The study of ancient Greek religion has been excitingly renewed in the last thirty years. Key areas of interest have been: the relationship between religion and politics; new and unexpected perspectives opened up by archaeological finds; the symbiosis between myth and ritual; the role of gender differences in the practice and perception of religion; conceptual problems raised by the very notion of "religion." This volume gathers together challenging papers by many of the most innovative participants in this renewal. Almost all the articles have been revised by their authors and/or provided with Addenda, to take account of the most recent scholarship. One article has been translated specifically for this collection; another is for the first time provided with illustrations. No single school or style of approach is privileged: the aim is to illustrate a range of possible methods which may be adopted in the investigation of this endlessly fascinating material. The volume also contains an important introductory essay by Richard Buxton.

This handbook offers both students and teachers of ancient Greek religion a comprehensive overview of the current state of scholarship in the subject, from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods. It not only presents key information, but also explores the ways in which such information is gathered and the different approaches that have shaped the area. In doing so, the volume provides a crucial research and orientation tool for students of the ancient world, and also makes a vital contribution to the key debates surrounding the conceptualization of ancient Greek religion. The handbook's initial chapters lay out the key dimensions of ancient Greek religion, approaches to evidence, and the representations of myths. The following chapters discuss the continuities and differences between religious practices in different cultures, including Egypt, the Near East, the Black Sea, and Bactria and India. The range of contributions emphasizes the diversity of relationships between mortals and the supernatural - in all their manifestations, across, between, and beyond ancient Greek cultures - and draws attention to religious activities as dynamic, highlighting how they changed over time, place, and context.

A brief but highly informative book on Greek religion in the classical period.

Oxford Readings in Greek Lyric Poetry contains 17 studies on Greek Lyric, Elegiac, and Iambic poetry by leading international academics drawn from the last three decades, 3 of which are translated here for the first time. Ian Rutherford has written an introduction surveying the scholarship in the field.

This handbook offers both students and teachers of ancient Greek religion a comprehensive overview of the current state of scholarship in the subject, from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods. It not only presents key information, but also explores the ways in which such information is gathered and the different approaches that have shaped the area. In doing so, the volume provides a crucial research and orientation tool for students of the ancient world, and also makes a vital contribution to the key debates surrounding the conceptualization of ancient Greek religion. The handbook's initial chapters lay out the key dimensions of ancient Greek religion, approaches to evidence, and the representations of myths. The following chapters discuss the continuities and differences between religious practices in different cultures, including Egypt, the Near East, the Black Sea, and Bactria and India. The range of contributions emphasizes the diversity of relationships between mortals and the supernatural - in all their manifestations, across, between, and beyond ancient Greek cultures - and draws attention to religious activities as dynamic, highlighting how they changed over time, place, and context.

The study of ancient Greek religion has been excitingly renewed in the last thirty years. This volume gathers together challenging papers by many of the most innovative participants in this renewal. No single school or style of approach is privileged: the aim is to illustrate a range of possible methods that may be adopted in the investigation of this endlessly fascinating material. The volume also contains an important introductory essay by Richard Buxton.

Inspired by a critical reconsideration of current monolithic approaches to the study of Greek religion, this book argues that ancient Greeks displayed a disquieting capacity to validate two (or more) dissonant, if not contradictory, representations of the divine world in a complementary rather than mutually exclusive manner. From this perspective the six chapters explore problems inherent in: order vs. variety/chaos in polytheism, arbitrariness vs. justice in theodicy, the peaceful co-existence of mono- and polytheistic theologies, human traits in divine imagery, divine omnipotence vs. limitation of power, and ruler cult. Based on an intimate knowledge of ancient realia and literary testimonia the book stands out for its extensive application of relevant perceptions drawn from cultural anthropology, theology, cognitive science, psychology, and linguistics.