Table des matières

Hedvig von Ehrenheim

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Introduction

• Aims and previous research
• Method
• Definition of incubation, and its terminology

Chapter 1. The rites and rules

• 1.1. Preparation, purification and payment
• 1.1.1. Invitation by the god to come and incubate
• 1.1.2. Abstinence from sex
• 1.1.3. Avoidance of birth and death
• 1.1.4. Purity of mind
• 1.1.5. Abstinence from certain foods
• Possible cultic reasons for prohibitions on pigs and goats
• 1.1.6. Fasting
• 1.1.7. Purification with water
• 1.1.8. Purificatory sacrifice
• 1.1.9. A fee to be paid before incubating
• 1.2. Offerings and prayer
• 1.2.1. Animal sacrifice to associated deities
• 1.2.2. The sacrifice of cakes
• Contextualization and analysis of the rite
• The cakes
• The gods receiving cakes
• 1.2.3. Libations
• 1.2.4. Unspecified sacrifice before incubation
• 1.2.5. Animal sacrifice before incubation
• Testimonia
• The contextualization and analysis of the rite
• 1.2.6. Vows and prayers
• 1.2.7. The use of incense
• 1.3. The appearance of the incubant
• 1.3.1. Wearing a wreath
• 1.3.2. Clothing restrictions
• 1.4. The setting
• 1.4.1. The dormitory
• 1.4.2. Sleeping on a stibas
• 1.4.3. Sleeping on the skin of the sacrificed animal
• 1.4.4. Sleeping on klinai
• 1.4.5. Did men and women sleep separately or together?
• 1.4.6. Lamps
• 1.5. Incubation for someone else
• 1.5.1. Incubation by proxy
• 1.5.2. Priests sleeping in place of incubants
• 1.6. The giving of thanks
• 1.6.1. A common meal after incubation
• 1.6.2. Priests interpreting the dreams
• 1.6.3. Monetary payment for the cure
• 1.6.4. Animal sacrifice as thanks for recovery
• 1.6.5. The dedication of votives and cure tablets
• Votives mentioned in inscriptions and texts
• Archaeological evidence
• Testimonia on the nature of the cures on pinakes and iamata
• Contextualization and analysis of the rite

Chapter 2. Making sense of the rituals

• 2.1. Previous theoretical approaches to incubation rituals
• 2.1.1. Chthonian and Olympian rites
• 2.1.2. Liminal aspects of incubation rites
• 2.1.3. Affinities with mystery cults
• Using Aristides
• 2.2. Incubation rites and their social context
• Preparatory rites
• Offerings
• Rites inside the dormitory
• Rites after sleeping
• A ritual pattern
• 2.3. Low-intensity rites and high-intensity factors
• Different functions of unusual rites
• Locality
• Didactic efforts by the sanctuary to inspire dreams and cures
• Motivation — a factor that affected the experience and outcome of the ritual
• Making sense of the structure

Chapter 3. Origins and developments

• 3.1. Egyptian or Mesopotamian origins?
• 3.2. The Earth and incubation
• Incubation rituals as Chthonian
• Dreams as sent from the Earth
• Hero cults as Chthonian cults, and the act of sleeping on the tombs of heroes in incubation
• 3.3. From oracle to incubation
• 3.3.1. Amphiaraos in Boeotia
• 3.3.2. Other early oracles that offered direct contact with a divinity
• 3.3.3. Asklepios and Apollon at Epidauros
• The earliest epigraphical evidence for incubation: the iamata of Epidauros
• Apollon’s mantic techniques and Asklepios’ healings
• Needs of the masses
• 3.3.4. Accessibility of significant dreams
• 3.3.5. Rituals for priests, consultants and enquirers
• 3.4. One incubation ritual or many?
• Asklepieia
• Other incubation cults
• Conclusion
• 3.5. Roman times

Concluding remarks

Appendix. Collection of texts

• 1. Lex sacra from the cult of Amphiaraos at Oropos, 386–374 BC
• 2. Regulations from the cult of Asklepios in Erythrai, 380– 360 BC
• 3. Lex sacra from the cult of Asklepios in Amphipolis, c. 350– 300 BC
• 4. Lex sacra from the cult of Asklepios in Piraeus, fourth century BC
• 5. Selection of iamata from Epidauros, pertaining to rites
• 6. Lex sacra from the cult of Asklepios at Epidauros, late fourth century BC
• 7. Lex sacra from the cult of Asklepios at Pergamon, dated to the late first/early second century AD, partly copied from a Hellenistic original
• 8. Lex sacra from the cult of Asklepios, Yüntdağ, c.200–150 BC
• 9. Asklepios at Piraeus: The Ploutos of Aristophanes, lines 654–747
• 10. The cult of Kalchas in Daunia: Timaios of Tauromenion FGrHist IIIB, frg. 566, F56 (c. 350–300 BC) = Pseudo-Lycophron Alex. 1047–1051
• 11. The cult of Kalchas and Podaleirios in Daunia: Strabo 6.3.9
• 12. The Plutonium at Acharaka: Strabo 14.1.44

List of Figures

Bibliography

Index of literary texts

Index of inscriptions

General index