In the series conclusion, Natalie Haynes delves into the dark compromise that resolved the myth of Demeter and Persephone. She explores how this narrative gave ancient people a vital framework for understanding the seasons - a bitter bargain that marked the transition from the vibrant bloom of spring to the barren, unforgiving hardship of winter.
This myth also gave birth to the ancient world’s most profound and secretive religious tradition. Natalie traces the path of ancient initiates who embarked on a thirteen-mile procession from Athens to Eleusis to take part in the sacred rites. By examining rare fragments like the Great Eleusinian Relief and the Ninnion Tablet, she uncovers the only surviving visual clues to these top-secret rituals. From ritual purification with piglets to the potential use of hallucinogenic mouldy grain, Natalie explores why thousands of pilgrims - including famous figures like Plato, Cicero, and Roman Emperors Hadrian and Augustus - flocked to Eleusis for centuries.
Natalie examines how this tale of maternal fury and restorative love has inspired two and a half millennia of art. From the breathtaking marble of Bernini’s Rape of Proserpina to the Tony-Award-winning musical Hadestown, the myth continues to resonate as a powerful exploration of love and power.
Up Next in Women's History Month
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The Trials of Joan of Arc
We all know the name, Joan of Arc. But who really was this celebrated voice of the people of France? For some she is a simple peasant girl - one of the people. For others, she is a champion of nation and church. For the English, she was simply the enemy.
Dr Eleanor Janega is on a mission to deci...
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Sex & Scandal: Royal Favourites - Cha...
Join Dr Kate Lister as we follow 17th century Royal Favourite, actress Nell Gwynn’s rise to fame from humble orange seller to actress on the glittering restoration stage to her most famous and remembered role, the mistress of King Charles II. But our Nelly is so much more than Charles’ favourite ...
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Death in the Parsonage: The Brontës
The Brontë family created some of the world's most passionate and enduring novels, yet their lives were shadowed by tragedy.
Dr Maddy Pelling and Dr Anthony Delaney challenge the romantic myths surrounding the family, tracing the harsh reality of their lives in 19th-century Haworth—a crowded Yor...
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