Isis in the Ancient World

Front Cover
JHU Press, Jul 15, 1997 - History - 336 pages

The first study to document the extent and complexity of the cult's influence on Graeco-Roman and early Christian culture, R. E. Witt's acclaimed Isis in the Ancient World is now available in paperback

Worship of the Egyptian goddess Isis dates as far back as 2500 B.C. and extended at least until the fifth century A.D. throughout the Roman world. The importance of her cult is attested to in Apuleius's Golden Ass, and evidence of its influence has been found in places as far apart as Afghanistan and Portugal, the Black Sea and northern England. The first study to document the extent and complexity of the cult's influence on Graeco-Roman and early Christian culture, R. E. Witt's acclaimed Isis in the Ancient World is now available in paperback.

 

Contents

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
7
PREFACE II
11
THE ANCIENT GODDESS OF THE NILE
13
III
19
ISIS GIVER OF LIFE
25
OSIRISBROTHER HUSBAND SON
36
THE SPREAD OF THE EGYPTIAN FAITH
46
IN THE HOUSE OF ISIS
59
THE HOLY SERVANTS OF ISIS
89
TELLING FORTH HER PRAISES
100
THE ONE WHOSE NAMES CANNOT BE NUMBERED III
111
THE ALLLOVING MOTHER
130
GREAT ARTEMISISIS
141
MYSTERY AND SACRAMENT
152
THE PROCESSION TO THE SHIP
165
HEALING THE SICK
185

TO THE SHORES OF ITALY
70

Common terms and phrases

About the author (1997)

R. E. Witt (1903-1980) taught at Queen Mary's College, University of London, and is also the author of Albinus and the History of Middle Platonism.

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