A Companion to Greek Religion

Ogden, Daniel (Editor)

Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World

1. Edition January 2010
520 Pages, Softcover
Handbook/Reference Book

Short Description

A Companion to Greek Religion covers all aspects of religion in the ancient Greek world from the archaic, through the classical, and into the hellenistic period. Each of the volume's 27 essays is written by an international expert and provides a survey of a particular area that reflects contemporary scholarship. All the contributions place an emphasis on religious life as it was experienced by Greek men and women at different times and in different places. Myth is considered alongside religion throughout.

ISBN: 978-1-4443-3417-3

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This major addition to Blackwell's Companions to the Ancient World series covers all aspects of religion in the ancient Greek world from the archaic, through the classical and into the Hellenistic period.
* Written by a panel of international experts
* Focuses on religious life as it was experienced by Greek men and women at different times and in different places
* Features major sections on local religious systems, sacred spaces and ritual, and the divine

List of Figures.

Notes on Contributors.

Acknowledgements.

Notes on Authors and Translations.

Abbreviations.

Ancient Author Fragment Series.

Introduction (Daniel Ogden, University of Exeter).

Part I: In the Background.

Part II: The Powers: The Gods and the Dead.

Part III: Communicating with the Divine.

Part IV: From Sacred Space to Sacred Time.

Part V: Local Religious Systems.

Part VI: Social Organization, the Family and Sex.

Part VII: Mysteries and Magic.

Part VIII: Intersections: Greek Religion and ....

Part IX: Epilogue.

"The organization of this useful volume invites dipping into rather than a linear perusal. The contributors ... manage to be both informative and fair in their presentation of controversial issues, and blessedly jargon free." (Religious Studies Review, December 2009)

"This collection of essays is a welcome addition to the existing books on Greek religion. Both advanced students and scholars will find it a useful introduction to the state of research on the subject." (Acta Classica, 2009)

"A splendid book at a not unreasonable price." (Reference Reviews, 2008)

"Modestly aiming to offer a mere impression of such a vast field, and eschewing any specific intellectual agenda, Daniel Ogden has done an excellent job both in defining major topics for discussion and in commissioning a varied list of contributors, senior and junior, European and North American, classicists, archaeologists, and historians of religion. ... Ogden has done in excellent job." (Greece and Rome, 2008)

"The Companion to Greek Religion is overall an excellent package of the best and most interesting research in Greek religion." (Scholia Reviews, 2008)

"Blackwell Companions have well-established reference potential defined by the breadth of scholarly perspectives presented. This volume offers ... well-documented narrations, along with cross-referencing between them." (CHOICE)

"Covers all aspects of religion in the ancient Greek world. ... Each of the volume's essays is written by an international expert." (Wordtrade.com)

"Blackwell maintains the high standard of its Companion series with these twenty seven essays. ... All in all, [there is] much excellent material here." (Journal of Classics Teaching)

Daniel Ogden is Professor of Ancient History at the University of Exeter. He is author of Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds (2002), Greek and Roman Necromancy (2001), and Greek Bastardy (1996), and editor of The Hellenistic World: New Perspectives (2002).

D. Ogden, University of Exeter, UK