Religion in the Ancient Greek City [Paperback]

Louise Bruit Zaidman (Author), Pauline Schmitt Pantel (Author), Paul Cartledge (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0521423570 | ISBN-13: 978-0521423571

This book is an English translation of the French work La Religion Grecque. Its purpose is to consider how religious beliefs and cultic rituals were given expression in ancient Greece. The chapters cover first ritual and then myth, rooting the account in the practices of the classical city while also taking seriously the world of the imagination. For this edition the bibliography has been substantially revised to meet the needs of a mainly student, English-speaking readership. The book is enriched throughout by illustrations, and by quotations from original sources.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book is methodologically sophisticated and can be recommended to anyone wishing to be brought up to date in the field of Greek religion." Journal of the American Academy of Religion

"...brims with enthusiasm for the subject and for current theoretical approaches." Jon D. Mikalson, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"...an up-to-date, concise and readable textbook, which brings to the English-speaking general reader a synthesis of much of the past thirty years' work of the 'Paris School' of classical studies....The translation is lively, but sacrifices none of the theoretical rigour of the text....This is a challenging, absorbing study, to be recommended to anyone with an interest in the history of religion." Helen King, Times Literary Supplement

Language Notes

Text: English
Original Language: French --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 302 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (January 29, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521423570
• ISBN-13: 978-0521423571
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superior, insightful introduction to ancient Greek religion, January 8, 2008

By 

Vincent D. Pisano "Stillborn Messiah" (CT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Religion in the Ancient Greek City (Paperback)

Religion in the Ancient Greek City by Louise Bruit Zaidman and Pauline Schmitt Pantel offers readers what is probably the best introduction to Greek polytheism available. Originally published in France, it bears the marks of that country's historical tradition, that is, it is often theoretical and anthropological in its nature. This, however, only adds to its effectiveness by providing poignant insight and historical context to the information dealt with. The English translation has been slightly modified in that certain elements have been rearranged from the French version to make the readership more fluid, and it is.

Zaidman and Pantel pepper the text with helpful quotations from the original Greek sources as well as images of relevant artifacts to further the reader's understanding. The book begins by putting the reader in the correct mindset with which to study ancient polytheism, which is to leave modern definitions of religion and piety at the door and begin to see objectively a truly foreign culture. Next they delve into Greek rituals and mystery cults, and finally into the mind of the ancient Greek in how they saw and understood their deities. Athens is the dominant focus, though a few other cities do get a moderate amount of attention, and Classical Greece is really the period of concern. The chapters are split into subsections that are easy to comprehend. This being an introduction, it does not go in depth into any single element, but it does give a wealth of knowledge to equip the reader to capably research further. The bibliography, likewise, is extensive.

2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excelent Information, April 13, 2000

By 

Raven Wisodm (New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Religion in the Ancient Greek City (Paperback)

This book has a lot of good and useful informatin. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Greek Religion