Animal Sacrifice and Euergetism in the Hellenistic and Roman Polis

This paper makes the case for the importance of animal sacrifice within a wider spectrum of offerings that Greeks and Romans used to win the favour of the gods. It then traces in more detail the part played by animal sacrifice within the broader phenomenon of euergetism as it developed during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, and concludes with a more general consideration of the importance of animal sacrifice for Greek cities during the Roman Imperial period. The paper thus traces out a continuum of practice in which a central feature of ancient religion was inextricably tied with expressions of status and demonstrations of economic capability.