Ancient Greek Religion (eBook)

Jon D. Mikalson is William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Classics at the University of Virginia. In 1968-1969 he was a Fellow and in 1994-1995 a Whitehead Professor at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. His books include Athenian Popular Religion (1983), Honor Thy Gods: Popular Religion in Greek Tragedy (1991), Religion in Hellenistic Athens (1998), and Herodotus and Religion in the Persian Wars (2002).

List of color plates vii

List of figures ix

List of maps xiii

Preface xv

Abbreviations xix

I An Overview: Greek Sanctuaries and Worship 1

II Greek Gods, Heroes, and Polytheism 31

III Seven Greek Cult Myths 53

IV Five Major Greek Cults 67

V Religion in the Greek Family and Village 123

VI Religion of the Greek City-State 149

VII Greek Religion and the Individual 169

VIII Greek Religion in the Hellenistic Period 185

IX Greek Religion and Greek Culture 205

Glossary of recurring Greek terms 227

Index 231

Praise for the first edition:

"A brilliant general synthesis covering the Greek world over the
period of 'classical' Athens ... [Mikalson's] book is a model of
how it should be done." BBC History Magazine

"A first introduction to ancient Greek religion, which
encompasses hundreds of deities of several different types, and
varied widely over nearly two thousand years and thousands of large
and small Greek city-states." Reference and Research Book
News

"Clearly written and organised, it will be appreciated by
students." Antiquity

"It is well written, very accurate, and communicative."
Australian Religion Studies Review

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year

"This thoroughly updated new edition offers a vivid,
engagingly written and beautifully illustrated introduction to the
major phenomena of Greek religion from a leading authority in the
field."

Daniel Ogden, Professor of Ancient History, University of
Exeter, editor of A Companion to Greek Religion (Blackwell
2007)

"An excellent introductory text, even more user-friendly
in its second edition, augmented by color plates, updated
bibliography, and a new chapter exploring how religion influenced
Greek culture as a whole."

Charles C. Chiasson, The University of Texas at
Arlington