Es Kynosarges

Ancient ruler cult has long been a stumbling-block for classical scholars who were unable to accept the worship of deified men by the enlightened Greeks. Gradually, however, this resistance has been turning into a (sometimes grudging) acceptance, a process much influenced by three factors. Firstly, the healing activities of Pyrrhus and Vespasian have been illuminated by comparing them with those of the medieval kings. Secondly, our times, too, have witnessed the worship of important political figures : Bismarck, Hitler, Evita Peron and De Gaulle. These modern ruler cults were not, it is true, integrated into the official Christian cult, but they did adopt ritual forms as pilgrimage and prayer, and used Christian terminology