The sacred site of the Greek goddess Artemis is one of the most revered shrines in Attica. The sanctuary at Brauron is located on the east coast of Attica, near the water.
The sanctuary of Artemis was called Brauroneion. It included a small temple, a stoa, a statue of Artemis, a spring, a stone bridge, and cave shrines. It did not have a formal temple.
In this holy place, ancient Greek women used to visit to respect Artemis, the protector of pregnancy and childbirth, hanging clothes on the statue. There was also a recurring procession and festival around the Brauroneion.
Who was Artemis?
Learn the basics about the Greek Goddess of Wild Things, Artemis.
Appearance of Artemis: Usually an eternally young, beautiful and vigorous woman, who wears a short dress that leaves her legs free. In Ephesus, Artemis wears a controversial outfit that can depict many breasts, fruits, combs, or parts of sacrificed animals. Academics are undecided on how to interpret her outfit.
Symbol or attribute of Artemis: his bow, which he uses to hunt, and his hounds. He often wears the lunar crescent on his forehead.
Strengths / talents: Physically strong, able to defend herself, defender and guardian of women in childbirth and of wildlife in general.
Weaknesses / flaws / quirks: She doesn’t like men, who she sometimes orders to break if they see her taking a bath. It opposes the institution of marriage and the consequent loss of freedom that it entails for women.
Parents of Artemis: Zeus and Leto.
Artemis’s birthplace: the island of Delos, where she was born under a palm tree, along with her twin brother Apollo. Other islands make a similar claim. However, Delos actually has a palm tree rising from the center of a swampy area that is designated as the holy site. Since palms don’t live that long, it’s definitely not the original.
Spouse: none. She runs with her maidens in the woods.
Children: none. She is a virgin goddess and does not mate with anyone.
Some important temple sites: Brauron (also called Vravrona), on the outskirts of Athens. It is also venerated in Ephesus (now in Turkey), where it had a famous temple of which only one column remains. The Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, the port of Athens, has some remarkable bronze statues of Artemis larger than actual size. The island of Leros in the Dodecanese island group is considered one of his special favorites. Statues of her are widespread in Greece and may also appear in the temples of other gods and goddesses.
Basic story: Artemis is a young freedom lover who likes to roam the woods with her companions. He does not care about city life and stays in the wild and natural environment. Those who look at her or her maidens when they are bathing can be torn apart by her hounds. She has a special connection to swampy and swampy areas, as well as forests.
Despite her always virgin status, she was considered a goddess of childbirth. The women would pray to him for a quick, safe and easy delivery.
Interesting Facts: Although Artemis didn’t care much for men, young boys could study at his shrine in Brauron. Statues of boys and girls with offerings have survived and can be seen in the Brauron Museum.
Some scholars claim that the Artemis of Ephesus was actually a completely different goddess than the Greek Artemis. Britomartis, one of the first Minoan goddesses whose name is believed to mean “Sweet Maiden” or “Sparkling Rocks”, may be a forerunner of Artemis. The last six letters of Britomartis’s name form a kind of anagram for Artemis.
Dictynna, another powerful early Minoan goddess, “of the webs,” was added to the Artemis legend as the name of one of his nymphs or as an additional title for Artemis herself. In her role as goddess of childbirth, Artemis worked with, absorbed, or was seen as a form of the Minoan goddess Eileithyia, who presided over the same aspect of life. Artemis is also seen as a form of the later Roman goddess, Diana.
Common misspellings: Artemus, Artamis, Artemas, Artimas, Artimis. The correct or at least the most widely accepted spelling is Artemis. Artemis is rarely used as a boy’s name.
More fast facts on Greek gods and goddesses
- The 12 Olympians: Gods and Goddesses
- Greek Gods and Goddesses – Temple Sites
- The Titans
- Aphrodite
- Apollo
- Ares
- Atalanta
- Athena
- Centaurs
- Cyclops
- Demeter
- Dionysus
- Eros
- Gaia
- hell
- Helios
- Hephaestus
- Hera
- Hercules
- Hermes
- Kronos
- jellyfish
- Nike
- Bread
- Pandora
- Pegasus
- Persephone
- Poseidon
- Rhea
- Selene
- Zeus
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