"This book is intended to serve as a first introduction to the fascinating subject of ancient Greek religion. It will be, I hope, a place to begin but certainly not to end. The study of Greek religion is wondrously complex, involving hundreds of deities of several different types who were worshiped over a period of nearly two thousand years in hundreds of ancient Greek city-states. The deities, their myths and rituals, and even the beliefs about them varied, in greater or smaller degrees, from city to city and from century ...
Read More
"This book is intended to serve as a first introduction to the fascinating subject of ancient Greek religion. It will be, I hope, a place to begin but certainly not to end. The study of Greek religion is wondrously complex, involving hundreds of deities of several different types who were worshiped over a period of nearly two thousand years in hundreds of ancient Greek city-states. The deities, their myths and rituals, and even the beliefs about them varied, in greater or smaller degrees, from city to city and from century to century. The complexity of Greek religion is understandably daunting for those first approaching it, and I attempt here to make the subject more intelligible initially by a variety of strategies. First, I limit my descriptions largely to Greek religion as it was practiced in the Classical period, from about 500 to 323 b.c.e. I do not attempt to describe the developments over many preceding centuries that led to its form at this time, and I devote only Chapter VIII to distinctive features of religion in the Hellenistic period (323-30 b.c.e.). Secondly, I center much of the discussion on Athens because the evidence - literary, artistic, archaeological, and epigraphical - is many, many times more abundant for Athens than for any other one Greek city-state and this allows us to see better the coherency of the Greek religious system. But even a full account of religion in classical Athens would require several volumes, and for this introduction I have chosen to direct attention first to some basic concepts, then to a select group of deities and cults which, each in its own way, represent important aspects of Greek religious life, then to the religion as practiced in the context of the family, the village, and the city-state, and, finally, to the religious life of the individual. For each deity, ritual, belief, and myth I have attempted to concentrate on what seems to me essential for the purpose at hand, leaving aside many of the questions and uncertainties, variant ancient accounts, and details that accompany many of these topics. Also, we intend to give a general account, and to virtually any general statement about Greek religion some exceptions may be found. In addition, readers should be forewarned that many of the statements made on every page have been challenged at one time or another by one modern scholar or another. And, finally, this book is largely descriptive, based on the ancient evidence that survives, and it limits discussion of modern theoretical interpretations of these complex subjects. Over the last hundred and fifty years a number of theoretical systems to explain major elements of Greek religion have come and sometimes gone. These theoretical approaches hold great interest in themselves, but one needs to know what the Greeks themselves did and said about their religion before one can adequately apply or evaluate the various theoretical systems to explain it all. On that principle we have placed last in this third edition chapters on the sources for (X) and the scholarship on (XI) Greek Religion. The books and essays suggested in Further Reading at the end of each chapter will begin to open up for readers the full complexity of these subjects, but we need a place for those interested in the subject to begin, and I hope that this book offers that"--
Read Less
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion to cart. $4.23, good condition, Sold by Aspen Book Company rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Blackwell Pub.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Minimal signs of wear. Corners and cover may show wear. May contain highlighting and or writing. May be missing dust jacket. May not include supplemental materials. May be a former library book.
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion to cart. $5.93, good condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Wiley-Blackwell.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion (Blackwell Ancient Religions) to cart. $7.99, good condition, Sold by St. Vinnie's Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eugene, OR, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Blackwell Publishers.
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion (Blackwell Ancient Religions) to cart. $10.46, fair condition, Sold by BooksRun rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Philadelphia, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Wiley-Blackwell.
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion (Blackwell Ancient Religions) to cart. $10.80, good condition, Sold by Archives Books, inc. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Edmond, OK, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Wiley-Blackwell.
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion (Blackwell Ancient Religions) to cart. $13.69, fair condition, Sold by Book Trader Cafe rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NEW HAVEN, CT, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Wiley-Blackwell.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Yellow highlighting in text; moderate reading wear. Ships with tracking the same or next business day from New Haven, CT. We fully guarantee to ship the exact same item as listed and work hard to maintain our excellent customer service.
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion to cart. $17.00, very good condition, Sold by Ancient World Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Toronto, ON, CANADA, published 2005 by Blackwell Publishers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. 0631232230. Ffep creased. Minor pencilling to a couple of pages.; Blackwell Ancient Religions; 240 pages; Provides an introduction to the fundamental beliefs and practices and the major deities of Greek religion. Focuses on Athens in the classical period. Includes detailed discussion of Greek gods and heroes, myth and cult. Includes vivid descriptions of Greek religion as it was practiced. Ancient texts are presented in boxes to promote thought and discussion. Abundant illustrations help readers visualize the rich and varied religious life of ancient Greece.
Add this copy of Ancient Greek Religion to cart. $17.00, good condition, Sold by Ancient World Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Toronto, ON, CANADA, published 2005 by Blackwell Publishers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good+ 0631232230. Underlining and light notes in ink to about 10 or so pages. Else VG; Blackwell Ancient Religions; 240 pages; Provides an introduction to the fundamental beliefs and practices and the major deities of Greek religion. Focuses on Athens in the classical period. Includes detailed discussion of Greek gods and heroes, myth and cult. Includes vivid descriptions of Greek religion as it was practiced. Ancient texts are presented in boxes to promote thought and discussion. Abundant illustrations help readers visualize the rich and varied religious life of ancient Greece.
