John Davies and John Wilkes (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780197265062
- eISBN:
- 9780191754173
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265062.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, European History: BCE to 500CE
This volume publishes all but three of the plenary lectures that were delivered during the XIIIth International Congress of Greek and Roman Epigraphy, held at Oxford in September 2007. Its format ...
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This volume publishes all but three of the plenary lectures that were delivered during the XIIIth International Congress of Greek and Roman Epigraphy, held at Oxford in September 2007. Its format differs from traditional Congress Proceedings, but this is not the only innovation. The aim of the Oxford Congress, reflected in the title of the volume, was to present epigraphy as a specialism to a wider readership, both academic and other, and in that way to embed it more firmly within the wider discourse of ancient world studies in general. So to this end, a number of scholars were invited to give plenary lectures of two kinds. Some reported on the various ways in which epigraphic information is helping to reshape and extend our knowledge of the religious life, the languages, the populations, the governmental systems and the economies of the Graeco-Roman world. Others reported on the ways in which new techniques and technologies are helping to make epigraphically based information more accessible, whether in terms of public display or in terms of the ever-widening possibilities of information technology. In addition, the more wide-ranging addresses that opened and closed the Congress showed how the act of looking at the Graeco-Roman world through the window provided by the epigraphic record offers a distinctive gaze of unique and exceptional value. The Congress thereby gave the impression of a discipline that knew what it wanted to do, have the tools with which to move forward and in general was in very good shape. The volume is intended to communicate that zest and impetus to as wide a readership as possible. To that end, all contributions that were originally delivered in other languages have been translated into English, and translations have also been inserted for all but the briefest citations of Greek and Latin.Less
This volume publishes all but three of the plenary lectures that were delivered during the XIIIth International Congress of Greek and Roman Epigraphy, held at Oxford in September 2007. Its format differs from traditional Congress Proceedings, but this is not the only innovation. The aim of the Oxford Congress, reflected in the title of the volume, was to present epigraphy as a specialism to a wider readership, both academic and other, and in that way to embed it more firmly within the wider discourse of ancient world studies in general. So to this end, a number of scholars were invited to give plenary lectures of two kinds. Some reported on the various ways in which epigraphic information is helping to reshape and extend our knowledge of the religious life, the languages, the populations, the governmental systems and the economies of the Graeco-Roman world. Others reported on the ways in which new techniques and technologies are helping to make epigraphically based information more accessible, whether in terms of public display or in terms of the ever-widening possibilities of information technology. In addition, the more wide-ranging addresses that opened and closed the Congress showed how the act of looking at the Graeco-Roman world through the window provided by the epigraphic record offers a distinctive gaze of unique and exceptional value. The Congress thereby gave the impression of a discipline that knew what it wanted to do, have the tools with which to move forward and in general was in very good shape. The volume is intended to communicate that zest and impetus to as wide a readership as possible. To that end, all contributions that were originally delivered in other languages have been translated into English, and translations have also been inserted for all but the briefest citations of Greek and Latin.
Guy Maclean Rogers
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300178630
- eISBN:
- 9780300182705
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300178630.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, Ancient History / Archaeology
This chapter explains the mysteries of Artemis, whicxh include the formal, logical relationship between ancient votive religion and mystery cults, as well as some of the less widely appreciated ...
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This chapter explains the mysteries of Artemis, whicxh include the formal, logical relationship between ancient votive religion and mystery cults, as well as some of the less widely appreciated implications of the so-called votive formula. The relationship between the fields of reference narrated and the celebrations of Artemis's mysteries within the city in turn is relevant to many questions and controversies, not only about Graeco-Roman religion, history, and historiography, but also about anthropological theory, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience. Artemis of Ephesos was one of the most popular deities of the Graeco-Roman world. The celebrations of the mysteries of Artemis of Ephesos were not always organized to address eschatological concerns of initiates. There also were in fact traits of identity in the celebration of the mysteries of Artemis, but these traits were maintained through rearrangement, reorganization, and revitalization, by Roman emperors and governors, the polis of Ephesos, and individual benefactors.Less
This chapter explains the mysteries of Artemis, whicxh include the formal, logical relationship between ancient votive religion and mystery cults, as well as some of the less widely appreciated implications of the so-called votive formula. The relationship between the fields of reference narrated and the celebrations of Artemis's mysteries within the city in turn is relevant to many questions and controversies, not only about Graeco-Roman religion, history, and historiography, but also about anthropological theory, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience. Artemis of Ephesos was one of the most popular deities of the Graeco-Roman world. The celebrations of the mysteries of Artemis of Ephesos were not always organized to address eschatological concerns of initiates. There also were in fact traits of identity in the celebration of the mysteries of Artemis, but these traits were maintained through rearrangement, reorganization, and revitalization, by Roman emperors and governors, the polis of Ephesos, and individual benefactors.