The Religious Aspects of War in the Ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome: Ancient Warfare Series Volume 1 (Culture and History of the Ancient Near East)

This book, in minute detail, presents a polyphony of voices, perspectives and opinions, from which emerges a diverse but coherent representation of the complex relationship between religion and war in the Ancient Near East, Greece and Rome. Contents List of Abbreviations List and Affiliations of Contributors Introduction Part 1 The Ancient Near East War in Mesopotamian Culture Some Remarks Concerning the Development of the Theology of War in Ancient Mesopotamia Battle-Descriptions in Mesopotamian Sources I: Presargonic and Sargonic Period A Comparison of the Role of Bārû and Mantis in Ancient Warfare Eclipses and the Precipitation of Conflict: Deciphering the Signal to Attack Part 2 Greece War and Religion in Ancient Greece The Terrified Face of Alcyoneus: The Religious Character of Greek Warfare, or What about the Vanquished? The Burning of Greek Temples by the Persians and Greek War-Propaganda Weather, Luck and the Divine in Thucydides Xenophon’s Piety within the Hipparchikos The Mounted Torch-Race at the Athenian Bendideia Like Gods among Men. The Use of Religion and Mythical Issues during Alexander’s Campaign Defence and Offence in the Egyptian Royal Titles of Alexander the Great Egyptian Warriors: Machimoi, in Coroplastic Art—Selected Examples Part 3 Rome Clenar larans etnam svalce: Myth, Religion, and Warfare in Etruria The Ara Pacis Augustae and the Campus Martius: Peace and War, Antinomic or Complementary Realities in the Roman World The Religious Legitimation of War in the Reign of Antoninus Pius Roman Soldiers in Official Cult Ceremonies: Performance, Participation and Religious Experience Religious Aspects of the Bar Kokhba Revolt: The Founding of Aelia Capitolina on the Ruins of Jerusalem Index of Authors The Religious Aspect of Warfare in the Ancient Near East, Greece and Rome is a volume dedicated to investigating the relationship between religion and war in antiquity in minute detail. The nineteen chapters are divided into three groups: the ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome. They are presented in turn and all possible aspects of warfare and its religious connections are investigated. The contributors focus on the theology of war, the role of priests in warfare, natural phenomena as signs for military activity, cruelty, piety, the divinity of humans in specific martial cases, rituals of war, iconographical representations and symbols of war, and even the archaeology of war. As editor Krzysztof Ulanowski invited both well-known specialists such as Robert Parker, Nicholas Sekunda, and Pietro Mander to contribute, as well as many young, talented scholars with fresh ideas. From this polyphony of voices, perspectives and opinions emerges a diverse, but coherent, representation of the complex relationship between religion and war in antiquity. Edited By Krzysztof Ulanowski. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.