Mystery Cults In The Ancient World
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Mystery Cults In The Ancient World
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Author : Hugh Bowden
language : en
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Release Date : 2023-09-07
Mystery Cults In The Ancient World written by Hugh Bowden and has been published by Thames & Hudson this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2023-09-07 with History categories.
Mystery cults are one of the most intriguing areas of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically re-enacted the story of Demeter's loss and recovery of her daughter Persephone; in Bacchic cult, bands of women ran wild in the Greek countryside to honour Dionysus; in the mysteries of Mithras, men came to understand the nature of the universe and their place within it through frightening initiation ceremonies and astrological teachings. These cults were an important part of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, but their actual practices were shrouded in secrecy, and much of what they were about has remained unclear until now. This is the first book to describe and explain all the major mystery cults of the ancient world, cult by cult, reconstructing the rituals and exploring their origins. It makes plentiful use of artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as ancient literature and epigraphy. Greek painted pottery, Roman frescoes, inscribed gold tablets from Greek and South Italian tombs and the excavated sites of ancient religious sanctuaries all contribute to our understanding of ancient mystery cults. Making use of the most recent work on these cults, the book is also informed by crucial current work on the anthropology and cognitive science of religion. Not only is this clearly written book a significant contribution to the study of these cults, but it is also accessible to a general readership. More than any other book on ancient religion, it allows the reader to understand what it was like to participate in these life-transforming religious events.
Mystery Cults In The Ancient World
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Author : Hugh Bowden
language : en
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Release Date : 2023-09-19
Mystery Cults In The Ancient World written by Hugh Bowden and has been published by Thames & Hudson this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2023-09-19 with Religion categories.
A landmark study of ancient Greek and Roman cults, from the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis to the cults of Dionysus and Mithras. Mystery cults are one of the most intriguing areas of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically reenacted the story of Demeter’s loss and recovery of her daughter Persephone; in the Bacchic cult, bands of women ran wild in the Greek countryside to honor Dionysus; in the mysteries of Mithras, men came to understand the nature of the universe and their place within it through frightening initiation ceremonies and astrological teachings. These cults were an important part of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, but their actual practices were shrouded in secrecy. Mystery Cults in the Ancient World makes plentiful use of artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as ancient literature and epigraphy, to reconstruct the sacred rituals and explore their origins. Greek painted pottery, Roman frescoes, inscribed gold tablets from Greek and Southern Italian tombs, and the excavated sites of religious sanctuaries all contribute to our understanding of ancient mystery cults. Not only is this clearly written book a significant contribution to the study of these cults, it is also accessible to a general readership. More than any other book on ancient religion, it allows the reader to understand what it was like to participate in these life-altering religious events.
Mystery Cults In The Ancient World
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Author : Hugh Bowden
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2023
Mystery Cults In The Ancient World written by Hugh Bowden and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2023 with Civilization, Ancient categories.
Mystery cults are one of the most intriguing areas of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically re-enacted the story of Demeter's loss and recovery of her daughter Persephone; in Bacchic cult, bands of women ran wild in the Greek countryside to honour Dionysus; in the mysteries of Mithras, men came to understand the nature of the universe and their place within it through frightening initiation ceremonies and astrological teachings. These cults were an important part of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, but their actual practices were shrouded in secrecy, and much of what they were about has remained unclear until now. This is the first book to describe and explain all the major mystery cults of the ancient world, cult by cult, reconstructing the rituals and exploring their origins. It makes plentiful use of artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as ancient literature and epigraphy. Greek painted pottery, Roman frescoes, inscribed gold tablets from Greek and South Italian tombs and the excavated sites of ancient religious sanctuaries all contribute to our understanding of ancient mystery cults. Making use of the most recent work on these cults, the book is also informed by crucial current work on the anthropology and cognitive science of religion. Not only is this clearly written book a significant contribution to the study of these cults, but it is also accessible to a general readership. More than any other book on ancient religion, it allows the reader to understand what it was like to participate in these life-transforming religious events.-
Mystery Cults Of The Ancient World
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Author : Hugh Bowden
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2010
Mystery Cults Of The Ancient World written by Hugh Bowden and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2010 with History categories.
