LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Greek Religion: Deities
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The first Greek temples appeared in the archaic period. They were not large and were used on special occasions only. Although Greek deities were universal, their cult was attached to definite places. Shrines were located at places that were already "holy" and were not necessarily located for the convenience of the worshippers. Temples were set within a temenos, a sacred precinct set aside for a deity, frequently with a spring (for purification) and a grove of trees. The altar was placed in front of the temple; it was the one indispensable item at a shrine, since it was necessary for the sacrifice, the central act of worship.
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Within the framework of Greek worship of many gods are traces of the belief that all natural objects are endowed with spirits. Fetishism, the belief in the magical efficacy of objects employed as talismans against evil, was another feature of early Greek religion. Examples of fetishes are the sacred stones, sometimes regarded as images of specific deities, such as the pyramidal Zeus at Phlius or the rough stones called the Graces at the ruined city of Orchomenus in Boeotia.
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Hekate (spelled Hecate in Latin) is probably the most misunderstood deity of ancient Greek religion. Dramatically different views of Her roles and the activities of Her followers exist. For my M.A. thesis in Classics, I analysed all of the earliest evidence of the worship of Hekate in the early Greek world, in an attempt to understand what Her worship really entailed and why the portrayal of Her followers became so complex. A brief summary follows, including some thoughts on why the most common descriptions (both ancient and modern) are so divergent and inaccurate.
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The Olympians were, perhaps, most important in their role as civic deities, and each of the Greek city-states came to consider one or more of the gods as its particular guardian. There were public cults that were devoted to insuring the city against plague, conquest, or want. The religious festival became the occasion for a great assembly of citizens and foreigners.
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Deities