The hieropoios ( el, ἱεροποιός, hieropoiós, lit=supervisor of temples and sacred rites) in ancient
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
was the official in charge of overseeing religious ceremonies and sacrifices. The position could be by allotment, appointment, or inheritance. Generally, the hieropoios was the "overseer of sacred rites". The general consensus states that the term "
hiereus" is the most common Greek term used to describe the closest
pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
equivalent to a Christian Priest,
though hieropoios seems to be more specific, while
hiereus serves as an umbrella term.
References
Religion in ancient Athens
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