Abstract
In the last five books of Herodotus'sInquiry, some of the speeches reported by Herodotus refer to " Greek gods " and the common sanctuaries that make up " Greekness ". What do these categories cover, and to what extent do they enable us to think about the Greek gods ? The community constituted by the frequentation of common sanctuaries - regional and/or panhellenic - is a transitory ritual community, linked to a specific space, and does not refer to any shared " religious identity ". As for the gods referred to as " greeks " in the speeches of certain players in the Median Wars, their invocation served to unite Greek forces against the army of the Persian king. The rhetorical emphasis of such a qualification is not to be overlooked, but it is not the only reason. In fact, in theemporion of Naucratis (Nile delta) mentioned by Herodotus, where he locates a sanctuary called " Hellenion ", archaeology has unearthed dedications " to the gods of the Greeks ". The aim of this article is to analyze their significance in relation to the notion of " Greek gods ".
