It is a common trope of conspiracy theories that there are hidden fraternities meddling in the world’s affairs. These secret societies are said to offer a network of power, an exclusive membership, and sometimes mystical knowledge. Despite being called secret, in fact many such groups are well known and have now been extensively studied by historians.
The anxieties surrounding the existence of secret societies is not always unjustified. Many hidden groups have influenced history in unexpected ways. The underground Christians of the early Roman Empire managed to convert the state to their religion after all. Whether in the ancient past or present, nefarious or not, the power and influence of secret societies are waiting to be uncovered.
Eleusinian Cult Unknown - 392 CE
21 kilometres outside of Athens lies one of the most important religious sites in the ancient world. Eleusis was home to a temple of the agricultural goddess Demeter. According to the Homeric Hymns the goddess attempted to make Demophon, son of the king of Eleusis, immortal when she grieved the loss of her daughter Persephone to Hades. She also taught the locals certain mysterious rites.
At first the worship of Demeter at Eleusis was a strictly small-scale affair, but when the town became part of Athenian territory its fame grew. Each year people would throng to the temple to be inducted into the Eleusinian
