Great Events in Religion [3 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Pivotal Events in Religious History

1148 Pages·2016·10.279 MB·English

by  Florin Curta (editor), Andrew Holt (editor)

Great Events in Religion

Great Events in Religion
AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PIVOTAL
EVENTS IN RELIGIOUS HISTORY
Volume 1: Prehistory to AD 600
Florin Curta and Andrew Holt, Editors
Copyright © 2017 by ABC-CLIO, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Curta, Florin, editor.
Title: Great events in religion : an encyclopedia of pivotal events in
religious history / Florin Curta and Andrew Holt, editors.
Description: Santa Barbara : ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2017 | Includes bibliographical
references and index. Contents: Volume 1. Prehistory to AD 600 — Volume
2. AD 600 to 1450—Volume 3. 1450 to the Present.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016040890| ISBN 9781610695657 (set) | ISBN 9781440845987
(volume 1 : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781440845994 (volume 2 : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781440846007 (volume 3 : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: History—Religious aspects—Encyclopedias. |
Religion—History—Encyclopedias.
Classification: LCC BL65.H5 G74 2017 | DDC 201/.69—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016040890
ISBN: 978-1-61069-565-7 (set)
ISBN: 978-1-4408-4598-7 (Volume 1)
ISBN: 978-1-4408-4599-4 (Volume 2)
ISBN: 978-1-4408-4600-7 (Volume 3)
EISBN: 978-1-61069-566-4
21 20 19 18 17 1 2 3 4 5
This book is also available as an eBook.
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This book is printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
Contents
VOLUME 1: PREHISTORY TO AD 600
Alphabetical List of Entries xix
Topical List of Entries xxiii
Preface xxix
Introduction: Encyclopedias and the Modern Understanding of Religion xxxi
Introduction to Volume 1 xxxv
The Encyclopedia: Prehistory to AD 600
First Burials Revealing the Beliefs in the Afterlife at Shanidar Cave, Iraq (ca. 60,000 BC) 1
First Recorded Burial of Homo neanderthalensis at La Chapelle-aux-Saints,
France (ca. 60,000 BC) 2
Venus of Willendorf (21,000 BC) 4
First Attestation of a Skull Cult at Mas d’Azil, France (ca. 15,000 to 10,000 BC) 5
Establishment of Göbekli Tepe, the Oldest Human-Made Place of Worship Yet Discovered
(10th Millennium BC) 6
Discovery of Çatal Höyük, Turkey (Major Cult Site of the Neolithic Period, 7500–5700 BC) 8
First Temple at Eridu (ca. 4500–3600 BC) 9
Building of the Anu Ziggurat in Uruk (4th Millennium BC) 11
Establishment of the Bronze Age Sanctuary and Burial Ground at Stonehenge, U.K.
(3100–1100 BC) 12
Ritual Use of Alcohol in Ancient Religions (ca. 3rd Millennium BC–Present) 14
v
vi Contents
Building of the Egyptian Pyramids (2700–1514 BC) 16
Reign of Naram-Sin of Akkad (2254–2218 BC), the First Ruler to Think of Himself as God 18
King Ur-Nammu’s Building of the Great Ziggurat in Ur in Honor of Nanna/Sin
(21st Century BC) 19
Writing of the Epic of Gilgamesh (ca. 2100 BC) 21
Abraham’s Leadership of the Early Hebrews (2nd Millennium BC) 22
Zoroaster and the Establishment of Zoroastrianism (1750–1000 BC) 24
Aaron’s Priesthood (ca. 1600–1200 BC) 29
First-Known Celebration of the Dionysian Mysteries, Thebes (ca. 1500 BC) 30
Composition of the Hindu Upanishads (1500–600 BC) 31
Moses’s Leadership of the Hebrew People (ca. 15th–13th Centuries BC) 34
Establishment of the Oracle of Delphi (ca. 1400 BC–AD 380) 36
Akhenaten’s Rejection of Polytheism (ca. 1348 BC) 37
Adad-Nirari I, King of Assyria, Orders Inscriptions in Which He Claims Gods Called Him
to War—First Use of Religion to Justify War (Early 13th Century BC) 39
Ancient Chinese Oracle Bones (ca. 1200–1045 BC) 40
Saul as the First King of Israel (ca. 1000 BC) 42
Reign of King David (ca. 1000–960 BC) 44
Building of the First Temple on Mount Moriah—Solomon’s Temple (965–927 BC) 46
Building of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (8th Century BC) 47
