ABSTRACT
This chapter challenges the assumption that altars in the Ancient Mediterranean were mainly associated with monumental temples. Using the Hellenistic city of Priene as a case study, the chapter shows that the majority of ancient altars were untempled. By analyzing the location, function, and discursive context of in-situ altars in Priene, the study explores how these ritual objects operated within the urban landscape and shaped the sacred spaces of non-temple buildings. Drawing on historical texts and architectural evidence, the paper argues that altars played a crucial role in defining sacred spaces within Hellenistic public buildings, revealing the fluidity between so-called religious and civic spaces. The study questions the traditional temple-centered approach to ancient religions and highlights the importance of altars as central ritual foci. The category of untempled altars is a valuable yet overlooked source of data that revises our understanding of sacred space in the ancient world. Overall, this study offers a new perspective on the relationship between altars and the urban landscape, inviting scholars to reconsider their interpretations and analyses of religious architecture in antiquity.
