Garner's Greek Mythology

EP 36: Ancient Sacrifice - Gifts for the Gods

Garner's Greek Mythology

Show Notes

Welcome to Episode 36. Today we examine the difficult topic of sacrifice. The discussion of killing animals upsets many people. If you’re one of them, this may be an episode to avoid. Sacrifice was so common in the ancient world that no one thought twice about the practice. On the contrary, sacrifice was an essential means of communication between mortals and divinities. Every ceremony, every celebration, every festival and every battle included the practice. In fact, not sacrificing was unth...

More from Garner's Greek Mythology

Oct 22, 2026

EP 75 — Jason and The Argonauts Greeks worshipped their heroes. Jason was one of the earliest and greatest. His quest for the Golden Fleece has captivated listeners for thousands of years. This is his story. Feedback? Send me a text! Support the show

Oct 15, 2026

She Who Holds The Door Hera is fed up with Zeus’ dalliances. She takes it out on Leto and other young conquests, using the goddess Eileithyia as a secret weapon. Feedback? Send me a text! Support the show

Sep 17, 2026

This is the story of Aristaeus, Apollo's son. To the Greeks, bees represented life, law and order. When hives failed, so did cities. Listen to how Apollo's son saves the day. Feedback? Send me a text! Support the show

Jun 3, 2026

The tale of The Golden Bough startled people in 1890 when mythologist Sir James George Fraser claimed human sacrifice was practiced in the heart of the Roman Empire. In this episode, we take our time machine back to 15 AD to see for ourselves! Feedback? Send me a text! Support the show

Apr 12, 2026

What happened to the Greeks after death? What did other people in 500 BC believe? In this episode, we look at the afterworld of Greeks, Jews, Egyptians, Persians, Buddhists and Chinese. Feedback? Send me a text! Support the show

See all episodes →