Women in Herodotus’ Oracles. A Look beyond the Pythia

Abstract

Women other than the Pythia are excluded from the consultation and reception of oracles, but they are nevertheless present in the oracular passages of Herodotus’ Histories. This paper focuses on the roles that they play in these passages, with the aim of determining the extent of their visibility. To this end, an analysis is conducted on the basis of their belonging or non-belonging to the community of male consultants or recipients of oracles. The examination shows that female presence in Herodotean oracular passages is quantitatively significant, diverse and pivotal in revealing interactions between the domestic and public domains within the communities involved in these passages.