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Athena Emperor Worship

Pergamum: Traditional Deities

Zeus was honored by an altar near the summit of the acropolis, where sacrifices were made in his honor. Along one side of the acropolis was a temple to Hera, the wife of Zeus. She was a goddess closely associated with marriage and the life of women. Dionysus, the god associated with vines and wines, had a temple beside the theater. Demeter, the goddess of the fruits of the earth, was honored by a sanctuary on one of the terraces on the side of the acropolis. The sacred area included fountain for cleansing and sacrificial pit that was used in connection with offerings.