# Ancient temple acquired by killing prior occupant?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-temple-acquired-by-killing-prior-occupant/950201>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** books-writing-myths\
**Created:** [September 7, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-temple-acquired-by-killing-prior-occupant/950201 "2021-09-07T03:13:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-temple-acquired-by-killing-prior-occupant/950201/1 "2021-09-07T03:13:20Z")

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I vaguely recall a story about an ancient temple that was occupied by whoever killed the prior occupant. The killer acquired the temple and the right to occupy it (and possibly receive food or a stipend?), subject to his tenure being ended when his successor arrived and killed him. Does this ring a bell with anyone else?

I’m familiar with Seneca’s observation that “no matter how many men you kill, you can’t kill your successor.” I thought that it might have some relation to the story, but I haven’t been able to find a connection.

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-temple-acquired-by-killing-prior-occupant/950201/2 "2021-09-07T03:38:15Z")

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“The Midnight Meat Train,” by Clive Barker?

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**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-temple-acquired-by-killing-prior-occupant/950201/3 "2021-09-07T03:49:28Z")

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“The Golden Bough” is full of stories along these lines. E.g.

> **[Rex Nemorensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Nemorensis)**
>
> Pages for logged out editors learn more
> 
> The rex Nemorensis (Latin, "king of Nemi" or "king of the Grove") was a priest of the goddess Diana at Aricia in Italy, by the shores of Lake Nemi, where she was known as Diana Nemorensis. The priesthood played a major role in the mythography of James George Frazer in The Golden Bough; his interpretation has exerted a lasting influence.
> The tale of the rex Nemorensis appears in a number of ancient sources. Ovid gives a poetic account of the pri...

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**Author:** ![smilingbandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@smilingbandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smilingbandit)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-temple-acquired-by-killing-prior-occupant/950201/4 "2021-09-07T04:44:08Z")

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This probably belongs in GQ. The references are pretty old and rather spotty, but there are enough of them that it _appears_ to have been a real institution, albeit a minor and local one of unclear origins. Apparently a slave could in effect free himself by going and killing the existing officeholder. There’s not a great deal of evidence, although it seems the spot was actually a popular retreat for those hoping for healing at the sanctuary of Diana.

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**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-temple-acquired-by-killing-prior-occupant/950201/5 "2021-09-07T14:30:24Z")

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Thank you, Hogarth!