‘The sacred places of the immortal ones’ : ancient Greek and Roman sacred groves

Many cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world acknowledged the close relationship between the divine world and the natural environment, with trees and vegetation being interpreted as a sign of God-given life. The types of evidence available for the study of Greek and Roman sacred groves are varied. There is also the pictorial evidence. This chapter examines these main strands of evidence for sacred groves in Classical antiquity in depth in an attempt to understand their function, use, location, and appearance. The antiquity of the sacred grove is particularly highlighted by the apparent age and size of the plane tree. Temples and sacred groves occasionally are depicted also on Roman coins, particularly those from various places in the Greek-speaking Eastern Empire. Ceramic plant pots were inserted in the ground parallel to and in front of all three porticoes, with the altar in the centre of the courtyard.