One of the most distinctive features of Greek religion was the worship of heroes (heros), who became almost divine beings. The hero was believed to have been endowed with the power to spread patronage and defend the community of the living through extraordinary deeds performed during his lifetime. The word hero meant the deceased who was worshipped in his tomb or in a special temple and surrounded by a cult.
From the time of Ptolemy IV Philopator (the 4th ruler of Egypt in the Ptolemaic dynasty, reigned 221-204 BC), Homer was worshipped in Alexandria. There is evidence that by the end of the 3rd century BC there was a shrine dedicated to him in Alexandria, which contained a magnificent statue of the seated poet. Temples dedicated to him were built on the islands of Ios and Chios, and statues of him were erected in Olympia and Delphi.
