Orgy
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This article is about ancient Greek gathering. For sex orgy, see Group sex. For other uses, see Orgy (disambiguation).
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An orgy (όργιον) was a secret cultic congregation at nighttime in Ancient Greek religion, overseen by an orgiophant (a teacher or revealer of secret rites).[1]
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[edit] The Greek orgia
An orgion was a secret rite of the Greek Mystery religions, practiced in the worship of Demeter at Eleusis (mentioned in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter) or in worship of Dionysus (Herodotus 2.81), the Cabeiri, Demeter Achaia (Herodotus 2.51, 5.61), Orpheus, Eumolpus, or Cybele.
The term could also refer to rites or sacrifices in general, the verb ὀργιάζω (orgiazo) denoting ritual celebration.
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Shipley, Joseph Twadell (1955). Dictionary of Early English. Philosophical Library. pp. 768. ISBN 0806529261.
[edit] Bibliography
- Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece by Lesley Adkins, Roy A. Adkins ISBN 019512491X (1998)
- Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece by Nigel Guy Wilson ISBN 0415973341 (2005)
- Early Greek Philosophy by John Burnet ISBN 402197535 (2005)
- Girls and Women in Classical Greek Religion by Matthew Dillon ISBN 0415202728 (2002)
- The Minoan-Mycenaean Religion and Its Survival in Greek Religion by Martin Persson ISBN 0819602736 (1970)
- Hellenismos Today by Timothy Jay Alexander ISBN 978-1-4303-1427-1 (2007)
- A Beginner's Guide to Hellenismos by Timothy Jay Alexander ISBN 978-1-4303-2456-0 (2007)
[edit] External links
- World Record: Largest Orgy
