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CLOSEReligion and the economy of sanctuaries
Christy Constantakopoulou, Harikleia Papageorgiadou, Sophia Zoumbaki, Vyron Antoniadis, Luigi Lafasciano
We explore the connections between the cult in sanctuaries and the economy, through a study of the economic function of sanctuaries. Sacred spaces were inextricably linked with money as a symbol of power and authority. Through this association, many sanctuaries rose to prominence as influential centers of high visibility. Cases such as the sanctuary of Poseidon at Kalaureia on Poros, that of Demeter at Eleusis, and, of course, the sanctuary of Apollo on Delos, highlight the economic dynamism of sanctuaries within the broader economy. Beyond religious and cultic sites, ancient sanctuaries functioned as important centres of economic production (eg. for dedications) and of re-distribution of products. More specifically, archaic sanctuaries have been linked with the places where we can trace the first origins of the periodic markets in the ancient world. The importance of sanctuaries for the economy can be show-cased through studies of individual sanctuaries (eg. Constantakopoulou on the sanctuary on Despotiko) and through synthetic studies on the relations between religion and the economy (eg. Constantakopoulou on Delos).
- C. Constantakopoulou, “Between Locality and Diffusion: The Appeal of Eleusis in the Aegean During the Archaic and Classical Periods, in H. Beck and S. Scharff (eds.), Beyond Mysteries: The Local World of Ancient Eleusis, Brill: Religion in the Graeco-Roman World series (Leiden-Boston 2025) 146-61.
- C. Constantakopoulou, “Networks of honour in third-century Delos”, in M. Dana and I. Savalli-Lestrade (eds.), La cité interconnectée: transferts et réseaux institutionnels, religieux et culturels aux époques hellénistique et imperiale (Bordeaux 2019) 83-98.
- Ch. Papageorgiadou, G. Kakkavas, “Coins for initiates and coins for commoners”, The Journal of Archaeological Numismatics 12 (2022) 183-204.
- S. Zoumbaki, “Monetization of Piety and Personalization of Religious Experience: The Role of Thesauroi in the Greek Mainland and the Cyclades”, in St. Krmnicek, J. Chameroy (eds.), Money matters. Coin finds and ancient coin use (Bonn 2019) 189-208.
- C. Constantakopoulou, “Cult at Despotiko in an epichoric context”, in Epichorios Research Day, organized by the British School at Athens and the University of Münster Cluster of Excellence, January 2025 (after invitation).
- C. Constantakopoulou, “Religious dynamics in the Aegean Islands”, in the international workshop entitled Cartographier les dieux et les artefacts: approche comparée des communautés et micro-régions, University of Muenster, June 2023 (after invitation).
- C. Constantakopoulou, “The archaic sanctuary at Despotiko, Cyclades. The site, the excavations, and its importance as a node in the maritime networks of the archaic Aegean”, in the “Epichorios” Research Seminar series, Neue Forschungen im antiken Griechenland, Historische Landeskunde Antikes Griechenland, WWU Münster, May 2023 (after invitation).
- C. Constantakopoulou, “Water management in the sanctuary of Despotiko”, paper presented in the workshop entitled “Cult, Craft and the Environment in the Saronic Gulf and Beyond”, organised in the British School of Athens, as part of the Research Project “Localism and Religion”, of the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics”, November 2022 (after invitation).
- C. Constantakopoulou, “Hellenistic Delos”, paper presented in the Conference entitled Arkhé: Literatura, Arte e Cultura na Antiguidade, IdEAUnicamp e Centro de Teoria da Filologia/Unicamp, Brazil, October 2022 (after invitation).
Postdoctoral fellowships – European Fellowships Marie Sklodowska Curie of the European Research executive Agency, Horizon Europe, entitled Theatre, Epiphany, and Healing in the Ancient Mediterranean. Fellow: Luigi Lafasciano, Supervisor: Christy Constantakopoulou. 153.486,72 €.
Main page image: Paros, middle terrace of the Asklepieion and temple of Apollo Pythios / Photo: Luigi Lafasciano