One god
Subtitle: pagan monotheism in the Roman Empire
By: edited by Stephen Mitchell, Peter van Nuffelen.
Contributors: Mitchell, Stephen, 1948-; Van Nuffelen, Peter.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 239
ISBN-13: 9780521194167
Subjects: Monotheism -- History; Paganism -- History; Rome -- Religion
Description: "Graeco-Roman religion in its classic form was polytheistic; on the other hand, monotheistic ideas enjoyed wide currency in ancient philosophy. This contradiction provides a challenge for our understanding of ancient pagan religion. Certain forms of cult activity, including acclamations of 'one god' and the worship of Theos Hypsistos, the highest god, have sometimes been interpreted as evidence for pagan monotheism. This book discusses pagan monotheism in its philosophical and intellectual context, traces the evolution of new religious ideas in the time of the Roman empire, and evaluates the usefulness of the term 'monotheism' as a way of understanding these developments in later antiquity outside the context of Judaism and Christianity. In doing so, it establishes a new framework for understanding the relationship between polytheistic and monotheistic religious cultures between the first and fourth centuries ad"--Provided by publisher.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note: 1. Introduction: the debate about pagan monotheism S. Mitchell and P. Van Nuffelen; 2. Pagan monotheism as a religious phenomenon P. Van Nuffelen; 3. Pagan ritual and monotheism J. North; 4. The case for pagan monotheism in Greek and Graeco-Roman antiquity M. Frede; 5. Monotheism between cult and politics. The themes of the ancient debate between pagan and Christian monotheism A. Fürst; 6. The price of monotheism. Some new observations on a current debate about late antiquity C. Markschies; 7. Megatheism: the search for the almighty god and the competition of cults A. Chaniotis; 8. Deus deum ... summorum maximus (Apuleius). Ritual expressions of distinction in the divine world in the imperial period N. Belayche; 9. Further thoughts on the cult of Theos Hypsistos S. Mitchell.