Ancient Mystery Cults

The foremost historian of Greek religion provides the first comprehensive, comparative study of a little-known aspect of ancient religious beliefs and practices. Secret mystery cults flourished within the larger culture of the public religion of Greece and Rome for roughly a thousand years. This book is neither a history nor a survey but a comparative phenomenology. Concentrating on five major cults. In defining the mysteries and describing their rituals, membership, organization, and dissemination, Walter Burkert displays the remarkable erudition we have come to expect of him; he also shows sensitivity and sympathy in interpreting the experiences and motivations of the devotees.

List of contents

Introduction 1. Personal Needs in This Life and after Death 2. Organization and Identities 3. Theologia and Mysteries: Myth, Allegory, and Platonism 4. The Extraordinary Experience Abbreviations Bibliography Notes Index of Greek Terms General Index

About the author

Walter Burkert was Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of Zurich.

Summary

The foremost historian of Greek religion providers the first comprehensive, comparative study of a little-known aspect of ancient religious beliefs and practices.

Product details

• Authors: Walter Burkert
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.10.1989
• EAN: 9780674033870
• ISBN: 978-0-674-03387-0
• No. of pages: 192
• Dimensions: 147 mm x 229 mm x 15 mm
• Series: Carl Newell Jackson Lectures; Carl Newell Jackson Lectures
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology; Antike, HISTORY / Ancient / General, RELIGION / Comparative Religion, Archaeology / Anthropology, RELIGION / Ancient, Ancient religions & mythologies, Ancient religions and Mythologies