Placing the Gods: Sanctuaries and Sacred Space in Ancient Greece (Clarendon Paperbacks) [Paperback]

Susan E. Alcock (Editor), Robin Osborne (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 25, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0198150601 | ISBN-13: 978-0198150602

Cult activity played an extremely important role in ancient Greece--to the point, historians believe, that the placing of cult centers played a major part in establishing the whole concept of the city-state in archaic Greece. The essays in this collection critically examine the social and political importance of sanctuary placement, extending the analysis back to Mycenean Greece and on to Greece under Roman occupation. Revealing the complexity of relations between religion and politics in ancient Greece, these essays show how important tradition, gender relations, and cult identity were in creating and maintaining the religious mapping of the ancient Greek countryside.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Interesting and provocative."--Religious Studies Review

"[A] meticulously edited and usefully illustrated volume."--Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"...this is an important work on an important topic."--History

""The articles are well researched and provide a wealth of information about particular sites. The publication by Oxford is impeccable."--Revue Des Archeologues & Historiens D'Art De Louvain

About the Author

Susan E. Alcock is Assistant Professor of Archaeology at the University of Michigan. Robin Osborne is University Lecturer in Ancient History, and Fellow and Tutor at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Dr. Osborne also edited Ritual, Finance, Politics: Athenian Democratic Accounts Presented to David Lewis (OUP, 1995) with Simon Hornblower.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 25, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198150601
• ISBN-13: 978-0198150602
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,887,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Placing the theories, August 16, 2004

By 

Hector M. Lugo (Dayton, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Placing the Gods: Sanctuaries and Sacred Space in Ancient Greece (Hardcover)

There is a lot to digest in this book. From the origins of Mycennaean sanctuaries and palaces as cultic centers to the placement of Demetrian sanctuaries in the Greek cities of ancient times, but all in all the essays here give one a good impression of the ideas and theories behind the various topics.

The only problem with a book like this one is the disjointed feeling one gets from it because it is a book of essays rather than a cohesive work.

One things is certain, you will want to seek out further information about almost every single one of the theories presented here, and that in itself is a good thing.