Our goals for the course are varied: 1. To learn the particulars of the principal deities and myths. 2. To understand that each telling of a myth occurs in a certain cultural and historical context and to think about myth in critical and analytical ways. 3. To learn how religion (and cult) shaped and structured the polis and its society, in time, space and behavior. The same principles of critical thinking will be applied to the analysis of civic and mystery religion and cult, in order to provide a broader understanding of the many implications and declinations of these phenomena in Greek society.
Prerequisiti
I recommend to take this class after having taken Greek History and Greek Archaeology.
Metodi didattici
Lectures with powerpoint presentations.
Verifica Apprendimento
PRESENTATION AND PAPER (40%). Each student will do research on a topic established with me during the first week. During the last week of the course, students will present their work to the class. After the course, each student will submit the paper on the topic at least one week before the final exam (8-10 pages; 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced, and proofread for mechanical and substantive elements).
FINAL EXAM (50%). The final exam for this course will be an oral exam (according to unipv policies). Guidelines and format will be discussed during the last week of classes.
3. A companion to Greek Religion, Blackwell 2010. 3. Parker, Robert, Athenian Religion: A History (Oxford 1996). 4. Parker, Robert, Polytheism and Society at Athens (Oxford 2005). 5. Simon, E. Festivals of Attica: An Archaeological Commentary (Wisconsin 1983). 7. Burkert, Walter, Homo Necans: The Anthropology of Ancient Greek Sacrificial Ritual and Myth (Berkeley 1983). 8. Detienne, Marcel, and Jean-Pierre Vernant, eds., The Cuisine of Sacrifice Among the Greeks (Chicago 1989). 9. Schirripa P., Religione e società nella grecia antica (Roma 2015).
Other reference books:
10. A companion to Greek Religion, Blackwell 2010. 11. C. Kerényi, The heroes of the Greeks. Thames and Hudson, 1959 12. C. Kerényi, The gods of the Greeks. Thames and Hudson, 1951
Additional readings will be provided during the course.
Contenuti
In this course we will survey ancient Greek myth and religion from the Dark Ages to the beginnings of Hellenistic times by investigating relevant literary and epigraphical accounts and the archaeology of the sacred space. The special themes will be festivals and rituals in their socio-historical context. Initially, we will define myth and analyze the mythological stories of several gods taking into account literary sources starting with Homer and Hesiod. Then, we will focus on religion, with a special attention on Athens and on the relation between religion and the city, and the regulations that codify religious practice. We will also examine a few case -studies of cult in their contexts, i.e. sanctuaries and temples, and mystery religions. The last part of the course will be dedicated to the diffusion of some foreign cults in the Greek world.
Lingua Insegnamento
INGLESE
Altre informazioni
Attending classes is highly recommended. Students unable to attend the course are required to arrange a different program with the teacher.