a project report on Currents in Biblical Research 2010 Rives 240 99

7/28/2019 a project report on Currents in Biblical Research 2010 Rives 240 99

1/61

http://cbi.sagepub.com/Currents in Biblical Research

http://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240The online version of this article can be found at:

DOI: 10.1177/1476993X09347454

2010 8: 240Currents in Biblical ResearchJames B. RivesApproaches

Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire: Old Assumptions and New

Published by:

http://www.sagepublications.com

can be found at:Currents in Biblical ResearchAdditional services and information for

http://cbi.sagepub.com/cgi/alertsEmail Alerts:

http://cbi.sagepub.com/subscriptionsSubscriptions:

http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.navReprints:

http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.navPermissions:

http://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240.refs.htmlCitations:

What is This?

- Dec 17, 2009Version of Record>>

at Taylor's University on October 9, 2012cbi.sagepub.comDownloaded from
http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240http://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240http://www.sagepublications.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/cgi/alertshttp://cbi.sagepub.com/cgi/alertshttp://cbi.sagepub.com/subscriptionshttp://cbi.sagepub.com/subscriptionshttp://cbi.sagepub.com/subscriptionshttp://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.navhttp://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.navhttp://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.navhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240.refs.htmlhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240.refs.htmlhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240.refs.htmlhttp://online.sagepub.com/site/sphelp/vorhelp.xhtmlhttp://online.sagepub.com/site/sphelp/vorhelp.xhtmlhttp://online.sagepub.com/site/sphelp/vorhelp.xhtmlhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240.full.pdfhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://online.sagepub.com/site/sphelp/vorhelp.xhtmlhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240.full.pdfhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240.refs.htmlhttp://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.navhttp://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.navhttp://cbi.sagepub.com/subscriptionshttp://cbi.sagepub.com/cgi/alertshttp://www.sagepublications.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/content/8/2/240http://cbi.sagepub.com/


2/61

Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire:Old Assumptions and New Approaches

James B. Rives

The University o North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, [email protected]

aBstRact

th rl ury rn rnd n rrh on Gro-Ron

rlgon, foung on h fr nd ond nurce

. in h frhlf, i urrn w on wh i ll h old r nrr ofGro-Ron rlgou hory n h prod, h , h uponh h dln of rdonl Gro-Ron rlgon lf od flldon h on hnd by h purly poll phnonon of prl ulnd on h ohr by yry/ornl rlgon, whh h o-onl nd of h popul. in h ond hlf i du wo rof nr h h o o h for n h wk of h old rnrr ollp: n pproh o nrprng rdonl Gro-Ron rlgon h o holr h rd h polis-rlgonodl, nd fou on rlgou lf n h pron of h Ronpr. a n ppndx i nlud brf ury of lbl holrlyrour n h fld.

Kyword: Gro-Ron rlgon, prl ul, yry rlgon,ornl rlgon,polisrlgon.

Currents in Biblical Research th auhor(), 2010. Rprn nd Pron:

hp://www.gpub.o.uk/journlPron.n vol. 8.2: 240-299issN 1476-993X DOi: 10.1177/1476993X09347454

http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/


3/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 2411. Introduction

For gr dl of h wnh nury, uh work on Gro-Ronrlgon n h Ron prl prod w nford by b nrrbou rlgou dlopn n h l fw nur bce nd h frfw nur ce. th nrr, pu n ry rud r, wn ohnglk h: By h fr nury bce, rdonl Gro-Ron rlgon hd

bo orbund nd ff. Poll nd ol dlopn nh of alxndr h Gr hd ruld n n r of nury ndnxy. th hf fro nonl o oopoln, fro h ur

old y- o h oikoumene, g popl grr n of nd-dul, bu h prodd ny wh flng of lnonnd nury. a rul,

onfdn n h rdonl ul nd hr god h rd h b ofh poll, ol, nd nllul lf w wnng. th gnrl populno longr pld hop or fh on h nn god, who hy bldould no ll hr dly nounr wh h ud of Hllnlf (trpol 2002: 2).

th fr Ron pror, auguu, d ynl or, or hrbly,quxo p o rr h dln of rdonl rlgon, bu h rlw rfl nd of brf duron. thrfr, gnfn rlgou dl-opn whn h pr prodd long wo n ln. On h onhnd, rulr ul wr blhd o rpl h rdonl y-god, buhy wr prrly poll phnonon nd dd no fulfll h ndof h nddul; worhp of h pror flourhd ply bu wford by h . On h ohr hnd,

h unlng ondon of h ld popl o long nd rh forsoteria,lon, rl fro h burdn of fnud, h ry nd flur ofhun lf. Popl rywhr wr knly wk o ry nw gof hop nd grly propng for pronl or, oon who would

brng lon, .., dlrn or proon fro h ud of h lfnd h prl of h frlf (trpol 2002: 2).

th lon ny popl found n h yry ul nd n rlgonpord fro h e.

th ury nnonlly rud, nd do gr dr o hondrbl oun of lrnd, nghful nd ubl work h w donn h rlr wnh nury. Y, for ll h, no nur, n n n ln dd nfor uh rlr holrhp. a on onr xpl,

http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/http://cbi.sagepub.com/


