Enodia

Enodia was sometimes depicted upon coins in Thessaly. She is shown as a young woman, typically riding a horse and carrying torches. A stele dated between the 1st and 2nd century depicts Enodia wearing a chiton poderes, which is cross-girdled under the chest. This stele also depicts her on horseback and accompanied by a dog. ==Origins and civic expansion of Enodia's cult==

in Berlin. Before the 5th Century, Enodia's worship was mostly confined to the city of Pherai. During the 5th century Enodia's cult rapidly expanded through Thessaly, Southern Macedonia, and even expanded into Thrace. According to Polyaenus’ Strategemata, Enodia was supposedly a national deity during the Ionian migration. The expansion of Enodia's cult is linked to the push for a Thessalian civil identity. The Cults of Pythian Apollo and Enodia were expanded and pushed throughout Thessaly. Yet, there was a fundamental difference between regionalizing the panhellenic Apollo and parochialising a local, regional goddess such as Enodia. She came to be worshipped throughout Thessaly and Macedonia, especially in the Hellenistic and Roman eras. The usage of Enodia for the new Thessalian civil identity failed, as she was unsuitable divinity for the new Thessalian identity would be constructed when Flamininus refounded the league in 196. She is completely absent from Thessalian coins from the post-Flamininan era. Decrees of the new League were not published in a sanctuary of Enodia; whether at Pherai or elsewhere in Thessaly. There is no evidence of possible investment in any of her sanctuaries and no month of the Thessalian calendar in use after 196 appears to recognise and honour the goddess. ==Mythology==

One myth of Enodia further connects her with the city of Pherai. As a baby, the goddess Enodia was brought to Pherai at the time of Pheres; which was when the city was in its infancy. She had been found by Pheres’ shepherds. In a way, she had grown up with the city. No other Thessalian city had claimed such a close connection to a single divinity like Pherai did, in a way making Enodia the city’s patron or special divinity. ==Ancient worship==

Enodia was worshipped throughout Thessaly, Macedonia, Enodia is also a kourotrophos (i.e. a protector and nurturer of children). An iron key was found inside of a drilled hole of a small base that bares an inscription asking Enodia for help with a child. It refers to a statue of the god at the entrance to an estate. • Korillos (Greek: Κοριλλος) another unclear epithet that demonstrates a connection with the ancient feminine world [the what?]. Enodia belonged to the group of Patrooi Theoi, a group of gods in Thessaly of kinship and groups. • Pheraia (Greek: Φεραίᾳ) ‘Of / belonging to / associated with Pherai’. This epithet arose due to Enodia's close connection to the city of Pherai. • Strogike (Greek: Στρογικά) “of lightning", in the sense of a bringer of light. The epithet is invoked with her other epithet patroa at Larisa. • Stathmia (Greek: Σταθμια) an epithet that may be connected to the animal realm due to one of the word stathmos many meanings being stable. • Wastika (Greek: Ϝαστικᾶι) an epithet possibly referring to an urban aspect of Enodia, or Enodia of the community of Larisa. ==Identification with Hecate==

Due to the similarities between the two goddesses, such as protecting roads, shared animals, averting evil, etc., it is no surprise that Enodia was identified with Hecate. Pausanias in the Description Of Greece describes Hecate-Enodia receiving a sacrifice of a black puppy at night by the Spartans. This is a typical offering for Hecate, as black dogs are sacred to her. The identification between Hecate and Enodia dates back to at least the fifth century. The text describes multiple ‘Sacred Diseases’ that are said to be caused by the gods, according to the magicians. ==See also==