Eumolpidae

The Eumolpidae /ˌjuːˈmɒlpᵻdiː/ (Ancient Greek: Εὐμολπίδαι, Eumolpidai) were a family of priests at Eleusis who maintained the Eleusinian Mysteries during the Hellenic era. As hierophants, they popularized the cult and allowed many more to be initiated into the secrets of Demeter and Persephone.

The legendary genealogy of the Eumolpidae cast them as descendants of Eumolpus, one of the first priests of Demeter at Eleusis, through his second son, Herald-Keryx. Eumolpus is named in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. Through Eumolpus, they were supposedly related to either Poseidon or Hermes. The other family with a hereditary Eleusinian priesthood were the Kerykes.

The only requirements for initiation into the mysteries were a lack of "blood guilt", meaning having never committed murder, and not being a barbarian (able to speak Greek). Men, women and even slaves were admitted.

See also

• List of Greek mythological figures

Further reading

• Jon D. Mikalson, Ancient Greek Religion (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), p. 83 online.