zwischen kult und kommerz. architektur als erfahrbarer raum

160| WIEBKE FRIESE
Zeit an Beliebtheit gewannen. Zudem ließ sich nachweisen,
dass sich die Architektur direkt an den Bedürfnissen des
Rituals orientierte, indem sie, etwa durch besondere Einbauten,
die klaustrophobischen und desorientierenden Elemente
des kultischen Raumes verstärkte. Eingebunden in
ein ebenfalls aus den antiken Mysterienkulten bekanntes
tripartites Ritualschema, ermöglichte der so veränderte
Raum der Institution Orakel damit die größtmögliche Kontrolle
eines ansonsten eher unkontrollierbaren, da sehr individuellen
spirituellen Erlebnisses.
While in archaic and classical times, most of the famous
Greek oracle sites, like Delphi, Olympia or Dodona provided
not only individual help and guidance, but also functioned
as interurban political centres, they were less important
in roman times. Other sanctuaries, like the oracle
of Trophonios in Lebadeia, the oracle of Apollon in Claros
or the death oracle in Heracleia Pontica took their place.
The oracle of Glykon in Abonuteichos, which was founded
in the second century AD, was also supra-regional successful.
But what could be the reason for his change? Drawing
upon written as well as epigraphical and archaeological
sources, the following paper gives an insight in the ancient
cult architecture and practice and examines its influential
potential on the oracle-seeking client. While until Hellenistic
times, the sanctuaries architecture was dominated by
monumental buildings, like temples and theatres, in roman
times, the oracle building itself became more important. At
the same time and probably under the influence of the oriental
and Egyptian apotropaic mystery cults, mystic and socalled
auto-suggestive oracle methods were the most popular.
Furthermore, the article demonstrates the close relation between
architecture and ritual. The roman reconstructions of
the ritual space all aimed to intensify the claustrophobic and
disorientating elements of it. Integrated in a tripartite ritualistic
schema, the so converted ritual space became an important,
inasmuch controllable element for the institution of
the oracle.