Olympic Games (773 BC–AD 339) 48
Building of the Temple of Vesta in Rome under Numa Pompilius (715–673 BC) 50
Numa Pompilius Establishes the Religious Institutions of Rome (r. 715–673 BC) 51
The Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Homeric Hymns (ca. 7th–5th Centuries BC) 53
Building of the Etemenanki Ziggurat in Honor of Marduk in Babylon (6th Century BC) 55
Building of the Temple of Aphrodite in Corinth (6th Century BC) 56
Building of the First Temple of Apollo in Delphi (6th Century BC) 57
Beginning of the Cult of Asklepios in Epidauros (6th Century BC) 59
Creation of Daoism (6th Century BC) 60
Eleusinian Mysteries Become Pan-Hellenic (6th Century BC) 64
Mahavira and the Foundations of Jainism (6th Century BC) 65
Destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (598–597 and 587–586 BC) 66
Nebuchadnezzar II and the Destruction of the Temple of Solomon (587 BC) 68
Beginning of the Pythian Games in Delphi (582 BC) 69
First Isthmian Games (581 BC) 70
Life and Influence of Confucius (551–479 BC) 70
Building of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline Hill in Rome (509 BC) 73
Buddha and the Founding of Buddhism (6th–4th Centuries BC) 74
Building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (ca. 5th Century BC) 77
Contents vii
Pindar’s Odes (5th Century BC) 79
Beginning of the Cult of the Soldiers Fallen at Marathon (490 BC) 80
Building of the Temple of Zeus in Olympia (Mid-5th Century BC) 81
Ritual Purification of the Island of Delos (425 BC) 82
Festival of Samhain (Origin of Halloween ca. 400 BC) 84
Development of the Hebrew Palestinian Canon (ca. 5th Century BC–1st Century AD) 85
Building of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace (4th Century BC) 89
Trial of Socrates (399 BC) 90
Proclamation of Ptolemy I as God by His Son, Ptolemy II Philadelphos (309–246 BC) 93
Beginning of the Cult of Antigonos I Monophtalmos and Demetrios I Poliorcetes Honored as
Saviors of Athens (307 BC) 95
Plebeians in Rome Eligible for Priesthood, Lex Ogulnia (300 BC) 96
Serapis, the God Invented by Ptolemy I (3rd Century BC) 97
Ptolemy’s Commissioning of the Septuagint (3rd Century BC) 99
Third Buddhist Council (247 BC) 101
First Celebration of Cybele (Magna Mater) in Rome (204 BC) 102
Emergence of Buddhism in China during the Han Dynasty (202 BC–AD 220) 103
Senatusconsultum de Bacchanalibus (186 BC) 105
Revolt of the Maccabees and the Rise of the Hasmonaean Dynasty (165–163 BC) 106
Origins of Hanukkah (165 BC) 109
Establishment and Influence of the Essenes (2nd Century BC–AD 68) 110
Compilation of the Bhagavad Gita (2nd Century BC–3rd Century AD) 112
Ajanta Caves and the Establishment of Buddhist College Monasteries (2nd Century BC–7th
Century AD) 114
Roman Conquest of Judaea (63 BC) 116
Julius Caesar Declared Pontifex Maximus (63 BC) 118
Julius Caesar Declared Parens Patriae and Subsequently Deified (44 BC) 120
Octavian/Augustus and the Establishment of the Cult of the Emperor (Late 1st Century BC–Early
1st Century AD) 121
Development of Synagogues as Centers of Jewish Religious Life (1st Century BC–1st
Century AD) 123
Introduction of the Imperial Cult in the Roman Empire (1st Century AD) 125
Jesus and the Founding of Christianity (4 BC–AD 325) 127
Crucifixion of Christ (ca. AD 30–33) 131
Resurrection of Jesus (ca. AD 33) 134
Pentecost and the Beginning of the Church (1st Century AD) 137
Saint Thomas and the Nasrani (Saint Thomas Christians) in India (1st Century AD) 139
Stoning of Stephen the Protomartyr (1st Century AD) 142
Conversion of Saul (Saint Paul) (ca. AD 34) 142
viii Contents
Saint Paul’s Ministry (ca. AD 34–67) 144
Paul’s First Mission Trip to Cyprus (AD 46–49) 147
Council of Jerusalem (ca. AD 50) 148
Paul’s First Trip to Corinth (AD 50–52) 150
Fire of Rome and the Persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero (AD 64) 151
Great Jewish Revolt (AD 66–70) 153
First Use of the Title Dominus et Deus, Master and God, by the Emperor Domitian
(r. AD 81–96) 155
Council of Jamnia (ca. AD 90) 156
Rise of Mithraism in the Roman Empire and Its Possible Influences on Early Christianity
