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{{short description|Family of priests who maintained the Eleusinian Mysteries}} |
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The '''Eumolpidae''' (Ευμολπιδαι) were one of the sacred [[Eleusis|Eleusinian]] families of priests that ran the [[Eleusinian Mysteries]] during the [[Hellenistic Greece|Hellenic era]]. They popularized the cult and allowed many more to be initiated into the great secrets of [[Demeter]] and [[Persephone]]. |
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{{for|the leaf beetle subfamily|Eumolpinae}} |
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{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}} |
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The '''Eumolpidae''' {{IPAc-en|ˌ|j|uː|ˈ|m|ɒ|l|p|ᵻ|d|iː}} ({{lang-grc| |
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The Eumolpidae |
The legendary genealogy of the Eumolpidae cast them as descendants of [[Eumolpus]], one of the first priests of [[Demeter]] at Eleusis, through his second son, [[Herald-Keryx]]. Eumolpus, "untainted by blame" is named among the archaic leaders of Eleusis in the ''[[Homeric Hymn to Demeter]]'' 149–156. Through Eumolpus, they were supposedly related to either [[Poseidon]] or [[Hermes]]. The last legitimate [[hierophant]] at Eleusis, just before the extinguishing of the mysteries at the time of [[Alaric I|Alaric]]'s invasion in 396 CE, traced his descent from Eumolpos.<ref>[[Eunapios]]' biography of Maximos the Neoplatonist is the source, quoted at length by Carl Kerenyi, ''Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter'' 1967:17.</ref> The other family with a hereditary Eleusinian priesthood were the [[Kerykes]]. |
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==See also== |
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Starting about [[300 BC]], the state took over control of the Mysteries, specifically controlled by two families: the Eumolpidae and the [[Kerykes]]. This led to a vast increase in the number of initiates. The only requirements for membership were a lack of "blood guilt", meaning having never committed murder, and not being a barbarian (able to speak [[Greek language|Greek]]). Men, women and even slaves were allowed to be initiated. |
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*[[List of Greek mythological figures]] |
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==References== |
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[[Category:Greek mythology]] |
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{{reflist}} |
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==Further reading== |
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* Jon D. Mikalson, ''Ancient Greek Religion'' (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), p. 83 [https://books.google.com/books?id=8o6xxlwbldcC&dq=eumolpidae&pg=PA83 online.] |
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* Bill Thayer has republished many entries from ''A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities'' (Smith, William, ed. 1875) online, including [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Eumolpidae.html the entry on Eumolpidae] |
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[[Category:Eleusinian hierophants]] |
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{{Greek-myth-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 05:13, 2 September 2023
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2009) |
The Eumolpidae /ˌjuːˈmɒlpɪdiː/ (Ancient Greek:
The legendary genealogy of the Eumolpidae cast them as descendants of Eumolpus, one of the first priests of Demeter at Eleusis, through his second son, Herald-Keryx. Eumolpus, "untainted by blame" is named among the archaic leaders of Eleusis in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter 149–156. Through Eumolpus, they were supposedly related to either Poseidon or Hermes. The last legitimate hierophant at Eleusis, just before the extinguishing of the mysteries at the time of Alaric's invasion in 396 CE, traced his descent from Eumolpos.[2] The other family with a hereditary Eleusinian priesthood were the Kerykes.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Smith, William, ed. (1842). A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. pp. 399–400.
- ^ Eunapios' biography of Maximos the Neoplatonist is the source, quoted at length by Carl Kerenyi, Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter 1967:17.
Further reading[edit]
- Jon D. Mikalson, Ancient Greek Religion (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), p. 83 online.
- Bill Thayer has republished many entries from A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (Smith, William, ed. 1875) online, including the entry on Eumolpidae
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