Understanding Greek Religion
eBook - ePub

Understanding Greek Religion

  1. 430 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Understanding Greek Religion

About this book

Understanding Greek Religion is one of the first attempts to fully examine any religion from a cognitivist perspective, applying methods and findings from the cognitive science of religion to the ancient Greek world. In this book, Jennifer Larson shows that many of the fundamentals of Greek religion, such as anthropomorphic gods, divinatory procedures, purity beliefs, reciprocity, and sympathetic magic arise naturally as by-products of normal human cognition. Drawing on evidence from across the ancient Greek world, Larson provides detailed coverage of Greek theology and local pantheons, rituals including processions, animal sacrifice and choral dance, and afterlife beliefs as they were expressed through hero worship and mystery cults.

Eighteen in-depth essays illustrate the theoretical discussion with primary sources and include case studies of key cult inscriptions from Kyrene, Kos, and Miletos. This volume features maps, tables, and over twenty images to support and expand on the text, and will provide conceptual tools for understanding the actions and beliefs that constitute a religion. Additionally, Larson offers the first detailed discussion of cognition and memory in the transmission of Greek religious beliefs and rituals, as well as a glossary of terms and a bibliographical essay on the cognitive science of religion.

Understanding Greek Religion is an essential resource for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of Greek culture and ancient Mediterranean religions.

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Yes, you can access Understanding Greek Religion by Jennifer Larson in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Ancient History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher
Routledge
Year
2016
Print ISBN
9780415688468
eBook ISBN
9781317296737

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. List of illustrations, maps and tables
  7. Preface and acknowledgments
  8. Using this book
  9. Abbreviations
  10. 1 What is Greek religion?
  11. 2 Implicit theology and the (ir)rational
  12. 3 Orthopraxy, identity and society
  13. 4 Ritual, festival and sacrifice
  14. 5 Eschatology, mysteries and hero cults
  15. 6 Memory, continuity and change
  16. Glossary
  17. The cognitive science of religion: A bibliographical essay
  18. Index