CHTHONIC CULT IN AESCHYLUS

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine certain specific areas of chthonic cult in ancient Greece and relate them to the works of Aeschylus, in the hope that by this we may shed some light not only on the work of Aeschylus but also on chthonic religion in general. The audience Aeschylus wrote for were the people of Athens, who besides worshipping Zeus and the Olympian gods, held in great respect local spirits and divinities, with whom many of the Olympians quite often became associated. Consequently the original cult sometimes became obscured by the presence of the Olympians. These local spirits had been present in their respective places of worship from time immemorial and although they had never become universal throughout Greece, were very close to the hearts of the common people.