Artemis was the goddess worshipped at the major Spartan sanctuary of Artemis Orthia.
The sanctuary of Artemis Orthia stood near the Eurotas River and was one of Sparta’s most important religious sites. Archaeological evidence shows that worship there continued for centuries, with offerings and architectural remains documenting the sanctuary’s long history.
The site became especially famous in accounts of a ritual competition involving young Spartan boys and an altar. Later Roman-era spectacles transformed the practice, and ancient writers’ descriptions do not always present the same version of events. Modern summaries should therefore distinguish early Spartan ritual from later developments.
Artemis Orthia was not a separate goddess from Artemis. “Orthia” was an epithet associated with the Spartan cult. The sanctuary’s importance also shows that Spartan identity involved religion and ritual as well as warfare and education.