Legible Religion: Books, Gods, and Rituals in Roman Culture

Duncan MacRae

Published by Harvard University Press 2016

Legible Religion

Books, Gods, and Rituals in Roman Culture

Duncan MacRae

https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674969704

Overview
Contents

About this book

Scholars have long separated a few privileged “religions of the Book” from faiths lacking sacred texts, including ancient Roman religion. Looking beyond this distinction, Duncan MacRae delves into Roman treatises on the nature of gods and rituals to grapple with a central question: what was the significance of books in a religion without scripture?

Author / Editor information

MacRae Duncan :

Duncan MacRae is Assistant Professor of Classics at the University of Cincinnati.

Reviews

With this book on the role of writing in Roman religion, MacRae offers a reasoned and persuasive corrective to current scholarship. While scholars center all too often on the importance of ritual action and religious practice, Legible Religion provides a timely and important reminder that writing, reading, and thinking about religion were just as essential to people’s religious identities in the Roman world as were their sacrifices and vows.
-- Andreas Bendlin, University of Toronto

In this important new book, Duncan MacRae reevaluates the relationship between Roman religion and the works of ancient Roman ‘antiquarians.’ He cogently argues that the latter are not mere sources of data about Roman religion, but themselves played an active and crucial role in defining that religion. This book will be of interest to anyone concerned with the relationship between religion and text.
-- James B. Rives, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Introduction The Books of Numa Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Part I. Writing Roman Religion
1. Gods and Humans in Rome and Its Empire Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	13
2. Writing Roman Religion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	28
3. Letters of the Republic Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	53
Part II. Comparison
4. Rabbis and Romans Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	79
Part III. Reading Roman Religion
5. Emperor as Reader Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	101
6. Paper Pagans Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	123
Conclusion: Beyond Scripture and Literature Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	141
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	211
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	253
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	255

Language: English
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Audience: General/trade;
Pages
- Main content: 272

eBook

Published: June 7, 2016
ISBN: 9780674969704