Religion and Power - Pagans, Jews, and Christians in the Greek East

Zusatztext As a provocation to how we might think about the ancient world of 'pagans', Jews, and Christians, and to how we might read their 'texts', both literary and material, in ways other than we are accustomed to, Religion and Power is to be warmly commended Klappentext This book contributes to the small but growing body of literature on the interaction between religion and power in antiquity. Douglas Edwards focuses on the eastern "Greek" provinces in the first and second centuries C.E. - the period during which Christianity! Judaism! and numerous other religions and cults exploded across the Roman Empire. His purpose is to show how the local elite classes appropriated and manipulated mythic and religious images and practices to establish and consolidate their social! political! and economic power. Edwards considers both archaeological and literary evidence. He examines coins! epigraphy! statuary! building complexes! mosaics! and paintings from across Asia Minor and Syria-Palestine looking for evidence of sponsorship by local elites and the meaning of such sponsorship. On the literary side! Edwards selects one representative figure from each of the three major religio-cultural traditions: the Greek writer! Chariton of Aphrodisias; the Jewish historian! Josephus; and the Christian evangelist! the author of Luke-Acts. He illustrates how each writer's use of religion reflects the interaction of local elite groups with the "web of power" that existed in political! cultural! and social spheres of the Roman Empire. Zusammenfassung This work contributes to the growing literature on the interaction between religion and power in antiquity. Edwards focuses on the eastern "Greek" provinces in the first and second centuries AD - when Christianity, Judaism, and numerous other religions and cults exploded across the Roman Empire.

Product details

• Authors: Douglas R. Edwards, Douglas R. (Associate Professor of Religi Edwards, Edwards Douglas R.
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.05.1996
• EAN: 9780195082630
• ISBN: 978-0-19-508263-0
• No. of pages: 244
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; History of Ideas, European History, HISTORY / Ancient / Rome, HISTORY / Europe / General, RELIGION / History, Ancient Greece, HISTORY / World, HISTORY / Social History, Syria, HISTORY / Ancient / Greece, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Middle Eastern, General & world history, Politics & government, History of Religion, Ancient Rome, Politics and government, Palestine, Ancient History, General and world history, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, BCE to c 500 CE, BCE period – Protohistory