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Understanding Greek Religion PDF

431 Pages·2016·18.09 MB·English
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Understanding Greek Religion Understanding Greek Religion is one of the first attempts to fully examine any reli- gion from a cognitivist perspective, applying methods and findings from the cog- nitive science of religion to the ancient Greek world. In this book, Jennifer Larson shows that many of the fundamentals of Greek religion, such as anthropomorphic gods, divinatory procedures, purity beliefs, reciprocity and sympathetic magic, arise naturally as by-products of normal human cognition. Drawing on evidence from across the ancient Greek world, Larson provides detailed cov- erage of Greek theology and local pantheons, rituals including processions, animal sacrifice and choral dance, and afterlife beliefs as they were expressed through hero-worship and mystery cults. Eighteen in-depth essays illustrate the theoretical discussion with primary sources and include case studies of key cult inscriptions from Kyrene, Kos and Miletos. This volume features maps, tables and over twenty images to support and expand on the text, and provides conceptual tools for understanding the actions and beliefs that constitute a religion. Additionally, Larson offers the first detailed discussion of cognition and memory in the transmission of Greek religious beliefs and rituals, as well as a glossary of terms and a bibliographical essay on the cogni- tive science of religion. Understanding Greek Religion is an essential resource for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of Greek culture and ancient Mediterranean religions. Jennifer Larson is a professor of classics at Kent State University. Her research interests include Greek poetry, mythology and religion. She is the author of Ancient Greek Cults: A Guide (2007) and Greek Nymphs: Myth, Cult, Lore (2001). “Understanding Greek Religion is the best possible introduction to ancient Greek religion. There is more to the Greek religion than poetic myths and strange rituals. Jennifer Larson starts from the crucial idea that the ancient Greeks were like us, in that they shared the same mental processes and lived in the same world. Larson shows how this means that there is a lot more that can be said about the role of religion in their lives than simple studies of the ancient texts can reveal. Anyone at all interested in ancient Greek religion should read this book.” Professor Hugh Bowden, King’s College London Understanding Greek Religion A cognitive approach Jennifer Larson First published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2016 Jennifer Larson The right of Jennifer Larson to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Larson, Jennifer (Jennifer Lynn) Understanding Greek religion: a cognitive approach / Jennifer Larson.— First [edition]. pages cm.— (Understanding the ancient world) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Greece—Religion. I. Title. BL783.L38 2016 292.08—dc23 2015032550 ISBN: 978-0-415-68845-1 (hbk) ISBN: 978-0-415-68846-8 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-64701-2 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by Apex CoVantage, LLC In Memoriam Walter Burkert This page intentionally left blank Contents List of illustrations, maps and tables ix Preface and acknowledgments xii Using this book xvii Abbreviations xviii 1 What is Greek religion? 1 Essay 1.1: Twelve gods, and other ways to limit a pantheon 23 Essay 1.2: Homer’s Hera and the Hera(s) of cult 31 Essay 1.3: Reciprocity in Greek religion 40 2 Implicit theology and the (ir)rational 66 Essay 2.1: Epiphanies of Athena 88 Essay 2.2: What do the gods know? 95 Essay 2.3: Myth, ritual and Adonis 102 3 Orthopraxy, identity and society 127 Essay 3.1: The inclusiveness of the Panathenaic festival 142 Essay 3.2: Dancing for the gods 148 Essay 3.3: The Kyrene cathartic law 156 4 Ritual, festival and sacrifice 187 Essay 4.1: Sacrificing to Zeus Polieus on Kos 204 Essay 4.2: Theseus and the Athenian calendar 211 Essay 4.3: Ritual form and the Greek evidence 219 5 Eschatology, mysteries and hero cults 250 Essay 5.1: How mystical were the Eleusinian Mysteries? 268 Essay 5.2: Texts to accompany the dead 276 Essay 5.3: Three heroic founders 283 6 Memory, continuity and change 310 Essay 6.1: Memory and the Molpoi 327 Essay 6.2: Heracles as a Pan-Mediterranean deity 336 Essay 6.3: The origins of Sarapis 345 viii Contents Glossary 374 The cognitive science of religion: A bibliographical essay 379 Index 385 Illustrations, maps and tables Illustrations 1.1 Bronze votive statuette dedicated to Apollo by Mantiklos, ca. 700–675. From Thebes 15 1.2 Herakles leans on his club as a family approaches with a sacrificial ox. Marble votive relief to Herakles, Athens, first half of the fourth century 17 1.3 An adult man and two youths perform a sacrifice to Apollo, who stands on the right. One of the boys holds meat on a spit over the fire while another pours a libation. Attic red figure bell krater by the Pothos painter, ca. 430 17 1.4 The Sophilos dinos, procession of the gods for the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. From right, Poseidon and Amphitrite in chariot, Ares and Aphrodite in chariot accompanied by the Muses. Lower register: stag and lions 28 1.5 The Sophilos dinos, detail. From right, Athena and Artemis in chariot, Okeanos, Tethys and Eileithyia, Hephaistos 28 1.6 Gold and silver man’s ring inscribed with dedication to Hera, probably from the Argive Heraion, ca. 575 35 2.1 A woman before an altar and a herm (a partially anthropomorphic representation of Hermes with an erect penis). Attic red figure kylix by the Curtius painter, ca. 450 72 2.2 Apollo as a gilded statue in his temple, and sitting beside it with lyre. Fragment of a calyx krater from Taranto, early fourth century 73 2.3 Lead tablet from Dodona. “Hermon (asks) by aligning himself with which of the gods there will be offspring for him from (the woman) Kretaia. . . .” 99 3.1 Painted wooden tablet dedicated by three women who performed a private sacrifice to the nymphs in a cave at Pitsa near Sikyon, ca. 540 129 3.2 The shade of Elpenor asks Odysseus to bury his corpse. Carcasses of sacrificed rams lie beside the chasm from which Elpenor appears. Attic red figure pelike, fifth century 140

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Understanding Greek Religion is one of the first attempts to fully examine any religion from a cognitivist perspective, applying methods and findings from the cognitive science of religion to the ancient Greek world. In this book, Jennifer Larson shows that many of the fundamentals of Greek religion
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