Priestesses of Athena & Sacred Service

Learn about Athena's priestesses, priesthood and sacred service, including the women and girls involved in the religious life of ancient Athens.

Explore Priestesses of Athena & Sacred Service

• The Priestess of Athena Polias

  The office, family setting, and evidence for women’s authority in the cult of Athena Polias.

• The Arrephoroi

  Girls in sacred service and the nocturnal rite described by Pausanias.

• Lysimache and a Lifetime of Service

  The inscription and literary testimony behind one of Athens’s best-known priestesses.

• Syeris and the Work of Sacred Assistance

  A named assistant whose monument makes otherwise easily overlooked sacred labor visible.

• Choosing a Priestess for Athena Nike

  An inscription showing how an Athenian sacred office was organized and supported.