Twelve Artemis Epithets
Why twelve? For the Olympians!!
Artemis Acraea - an epithet given to gods who had temples upon hills. She shares this title with Zeus, Athena, and others. It is noted by both Apollodorus and Pausanius. Artemis Brauronia - Artemis of Brauron. Brauron was an ancient city in Attica, said to be where Iphigenia was sacrificed. It had a famous cult of Artemis, with a ritual called arkteia where young girls, just into puberty, pretended to be she-bears - arktoi. (from The Sacred and Feminine in Ancient Greece by Sue Blundell and Margaret Williamson)
Artemis Calliste - an epithet recorded by Pausanias, under which she was worshipped at Athens and Tegea. Calliste is also the name of a daughter of Triton and Libya (an Egyptian woman, not the country), who appeared to the Argonauts after they sailed of Colchis. She is not Callisto! Different person. Artemis Daphnaea - a companion to her twin Apollon's epithet Daphnaeus, whom he obtains from Daphne, the nymph-turned-laurel tree. For Artemis, it is potentially that her statue was made of laurel wood that she has this epithet. It is recorded by both Pausanias and Justinian. Artemis Eurynome - the "wide ruling". Her wooden image - xoanon - at Phiglea in Arcadia depicted her with a woman's upper body and the tail of a fish, whom Pausanias calls an Oceanid. Artemis Gamelii - A divinity protecting/presiding over marriage. Plutarch says that in marriage, one must have the protection of five deities: Zeus, Hera, Peitho, Aphrodite, and Artemis. Artemis Hecaerge - Hecaerge is one of the Hyperboreans who introduced the worship of Artemis in Delos, according to Herodotus. This epithet honors her. Artemis Imbraia - referencing the River Imbrasus in Samos, where the goddess was believed to have been born. This is also an epithet of Hera! There may potentially have been a syncretized version of the goddesses worshipped there, or just some crossing worship as Ancient Greeks interacted with each other. This name comes from Apollonius as well as Pausanius. Artemis Laphria - an epithet Artemis was called by the Calydonians, as a hero called Laphrius was said to have introduced her worship too Calydon. (according to Lycophron) Artemis Melissa - when Artemis is the goddess of the moon, this epithet describes her as a goddess who alleviates suffering in childbirth. (Porphyry of Tyre) Artemis Oenoatis - Artemis of Oenoe, a city in Argolis. (Euripides) Artemis Parthenia - "the maiden". Also an epithet of Hera! However, Hera Parthenia is said to be derived from the River Parthenius. (Apollonius of Rhodes) May Artemis Oenoatis bless all of you!
