ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an interesting angle on the way sacred travel that is depicted in ancient narratives portraying visits alleged to be historical. It focuses on the motives for the sacred activity of a monarch who visits Troy and the tombs of Homeric heroes and the Persian king Cyrus. The chapter examines stories of notable Romans visiting the tombs of Alexander and Pompey from the angle of agency and experience. It explores the experience of oracular consultation as a means to praise the power of the gods and the way that authors construct negative character development with their portraits of sacred travel. A decisive factor for a successful sacred journey is a revelation of the divine; a religious experience which is a proof for the visitor that the gods look with favor on the journey or performed rituals. In ancient literary tradition, the gods interfere in the politics and warfare of men.
