Athena, Demeter and Dionysus - The Worship of Ancient Gods Before Christianity

Explore the fascinating world of ancient pagan religions in this 29-minute video from the series "The Pagan World: Ancient Religions before Christianity." Delve into the worship of Athena, Demeter, and Dionysus, examining the differences between public civic cults and secretive mystery religions. Learn about the Panathenaic Festival, the Eleusinian Mysteries, and the controversial worship of Dionysus. Discover the roles of mystagogoi, maenads, and the highest grades of initiation in these ancient practices. Investigate the polytheistic state's stance on various cults, the advantages of joining non-state cults, and compare mystery religions with early Christianity. Gain insights into the vibrant cultures that flourished for thousands of years before the rise of Christianity, and understand the complex relationship between religion and state in the ancient world.

Civic Cults and the World of Mystery Religions
How Athena Earned Her Epithet
How the Goddess Ge Was Conceived
Birth of the Panathenaic Festival
Contests in the Panathenaic Festival
The Procession and Animal Sacrifice
Demeter, Goddess of Grain
The Greatest Example of Exclusively Female Worship
What Are the Eleusinian Mysteries?
What is a Mystagogos?
What is the Highest Grade of Initiation?
The Worship of Dionysus
Depiction of Dionysus in The Bacchae by Euripides
What Are Maenads?
What Was the General Stance toward Polytheism?
Advantages of Joining a Non-State Cult
Why Did the State Sometimes Object to Cults?
Similarities/Differences between Mystery Religions and Christianity