Dos sacerdotisas beocias, una de la diosa Deméter,otra de Isis, vinculadas a Dioniso

Abstract

In this article I aim to investigate the role of two ancient Greek priestesses from the region of Boeotia. In doing so, I further asses the rela-tionship of these women not only with the goddesses they honoured, but also with Dionysus, a versatile and agglutinating divinity who played a leading role in that region. The following lines are intended as part of a broader study of priestesses of Dionysus (or priestesses of other divinities related to this god) in ancient Greece, a subject that has been little studied. It should be noted that the study examines the Greek term ἱέρεια and a derivative (the generic name of “priestess” in ancient Greece given to women who exercised the priesthood in civic cults) found in epigraphic texts. It is necessary to emphasize the impor-tance of epigraphic sources because they provide data on real figures or histori-cally verifiable personages who took part in the cult of the divinities, as opposed to literary sources, which often focus on anecdotal aspects.