(ca. 1st–2nd Centuries AD) 158
Establishment of the New Testament Canon (1st–4th Centuries AD) 160
Building of the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon in Mesoamerica (1st–5th Centuries AD) 165
Christian Responses to the Greco-Roman Education System (1st–5th Centuries AD) 167
Influence of Platonic Thought on Christian Theology (1st–5th Centuries AD) 170
Sexual Renunciation in the Early Christian Church (1st–5th Centuries AD) 172
Establishment of the Coptic Church (2nd–13th Centuries AD) 173
Fourth Buddhist Council (2nd Century AD) 177
Deification of Antinous, Emperor Hadrian’s Lover (AD 130) 179
Bar Kokhba Revolt (AD 132–135/136) 180
First Dedication to Sol Invictus in Rome (AD 158) 182
Emperor Commodus Proclaimed Romanus Hercules (AD 192) 183
Development of the Doctrine of Mary’s Perpetual Virginity in Antiquity
(2nd–7th Centuries AD) 184
Ephesus and Sardis Competing to Become Neocorates (Imperial Cult Centers,
3rd Century AD) 186
Mani and the Foundation of Manichaeanism (3rd Century AD) 188
Earliest Frescoes in the Roman Catacombs (ca. AD 200) 193
Edict of Septimius Severus and Anti-Christian Persecutions (AD 202) 194
Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas (AD 203) 196
Emperor Elagabalus Establishes His Own Cult in Rome as Sol Invictus (AD 218–222) 197
Emperor Decius’s Decree on Sacrifice (AD 249) 198
Antony of Egypt’s Becoming a Hermit and His Influence on Monasticism
(Late 3rd–4th Centuries AD) 200
Influence of Origen on Christian Theology (3rd–4th Centuries AD) 202
Gregory the Illuminator and the Conversion of Armenia to Christianity (AD 301) 204
Council of Elvira (AD 305) 207
Battle of the Milvian Bridge (AD 312) 208
Conversion of Constantine the Great (ca. AD 312–337) 209
Contents ix
Edict of Milan (AD 313) 215
Emperor Constantine the Great Establishes Dies Soli as the Roman Day of Rest (AD 321) 217
Pachomius and the Beginnings of Cenobitic Monasticism (ca. AD 320–347) 218
Founding of Constantinople (AD 324–330) 221
Ecumenical Councils (AD 325–787) 224
Council of Nicaea (AD 325) 228
Ulfila’s Mission to the Goths (AD 340s) 232
Building of the First Church Dedicated to the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) in Constantinople
(AD 360) 234
Reign of Julian the Apostate (AD 361–363) 235
Athanasius’s Easter Letter Recognizes the Current New Testament Canon (AD 367) 238
Theodosius I Declares Nicene Christianity the State Religion of the Roman Empire
(AD 380) 239
First Council of Constantinople (AD 381) 240
Ambrose’s Promotion of Religious Orthodoxy (4th Century AD) 243
Frumentius and the Conversion of Ethiopia to Christianity (4th Century AD) 245
Saint Basil of Caesarea and His Influence on Monasticism (4th Century AD) 248
Life and Influence of Saint Augustine (AD 354–430) 250
Influence of Christianity on Roman Law (4th–5th Centuries AD) 255
Theodosian Code and the First Anti-Jewish Legislation (4th–5th Centuries AD) 257
Jerome’s Translation and Publication of the Vulgate (Late 4th–Early 5th Centuries AD) 259
John Chrysostom and the Christian Critique of the Abuse of Power (Late 4th–Early
5th Centuries AD) 261
Establishment of the Avesta (4th–6th Centuries AD) 262
Decline of Early Christian Pacifism (4th–7th Centuries AD) 264
Byzantine–Persian Wars (AD 359–628) 267
Chandragupta II and the Rise of Vaishnavism (ca. AD 375–413) 270
Pulcheria and the Beginnings of the Cult of the Virgin Mary as Mother of God (Theotokos)
(5th Century AD) 273
Papacy of Leo I and the Beginnings of the Doctrine of Papal Primacy (5th Century AD) 276
Saint Patrick and the Conversion of Ireland (5th Century AD) 279
Hypatia’s Murder in Alexandria (AD 415) 282
Council of Ephesus (AD 431) 285
Cyril of Alexandria and the First Council of Ephesus (AD 431) 287
Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) 289
Sabbas and the Creation of the Great Lavra in the Kidron Valley (ca. AD 478–539) 291
Conversion of Clovis (AD 496) 292
Third Samaritan Revolt (AD 529) 295
Emperor Justinian’s Closing of the Academy at Athens (AD 529) 297