Heroes had their own unique place in both the Greek and Roman religions. Unlike the gods, they lived mortal lives during which they performed extraordinary deeds, and it was in their death that they were venerated. Not only did they have sanctuaries, shrines and altars like the gods, but also the tombs, bones and relics of ordinary mortals. Heroes were remembered, respected and invoked by the living at their tombs, through sacrifice, prayers and votive dedications, since many thought that they could influence contemporary events.
Over time, the number and variety of heroic cults increased to the extent that even outstanding athletes and those who were powerful in life were heroised once they died. Their cults offered worshippers the means to express social, political, religious and local aspirations. For today’s scholars, they have become a rich source of both archaeological and epigraphical evidence of the ancient world and its beliefs.
