Omens and Oracles

Ancient Greek divination took many forms: observing the flights of birds, inspecting the entrails of sacrificed animals, analysing dreams, and interpreting omens. Professional diviners assisted the concerned with their worries, but individuals also interpreted anything considered ominous, or even oracles. While states and wealthy individuals made their way to oracular centres, others had recourse to interpreting what they encountered in their everyday lives, or what they dreamed of. Literature, inscriptions, papyri and material evidence all indicate that divination was practised by all and formed a crucial part of the lives of both the state and the individual._x005F_x000D_