A richly illustrated history of antiquity's secret religious rituals This is the first book to describe and explain all of the ancient world's major mystery cults--one of the most intriguing but least understood aspects of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal Mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically re-enacted the story of Demeter's loss and recovery of her daughter Persephone; in the Bacchic cult, bands of women ran wild in the Greek countryside to honor Dionysus; and in the mysteries of Mithras, men came to understand the nature of the universe and their place within it through frightening initiation ceremonies and astrological teachings. These cults were an important part of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, but their actual practices were shrouded in secrecy, and many of their features have remained unclear until now. By richly illustrating the evidence from ancient art and archaeology, and drawing on enlightening new work in the anthropology and cognitive science of religion, Mystery Cults of the Ancient World allows readers to imagine as never before what it was like to take part in these ecstatic and life-changing religious rituals--and what they meant to those who participated in them. Stunning images of Greek painted pottery, Roman frescoes, inscribed gold tablets from Greek and South Italian tombs, and excavated remains of religious sanctuaries help show what participants in these initiatory cults actually did and experienced. A fresh and accessible introduction to a fascinating subject, this is a book that will interest general readers, as well as students and scholars of classics and religion.
Mystery Religions In The Ancient World
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Author : Joscelyn Godwin
language : en
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Release Date : 1981
Mystery Religions In The Ancient World written by Joscelyn Godwin and has been published by HarperCollins Publishers this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1981 with Religion categories.
"A lively, illustrated overview of the variety of mystery religions that flourished at the dawn of the Christian era. In clear, enlightened text and striking images, Mystery Religions holds up a "distant mirror" to our own times, showing that the quest for spiritual illumination from Eastern religions, and emphasis on spiritual development and experience, and a concern for hidden knowledge are deeply rooted in Western culture. Mystery Religions brings the myths, the magic, their rites and the wisdom of a bygone age to compelling life, making them comprehensible to modern readers. Godwin begins Mystery Religions with a crucial discussion of the five basic spiritual attitudes or orientations, one (or more) of which informs the religious conceptions of all peoples of every epoch. He clarifies the various paths--that of the warrior, of the monk, of the magician, of love, and of knowledge--and applies them in a detailed examination of the major mystery religions that follows. Here is a compelling account of the forms mystery religions took, from the cults of Mithras, Dionysus, and Orpheus to those of the Goddess, esoteric Christianity and Judaism, and Gnosticism. Godwin offers a rich and varied selection of illustrations; the symbolism of paintings, statues, reliefs, and other visual imagery provides a wealth of additional information about these religions. As in our day, the people of ancient Greece and Rome enjoyed unprecedented religious freedom and pursued their spiritual quest through a variety of cults, sects, rituals, and sacred studies. Mystery Religions explores this historical phenomenon from its wellsprings in the Eastern Mediterranean to its manifestations in such remote outposts of empire as the borderlands of Scotland. At the same, Mystery Religions distills those elements of man's spiritual and intellectual growth which these religions embodied and which remain unchanged to this day." -- Publisher's description
Ancient Mystery Cults
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Author : Walter Burkert
language : en
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Release Date : 1989-10-15
Ancient Mystery Cults written by Walter Burkert and has been published by Harvard University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1989-10-15 with Religion categories.
The foremost historian of Greek religion provides the first comprehensive, comparative study of a little-known aspect of ancient religious beliefs and practices. Secret mystery cults flourished within the larger culture of the public religion of Greece and Rome for roughly a thousand years. This book is neither a history nor a survey but a comparative phenomenology, concentrating on five major cults. In defining the mysteries and describing their rituals, membership, organization, and dissemination, Walter Burkert displays the remarkable erudition we have come to expect of him; he also shows great sensitivity and sympathy in interpreting the experiences and motivations of the devotees.
