Between Magic and Religion: Interdisciplinary Studies in Ancient Mediterranean Religion and Society (Greek Studies: Interdisciplinary Approaches)

Between Magic and Religion represents a radical rethinking of traditional distinctions involving the term "religion" in the ancient Greek world and beyond, through late antiquity to the seventeenth century. The title indicates the fluidity of such concepts as religion and magic, highlighting the wide variety of meanings evoked by these shifting terms from ancient to modern times. The contributors put these meanings to the test, applying a wide range of methods in exploring the many varieties of available historical, archaeological, iconographical, and literary evidence. No reader will ever think of magic and religion the same way after reading through the findings presented in this book. Both terms emerge in a new light, with broader applications and deeper meanings. Barbarian Bond: Thracian Bendis Among The Athenians / Corinne Ondine Pache -- Magic, Religion, And Syncretism At The Oracle Of Claros / Zsuzsanna Varhelyi -- Saving Water: Early Floods In The Forum / Prudence J. Jones -- Magic, Dreams, And Ritual In The Iroquois Conversion / Kate Blair-dixon -- The Dynamics Of Deification In Horace's Odes 1-3 / Spencer Cole -- Olympias' Snake And Callisthenes' Stand: Religion And Politics In Plutarch's Life Of Alexander / Sulochana R. Asirvathem -- The Cult Of Achilles In Philostratus' Heroikos: A Study In The Relation Of Canon And Ritual / Ellen Bradshaw Aitken -- Coins Used As Amulets In Late Antiquity / Mary Margaret (molly) Fulghum -- A Reconsideration Of Early Byzantine Marriage Rings / Alicia Walker -- The Femme-aux-serpents At Moissac: Luxuria (lust) Or A Bad Mother? / Amanda Luyster. Edited By Sulochana Asirvatham, Corinne Ondine Pache, And John Watrous. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Between Magic and Religion represents a radical rethinking of traditional distinctions involving the term "religion" in the ancient Greek world and beyond, through late antiquity to the seventeenth century. The title indicates the fluidity of such concepts as religion and magic, highlighting the wide variety of meanings evoked by these shifting terms from ancient to modern times. The contributors put these meanings to the test, applying a wide range of methods in exploring the many varieties of available historical, archaeological, iconographical, and literary evidence. [publisher] This study represents a radical rethinking of traditional distinctions involving the term "religion" in the ancient Greek world and beyond, through late antiquity to the 17th century, and promotes the fluidity of such concepts as religion and magic.