Author Description

Filled with examples of ritual, symbolism and an extensive collection of Artemis myths and folklore, this work is a comprehensive compilation of all things Artemis, and her fundamental role in the communal, political and ritual development of the Greco-Roman world. The goddess of the hunt is more than just a virgin in the woods. Her worship can be traced to a time before the Minoans, and her rituals include all facets of the human experience, starting from birth rituals to rites of passage, to death and beyond. Her protection for those who honour her is all encompassing, her vengeance for those who cross her is swift and fatal. While classic scholars focused mostly on Olympian deities such as Apollo, Athena, Zeus and Dionysius, this book provides vivid and detailed evidence that the goddess Artemis has been underrated for much too long. Dr. Ionescu's work is a labour of love and research, born out of her long-standing certainty that Artemis was the most prevalent and influential goddess of the Mediterranean.