Initiation Into The Mysteries Of The Ancient World
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Author : Jan N. Bremmer
language : en
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Release Date : 2014-07-28
Initiation Into The Mysteries Of The Ancient World written by Jan N. Bremmer and has been published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2014-07-28 with Religion categories.
The ancient Mysteries have long attracted the interest of scholars, an interest that goes back at least to the time of the Reformation. After a period of interest around the turn of the twentieth century, recent decades have seen an important study of Walter Burkert (1987). Yet his thematic approach makes it hard to see how the actual initiation into the Mysteries took place. To do precisely that is the aim of this book. It gives a ‘thick description’ of the major Mysteries, not only of the famous Eleusinian Mysteries, but also those located at the interface of Greece and Anatolia: the Mysteries of Samothrace, Imbros and Lemnos as well as those of the Corybants. It then proceeds to look at the Orphic-Bacchic Mysteries, which have become increasingly better understood due to the many discoveries of new texts in the recent times. Having looked at classical Greece we move on to the Roman Empire, where we study not only the lesser Mysteries, which we know especially from Pausanias, but also the new ones of Isis and Mithras. We conclude our book with a discussion of the possible influence of the Mysteries on emerging Christianity. Its detailed references and up-to-date bibliography will make this book indispensable for any scholar interested in the Mysteries and ancient religion, but also for those scholars who work on initiation or esoteric rituals, which were often inspired by the ancient Mysteries.
Mystery Cults In Visual Representation In Graeco Roman Antiquity
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Author :
language : en
Publisher: BRILL
Release Date : 2020-10-26
Mystery Cults In Visual Representation In Graeco Roman Antiquity written by and has been published by BRILL this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2020-10-26 with History categories.
This book fills a gap in the study of mystery cults in Graeco-Roman Antiquity. Focusing on the visual language surrounding these cults, it aims to understand how images depict mysteries in different cults: Dionysus, Mithras, Mother of the Gods, and Isiac cults.
Mystic Cults In Magna Graecia
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Author : Giovanni Casadio
language : en
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Release Date : 2013-08-15
Mystic Cults In Magna Graecia written by Giovanni Casadio and has been published by University of Texas Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013-08-15 with Religion categories.
In Vergil's Aeneid, the poet implies that those who have been initiated into mystery cults enjoy a blessed situation both in life and after death. This collection of essays brings new insight to the study of mystic cults in the ancient world, particularly those that flourished in Magna Graecia (essentially the area of present-day Southern Italy and Sicily). Implementing a variety of methodologies, the contributors to Mystic Cults in Magna Graecia examine an array of features associated with such "mystery religions" that were concerned with individual salvation through initiation and hidden knowledge rather than civic cults directed toward Olympian deities usually associated with Greek religion. Contributors present contemporary theories of ancient religion, field reports from recent archaeological work, and other frameworks for exploring mystic cults in general and individual deities specifically, with observations about cultural interactions throughout. Topics include Dionysos and Orpheus, the Goddess Cults, Isis in Italy, and Roman Mithras, explored by an international array of scholars including Giulia Sfameni Gasparro ("Aspects of the Cult of Demeter in Magna Graecia") and Alberto Bernabé ("Imago Inferorum Orphica"). The resulting volume illuminates this often misunderstood range of religious phenomena.
The Origins Of The Mithraic Mysteries
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Author : David Ulansey
language : en
Publisher: Cosmology and Salvation in the
Release Date : 1991
The Origins Of The Mithraic Mysteries written by David Ulansey and has been published by Cosmology and Salvation in the this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1991 with History categories.
This volume sets forth a new explanation of the meaning of the cult of Mithraism, tracing its origins not, as commonly held, to the ancient Persian religion, but to ancient astronomy and cosmology.