Religion and Power: Pagans, Jews, and Christians in the Greek EastThis book contributes to the small but growing literature on the interaction between religion and power in antiquity. Edwards focusses on the eastern "Greek" provinces in the first and second centuries A.D.--the period during which Christianity, Judaism, and numerous other religions and cults exploded across the Roman Empire. His purpose is to show how the local elite classes appropriated and manipulated mythic and religious images and practices to establish and consolidate their social, political, and economic power. Edwards considers both archaeological and literary evidence. He examines coins, epigraphs, statuary, building complexes, mosaics, and paintings from across Asia Minor and Syria-Palestine looking for evidence of sponsorship by local elites and the meaning of such sponsorship. On the literary side, Edwards selects one representative figure from each of the three major religio-cultural traditions: the Greek writer, Chariton of Aphrodisias; the Jewish historian, Josephus; and the Christian evangelist, the author of Luke Acts. He illustrates how each writer's use of religion reflects the interaction of local elite groups with the "web of power" that existed in political, cultural, and social spheres of the Roman Empire. |
Contents
| 3 | |
Message and Significance | 7 |
Setting the Stage | 15 |
3 The Power of the Past | 28 |
Defining the Arena of Power | 49 |
Establishing Power Across the Roman Oikoumene | 72 |
Human Agents and Divine Emissaries | 91 |
7 The Power of the Future | 119 |
Conclusion | 149 |
Notes | 153 |
| 191 | |
| 219 | |
| 221 | |
| 229 | |
Other editions - View all
Religion & Power: Pagans, Jews, and Christians in the Greek East Douglas R. Edwards Limited preview - 1996 |
Common terms and phrases
Acts ancient antiquity Aphro Aphrodisias Aphrodite Aphrodite of Aphrodisias Aphrodite's apostles appearance Artemis Artemis of Ephesus Asia Minor associated Augustus Callirhoe Callirhoe's century C.E. Chaereas and Callirhoe Chariton Christian movement civic clites coins cosmic power brokers dedicated deity depicts discussion display divine power Docs elite classes emperor Ephesus especially Flavian Flavio-Trajanic period future gods Greck Greek East Herod homonoia Ibid iconography images imperial cult imperial power important inscription Isis Jerusalem Jesus Jewish revolt Jews Josephus Josephus's Judaism Lane Fox literary Luke Luke-Acts Luke's MacMullen Millar mythic narrative oikoumene pagan participation Paul political power and prestige power brokers power networks power of Aphrodite present priest prophets reader regional religion religious symbols role Roman Empire Roman power Rome sacred Sebasteion second century significant social society stress structure Temple texts tion tomb tradition Trajan Tyche University Press Vespasian webs of power worship writers Zeus