What happened inside the temples?

Inside the temple there would be a huge statue of the god or goddess. Inside the Parthenon in Athens, there was a statue of the goddess Athene that was over 10 metres high and made of pure ivory and gold, and inside the temple at Olympia was a great statue of Zeus.

Pilgrims brought gifts to the god or goddess, and when they had left these on a table in the temple, they would go out into the temple courtyard to a large outdoor altar and worship there. Animals were brought as sacrifices to the gods and killed at the temple.

There were also many festivals for the gods and goddesses. The people would have a day off from work to worship, and enjoy themselves eating the free food. In Athens, the festival to Athene lasted for six days. This festival only happened once every four years, but each year there were 40 other festivals, to other gods, to enjoy.

Picture of statue of Zeus