Hiera Orgas
The 'Hiera Orgas' (
Identification
The Hiera Orgas was a circular, fertile area of land sacred to the
As no boundary markers (ὅρος|ὅροι) have survived, it is not possible to be more specific. Its location between the two states meant that control of the site was always going to be controversial. Megara and Athens had a history of territorial conflict dating back to the sixth century BC, including armed conflict over the island of Salamis.[3]
Restrictions on the use of sacred land
Prohibitions on the use of sacred land outside the cities, similar to the Orgas, were common in Greek states (
Significance in the Peloponnesian War
It is possible that Pericles used the dispute for his own political purposes, but the success of his public stance in protecting the Hiera Orgas, serves to demonstrate the significance of the religious considerations at play in the dispute.
Fourth-century dispute
Athens and Megara came into conflict over the Hiera Orgas again in 350/49 BC. This time, there appeared to be no clear political context to bring into question Athenian motives.
The orator,
The Megarians seem to have been unimpressed and persisted with their encroachments. The Athenians sent a force under the general, Ephialtes, to delimit the site and its hinterland and to enforce the god’s decision.[10]
References
- ^ H.G. Liddell, R. Scott and H.S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon, (sixth ed.) Oxford, 1869, p. 1245.
- ^ J. McDonald, ‘Athens and the Hiera Orgas’ in M. Dillon (ed.), Religion in the Ancient World: New Approaches and Themes, Amsterdam, 1996, pp. 321-323. Cf. J. Ober, Fortress Attica: Defense of the Athenian Land Frontier, 404-322 BC, Mnemosyne, supplement 84, p. 108 (with the map on p. 208).
- ^ A. French, ‘Solon and the Megarian Question’, Journal of Hellenic Studies, vol. 77 (1957), pp. 238–246; G.L. Cawkwell, "Anthemocritus and the Megarians and the Decree of Charinus", REG, vol. 82 (1969), pp. 331–332.
- ^ J.W. Hewitt, ‘The Major Restrictions upon Access to Greek Temples’ TAPhA, vol. 40 (1909), pp. 83–91; R. Parker, Miasma: Pollution and Purification in Early Greek Religion, Oxford, 1983, pp. 163–164; J. McDonald, ‘Athens and the Hiera Orgas’ in M. Dillon (ed.), Religion in the Ancient World: New Approaches and Themes, Amsterdam, 1996, pp. 324–328.
- ^ J. McDonald, ‘Athens and the Hiera Orgas’ in M. Dillon (ed.), Religion in the Ancient World: New Approaches and Themes, Amsterdam, 1996, p. 328.
- ^ E.g. the competing views of G.E.M. de Ste. Croix (The Origins of the Peloponnesian War, London, 1972, pp. 285–289.), K. Völkl, (‘Das Megarische Pephisma’, RhM, vol. 94 (1951) pp. 330–336) and R.P. Legon (Megara: the Political History of a Greek City-state to 336 BC, Ithaca, 1981, pp. 224–225).
- ^ G.D. Rocchi, ‘La Hiera Orgas e la Frontiera Attico-Megarica’ in Instituto di Storia Antica, Cisalpino, 1987, pp. 98-99.
- ^ P. Amandry, La Mantique Apollinenne à Delphes, New York, 1975, pp. 151-153; J. McDonald, ‘Athens and the Hiera Orgas’ in M. Dillon (ed.), Religion in the Ancient World: New Approaches and Themes, Amsterdam, 1996, pp. 328-332.
- ^ The inscription is Inscriptiones Graecae II3 1, no. 292.
- ^ G.L. Cawkwell, ‘Anthemocritus and the Megarians and the Decree of Charinus’, REG, vol. 82 (1969), p. 331.
Bibliography
- Engen, D. (1999). "IG II2 204 and On Organization (Dem. ? 13): The Dispute over the Sacred Orgas of Eleusis and the Chronology of Philip of Macedon." In". In Mellor, R.; Tritle, L. (eds.). Text and Tradition. Studies in Greek History and Historiography in honor of Mortimer Chambers. Claremont. pp. 135–52.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Scafuro, A. (2003). "IG II2 204: Boundary Setting and Legal Process in Classical Athens". In Thür, G.; Nieto, F.J.F. (eds.). Symposion 1999 : Vorträge zur griechischen und hellenistischen Rechtsgeschichte (Pazo de Mariñán, La Coruña, 6.–9. September 1999). Cologne. pp. 123–43.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Matthaiou, Angelos P. (2021). Mackil, E. M.; Papazarkadas, N. (eds.). Greek epigraphy and religion : papers in memory of Sara B. Aleshire from the Second North American Congress of Greek and Latin Epigraphy. Leiden: Brill. pp. 71–89. ISBN 978-90-04-44254-2.
External links
- "IG II3 1, 292: On the boundaries of the sacred tract, translation and notes". Attic Inscriptions Online. Retrieved 24 January 2023.