On Ancient Greek Hero Worship: Lessons for Necromancy & Magic with Kadmus

How and why did the Ancient Greeks worship heroes? In what ways does  this worship relate to ancient practices of necromancy, the practice of  ancestor worship more widely understood, and later developments such as the cults of the saints? How was the nature of heroes understood and how did they relate to the gods? Is the lesson that heroes could become gods; that gods were once human heroes; that the semi-divine parentage of heroes made them more godlike from the start? Or perhaps it is each of these, depending on the particular hero focused on. The goal of this class is ultimately practical, seeking to glean from the study of ancient practices and views occult technology and practices that may be of use for, or may illuminate, the necromantic, goetic, or theurgic pursuits of contemporary practitioners.