- ISBN13: 9780631156246
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
This is the first major synthesis of Greek religion to appear for a generation. A clearly structured and readable survey for classical scholars and students, it will also be generally welcomed as the best modern account of any polytheistic religious system. The text builds up an impressive and coherent picture of the current state of knowledge about the religion of the ancient Greeks…. More >>
Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical
Burkert’s thorough examination of ancient Greek religion is where anyone wishing to seriously study Hellenistic religion should begin. Also, his book “Ancient Mystery Cults” is equally elucidating. Burkert’s writing style is slightly tedious, but the treasure trove of information it provides makes the process very much worthwhile.
Highly recommended as a first-read for any serious student of Hellenic paganism.
Rating: 5 / 5
Burkert’s work on the Greek Religion takes the reader beyond the classic Bullfinch Mythology into the real nuts and bolts of religion in Greece and the surrounding areas. Instead of dwelling on the gods, he shows the reader how the Grecian citizen would worship on a day-to-day basis; who was important in the religious society, what was taken care of by the common man within the family and within the community.
A very well written piece and a generally good resource for research.
Rating: 4 / 5
In this book, Walter Burkert seeks to provide a comprehensive study in Greek religion during the Hellenic are. The work is monumental in its scope and content, and deserves a place in the library of anyone who needs to study such topics. In particular, I would recommend this text to people looking at comparative religion involving ancient Greece.
There are a few points which are not mentioned in other reviews that I think are helpful to note.
The first is that both the bibliography and the notes are extremely detailed (the notes section accounts for around 180 pages). This provides a serious student additional resources for studying any aspect covered in this book.
The second is that the level of detail in areas such as festivals, animal sacrifice, groupings of gods, etc. is extremely high. This level of work allows a real reconstruction of the Greek worldview in relation to religious practice to be developed.
All in all, an excellent work. Highly recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5
Burkert is one of the foremost scholars on Greek Religion, and this book is a fantastic foundation for people of all levels of knowledge, from beginner to graduate student. He covers important concepts, such as organization, sacrifice, and the pantheon, as well as regional and chronological variations. His book _Ancient_Mystery_Cults_ is also fantastic! Both books are great places to start your research into this subject and are invaluable reference tools for those of us in graduate school.
Rating: 5 / 5
Basically, this book attempt to present Greek religion as it (supposedly) transits from a mythological explanation of the world, with the gods as concrete personifications of abstract notions, towards a rational religion where abstract attributes and social morals and philosophical ethics supersede mythology. Such an approach does little to explain the enormous resilience shown by Greek mythology until today, yet the account is enormously informative and gives much food for alternative thinking on the subject.Recommended as a handbook for the advanced student on the subject.
Rating: 4 / 5