesthood in Christianity varies by denomination, our perception of modern Christian priest have inaccurately shaped our understanding of priesthood in ancient Greece.

There's a prominent misconception that priesthood was always a lifelong position and a priests' sole responsibility was to educate the masses and spread the word of their God(s). This comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of what priests actually did in antiquity².

The Hiereiai: the Greek "Priest"

"In Greece, the priesthood is not a way of life, but a part-time and honorary office; it may involve expense, but it brings great prestige.” — Burkert³

The people responsible for maintaining a particular temple and the closest Greek equivalent to a Christian priest were called the Hiereiai (fem. hiereia, masc. hiereus).

The Hiereiai primarily led public rituals, festivals and ensured sacrifices were received and cared for appropriately (per the ritual procedures). Being a part of the Hiereiai can be compared to working a 9-to-5. The Hiereiai did not live in the temple and only worked when the temple was opened, typically during festivals and celebrations⁴ (although this varied by cult).

While their primary job was caring for sacrifices, the Hiereiai worked as public servants (or civil workers). They worked alongside the city to prepare festivals, cleanse homes after a birth or death, and maintain the temple and sanctuary.

Becoming a Priest: Qualifications

Every temple was slightly different, with different requirements and expectations for those who worked there. I'll give the most generalized description from the sources I've found.

"...[I]n the case of Greek priesthoods, pedigree, wealth, or both were basic requirements for attaining office..." — Connelly⁵

The position of a "priest" was most commonly inherited. Priesthood could be purchased, won by elections or lots, or inherited². The most eligible always came from wealthy and well-educated families, with little exception.

There were male and female priests (fem. hiereia, masc. hiereus). The acceptable age of a "priest" varied from cult. Those aged 7 to 11 were likely to be assistants rather than oath-bound priests, as seen in notes about the Cult of Athena Polias. Some cults only accepted “matured” (married and with children—usually post-menopause) women. It's important to note that hiereus typically worked with male deities, and hiereia worked with female deities; however, there were exceptions.

If someone's household was eligible to hold a priest position, all members (regardless of gender) would receive education to obtain the title. Likewise, if someone came from a family of priests, the elders would pass down their knowledge to the young. Most priests had been "training" their entire lives⁶.

The younger someone was, the more likely their position as a priest would be temporary. Younger priests, namely prepubescent children, would typically work as priests until they were no longer virgins or married⁸. Similarly, young women would sometimes temporarily work as priests in the year leading up to their marriage. It's important to note that most priest positions were not life-long and did not typically require oaths of celibacy⁷.

— WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR —

The Hiereiai was the closest Greek equivalent to a Christian priest in antiquity. Priesthood was more like a regular job in that it was commonly a temp. position that allotted a person (and their family) great prestige. The title of a "priest" was commonly inherited, but it could also be bought or elected by the people or Gods (via lots). Primarily, people from wealthy and well-educated backgrounds would be considered eligible for priesthood, although the qualifications required varied from cult and temple. Many of the Hiereiai spent their entire lifetimes learning about priesthood and how to worship the Gods according to their local cults). The Hiereiai's main job was to take care of sacrifices, work with the city to prepare festivals, cleanse homes after birth or death, and maintain the temple.

Keyholders, Oracles, and More

There are not enough words to stress that the term priest does not adequately describe the ancient practice of the Hiereiai or the other people who worked alongside them. When you use priest or priestess, you effectively erase the diversity of the numerous roles that make running a temple possible.

Keyholders: Male or female priests with noble backgrounds and high cultic status could become the ones who carried the key to the temple (or the naos, the dwelling of the Gods). The Naos was not always accessible to all worshippers, as entering meant (metaphorically) stepping into the presence of a God⁸. Keyholders essentially acted as gatekeepers at the doors of the Divine and allowed visitors in according to cultic tradition.

Manteis (Seers, Sibyls, etc.): In antiquity, Manteis went by many names—Seers, Sibyls, Prophet(ess), etc. Simply put, Manteis were usually part of the Hiereiai (but not always) and could receive messages from the divine. Unlike a priest, a Mantis was not always bound to a single temple. They would often travel from different cities or backgrounds and advise publicly (or privately to those of high status)⁹. While priesthood was usually reserved for the elite, anyone could become a Mantis, as seen by many of Apollo's Seers who were "peasants", so long as they had the skills. Manteis and the Hiereiai could sometimes be virtually indistinguishable⁹. Manteis would perform rituals and offer animal sacrifices alongside the Hiereiai; however, a hiereia (priestess) or hiereus (priest) couldn't perform the duties of a Mantis. That said, a lot of the information about Manteis has been lost. In the modern day, Manteis and Oracles are virtually indistinguishable; however, in antiquity, oracles referred to the divine message itself. Instead of calling a specific person an oracle, the message they received—or even the collection of previous messages from the collective priests of said temple—would be called an oracle¹⁰. Pythia, commonly called the Oracle of Delphi, was likely not called an Oracle. Today, Oracle and Mantis have become intertwined. According to Wikipedia, Oracles were believed to receive the word of a God directly. On the other hand, Seers interpreted signs (omens, stars, animal entrails from a sacrifice, etc.) and interpreted the message from the Gods that way. However, this distinction may not have existed in antiquity.

Summarizing

This brief list does not even begin to scratch the surface of the many, many roles that could be found in a temple.

If you wanted to participate in a public ritual, you followed a hiereia (priestess) or hiereus (priest). The Hiereiai (plural for hiereia and hiereus) primarly led public rituals and city-wide festivals, ensured sacrifices were take care of, and cleaned the temple.

If you wanted to give an offering or say a prayer in the presence of the Divine, you asked a Keyholder. The Keyholder was apart of the Hiereiai that was in charge of a key that allowed them to open and close the Naos, a part of the Temple where the Gods were said to dwell.

If you wanted a message from the Gods, you requested a meeting with a Mantis. The Manteis interpreted messages sent from the Gods and shared them as needed. They were often part of the Hiereiai themselves, but not always.

Being a part of the Hiereiai can be compared to working a 9-to-5. Every temple was slightly different, with different requirements and expectations for those who worked there; however it was rarely a lifetime job.

When you use the terms Priest or Priestess, you lose some of the nuance that made up "priesthood" in antiquity.

Sources

Divider by @/sister-lucifer [1] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 21. [2] Garland, "Greek and Roman Priests and Religious Personnel" [3] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 27. [4] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 36. [5] Connelly, "Portrait of a Priestess," 23. [6] Connelly, "Portrait of a Priestess," 28. [7] Connelly, "Portait of a Priestess," 18. [8] Karatas, "Key-bearers of Greek Temples" [9] Dignas and Kai, "Practitioners of the Divine," 16. [10] Dillions, "Omens and Oracles,” 5.

Updated March 5th, 2025.