Greek Culture

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

Priests were often the sion of great families, priestly charges being for a large part hereditary. The same was true for other religious offices, like the great seers. Most priesthood were granted for life, and priestess existed alongside priests. Surprisingly more is known about the priests and priestess of the Roman period, notably because the period left us more epigraphic evidence of sanctuaries' laws that defined who was to be a priest and what his duties might be.

Mostly, the job of the priest was to make sure the Gods did support the city, dirige sacrifices and manage the vast riches of the temples, including in bank-like functions.

Appart from some ritual tasks, priest had a lot of time availlable to themselve as is shown by Plutarch, himself a priest at the Delphi sanctuary in the first and second century A.D. : you might want to read some of his non-historical texts to learn more about his responsabilities.

You might find some references to sacred prostitution in some Greek cults, especialy those from the island of Cyprus (island of Aphrodite), were the priestess were supposed to care for the sexual need of any pilgrim, but mostly those are exagerations and modern feminists fantasms, although they do indeed have some truth at their basis.