What were the main deities worshipped in Hellenistic religion?
Twelve Olympian deities headed by Zeus commanded the religious life of Greek city-states. Each god received stone temples and statues within sacred enclosures called sanctuaries.
Questions about Hellenistic religion
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Egyptian priests bring the religion following Isis to Greek port cities?
Egyptian priests brought the religion following Isis to small communities in Greek port cities during the Hellenistic era. This religion became known throughout almost the whole inhabited world under Roman rule according to Diodorus Siculus.
How did Ptolemy I Soter honor Alexander the Great as a god?
Ptolemy I Soter honored Alexander as a god in Egypt after his conquests elevated his power and status requiring special recognition through divine honors. His successors continued this worship until Ptolemy II Philadelphus proclaimed his father a god and made himself a living god.
Which philosophies accommodated traditional Greek religion in the Hellenistic period?
Stoicism taught that life should be lived according to rational order governing the universe while Epicureanism taught that the universe was subject to random movements of atoms instead. Pyrrhonism taught how to attain inner peace via suspension of judgment about uncertain matters and Cynicism expressed contempt for convention and material possessions throughout daily existence.
Where were the main centers of Hellenistic Judaism located?
Alexandria Egypt and Antioch Turkey served as main centers of Hellenistic Judaism during ancient times. These two cities were founded at end of 4th century BCE following conquests of Alexander the Great.