The Strangeness of Gods Historical Perspectives on the Interpretation of Athenian Religion

by Humphreys, S. C.

• ISBN13: 9780199269235
• ISBN10: 0199269238
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-12-09
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The Strangeness of Gods combines studies of changes in modern interpretations of Greek religion with studies of changes in Athenian ritual. The combination is necessary in order to combat influential stereotypes: that Greek religion consisted of ritual without theological speculation, thatritual is inherently conservative. To re-examine the evidence for Greek rituals and their interpretation is also to re-examine our own preconceptions and prejudices. The argument presented by S. C. Humphreys tries to bring Greek texts closer to the 'classic' texts of other civilizations, andreligion, as a form of speculative thought, closer to science. Her studies of Athenian rituals put this emphasis on changing interpretations into practice, showing that the Athenians thought about their rites as well as celebrating them.

Author Biography

S. C. Humphreys is Professor of Classics and Anthropology at the Central European University, Budapest.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(7)
1. Classics and Colonialism: towards an erotics of the discipline	8	(43)
Afterword	47	(4)
2. Dynamics of the Greek 'Breakthrough': the dialogue between philosophy and religion	51	(26)
Afterword	75	(2)
3. Lycurgus of Boutadai: an Athenian aristocrat	77	(53)
Afterword	110	(20)
4. A Sense of Agency: religion in the Attic demes	130	(67)
5. Historicizing Fertility	197	(26)
Afterword	221	(2)
6. Metamorphoses of Tradition: the Athenian Anthesteria	223	(56)
Abbreviations	276	(3)
References	279
Index of Inscriptions	349	(8)
Index of Texts and Papyri	357	(9)
General Index	366