ENGLISH

Greek Religion

By Jan N. Bremmer

Book information

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
2006
ISBN
0199220735, 9780199220731
Open Library ID
OL16811209M
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
65 MB (68091653 bytes)
Series
New Surveys in the Classics No. 24
Edition
1
Pages
132\121
Topic
Religion
Time added
2011-04-11 19:55:47

Description

In this brief but highly informative book Jan Bremmer presents an outline of Greek religion in the classical period. After a survey of its main characteristics, he offers a clear and innovative view of the great gods and heroes as well as their sanctuaries and also the main myths, rituals and mysteries: from Athena to Zeus, from sacrifice to the puritan Orphics, from the Indo-European roots to the influence of the ancient Near East. The approach pays attention to the sociological, anthropological and psychological aspects of Greek religion and also to the gender roles. By analyzing the often modern origin of many of the notions employed in the analysis of Greek religion, it also shows the difference between the polytheism of the Greeks and the place of religion in modern Western society. Its excellent bibliography makes this book a very useful tool for students and teachers alike.

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