Overview

This is the second of a two-volume collection of studies on inconsistencies in Greek and Roman religion. Their common aim is to argue for the historical relevance of various types of ambiguity and dissonance. While the first volume focused on the central paradoxes on ancient henotheism, this second one discusses the ambiguities in myth and ritual of transition and reversal. Following an introduction into the history of the myth and ritual debate (with a focus on New Year festivals and initiation), the book discusses myth and ritual of reversal (Knossos and the Kronia, and Saturnus and the Saturnalia); two women festivals - Bona Dea and the Thesmophoria; and the initiatory aspects of Apollo and Mars. In the background is the basic conviction that the three approaches to religion known as ""substantivistic"", functionalist and cultural-symbolic respectively, need to be mutually exclusive.

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Reviews

' Versnel identifies a coherent set of problems and applies a sober mind to solve them. ' Donald Lateiner, Bryn Mawr Classical Review , 1993. ' Much can be learned from a scholar who advocates and demonstrates the practice of a healthy eclectic methodology. ' Internationale Zietschriftenschau fur Bibelwissenschaft und Grenzgebiete , 1992/93. ' Il est un exemple type de la meilleure recherche actuelle, faisant un excellent feu de tout bois utilisable, ancien et moderne: passer a travers ce livre equivaut a etre initie par un specialiste des religions grecque et romaine, ce qui n'en est pas moins fecond . P. Bonnechere, Les Etudes Classiques , 1995.

'Versnel identifies a coherent set of problems and applies a sober mind to solve them.' Donald Lateiner, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 1993. 'Much can be learned from a scholar who advocates and demonstrates the practice of a healthy eclectic methodology.' Internationale Zietschriftenschau fur Bibelwissenschaft und Grenzgebiete, 1992/93. 'Il est un exemple type de la meilleure recherche actuelle, faisant un excellent feu de tout bois utilisable, ancien et moderne: passer a travers ce livre equivaut a etre initie par un specialiste des religions grecque et romaine, ce qui n'en est pas moins fecond . P. Bonnechere, Les Etudes Classiques, 1995.

' Versnel identifies a coherent set of problems and applies a sober mind to solve them.'<br>Donald Lateiner, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 1993.<br>' Much can be learned from a scholar who advocates and demonstrates the practice of a healthy eclectic methodology.'<br> Internationale Zietschriftenschau f]r Bibelwissenschaft und Grenzgebiete, 1992/93.<br>' Il est un exemple type de la meilleure recherche actuelle, faisant un excellent feu de tout bois utilisable, ancien et moderne: passer travers ce livre iquivaut jtre initii par un spicialiste des religions grecque et romaine, ce qui n'en est pas moins ficond. <br>P. Bonnechere, Les Etudes Classiques, 1995.<br>

Author Information

H.S. Versnel is Professor of Ancient History at Leiden University. His main interests are in Greek and Roman Religion. Publications include: Isis, Dionysos, Hermes: Three Studies in Henotheism Inconsistencies in Greek and Roman Religion I, (1990). He is the editor of the Brill series Studies in Greek and Roman religion, which is brought to completion by the publication of this book, and is co-editor of the new series Religions in the Graeco-Roman world.

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