Ancient Mystery Cults (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780674033870)

The foremost historian of Greek religion provides the first comprehensive, comparative study of a little-known aspect of ancient religious beliefs and practices. Secret mystery cults flourished within the larger culture of the public religion of Greece and Rome for roughly a thousand years. This book is neither a history nor a survey but a comparative phenomenology, concentrating on five major cults. In defining the mysteries and describing their rituals, membership, organization, and dissemination, Walter Burkert displays the remarkable erudition we have come to expect of him; he also shows great sensitivity and sympathy in interpreting the experiences and motivations of the devotees.

Author: Walter Burkert
ISBN-10: 0674033876
ISBN-13: 9780674033870
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Language: English
Published: 10/15/1989
Pages: 192
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.64lbs
Size: 8.97h x 5.94w x 0.55d