4/61

242 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)w y ondr h rln hpr l of wh rn ndrdhndbook on Ron rlgon: th Dln of Ron Rlgon, or-

ng h ond nd fr nur bce, followd by th augun R-oron nd hn wo hpr on h pr: th Rlgon of Loylyof h iprl Prod, dlng wh pror worhp, nd ipronlGod nd h Dr for Pronl Proon, dlng lrgly wh or-nl ul (L 1960). Nor h h nrr lo urrny, n onnu o nfor l o rn ury of rlgou dlop-n n h Hlln nd Ron prod; h f h ll h quo-on n h prdng prgrph o fro h nroduon o ju uh

ury, publhd l hn n yr go by hghly rpubl pr, o onnud nflun. Y n rn dd ry on of hupon h undrl h bn xplodd, nd nw odl ndpproh h bn dlopd nd. th purpo of h rl fr o rw h rqu nd odfon of long-ndng up-on nd nlyl gor, nd hn o ury o of h pprohh n rn dd h kn hr pl. my n fou work froh l wny yr, bu i lo no prulrly nflunl publonfro h 1970 nd 1980 nd, pon of rfrn, o of h hf

onun of rlr holrhp.By wy of prf, wll b uful o bgn wh fw on

bou y owh ubro l. if i wr wrng hry yr go,or ndd f i wr oon l wrng ody, i gh or ply ndor lgnly nl y rl Pgn n h Ron epr. Buh word pgn now n by ny holr probl, forwo rhr dffrn ron. On h on hnd, o obj o h fh h r pgn w n orgn drogory r dd by chr-

n nd h onnu o b frghd wh hy, nd lrgly ng-, onpul bggg (.g., Ru 2004). On h ohr hnd, ndfro y pon of w n n grr probl, h word pgnnourg u o h rgd rlgou rdon of h Ronworld onung uh or of unfd y hn hy ullydd (R 2007: 15-53).

Bu f pgn nd pgn r probl r, no y ko fnd nrly ubl lrn. so holr now u polyhnd polyh nd, bu h r, whl rnly or nurl,

nrodu dfful of hr own (Norh 2005: p. 134-37). For onhng, hy pu ondrbl ph on wh w ju on p of hrd rlgou rdon n h Ron world, nd oror n ph o onporr would no h rgrdd prulrly worhy



5/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 243of on; only fro Jwh-chrn-mul prp hh worhp of ulpl dn bng noworhy. For nohr,

lkly nough h o pgn, hd hy known h r, gh wllh hon o drb hl onoh rhr hn polyh-; worh kpng n nd h ny Grk wrr u h n-gulr nd plurl oftheos(god) lo nrhngbly. an lrn opolyh Hlln, whh h h dng of bng r hl dhrn of rdonl Grk rlgon, uh h pror Julnh apo, ppld o hl (Bowrok 1990: 9-13). Y noonly h ry l r, bu obouly probl whn ppld

o ll ho rgon of h pr n whh h Grk rdon w nodonn. my own prfrn for xpron lk rdonl Gro-Ron rlgon or h rlgou rdon of h Ron pr. thh h dng of hghlghng h d of dhrn o nrl rd-on, ohng h rully ll pgn o h profd nf hy wr n f nrodung rdl hng. Y hy r fr fro

prf oluon: no only r hy ubro, bu hy glo or hulurl oplxy of h rdon (i du h l u n ordl blow n on 3b, Rlgon n h Ron Pron). sn no

oplly dqu ubu for h r pgn h y bn dd,o holr h o o do onnud u. th db wllno doub onnu, bu on pon hould lwy b kp n nd: only whn lkng bou Jw nd/or chrn n h Ron world hhr ny rl nd for opndou r o rfr o ll non-Jw ndnon-chrn.

th ohr pr of y l forunly rqur uh l on. iwll b foung on h fr wo nur ce, h prod of h rly or

hgh Ron pr, wh n oonl gln forwrd o h hrd ndfourh nur ce nd qu fw gln bkwrd o h Hllnprod nd h Ron Rpubl, h , h hrd hrough fr nurbce. th l fw dd h lo n n xploon of nw nd nno- work on Grk rlgon n h rh nd ll prod (ghhhrough fourh nur bce), bu h, wh rr xpon, wll nofgur n h ury. en whn h hronologl l, howr, houn nd ry of rln work or hn n b ord n n ubnl ury. conqunly, wh follow hghly l nd

no doub doynr orw of wh i rgrd o of h jorrnd. By wy of opnon, i h nludd n ppndx uryof rn rrh ool h n prod or oprhn org of

prulr op.



6/61

244 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)2. Old Assumptions

a. The Decline o Traditional Religiona i nod bo, h r nrr bou rlgou dlopn nh Hlln nd Ron prod w on n whh h dln of r-donl Gro-Ron rlgon rd uu h w hn flld byohr dlopn, prulrly prl ul nd yry/ornl rl-gon. alhough rully ll h ron of h nrr hrd rn

b upon, h nly of rlgou dln ook wo rhr dffr-n for dpndng on whhr h fou of h nrr w h Hlln-

Grk world or l Rpubln Ro. th forr, whh w ghonnnly lbl h g of nxy nly, rbud h dln ofrdonl rlgon o xrnl for, plly poll hng bu lonllul dlopn. th lr, by onr, gnrlly rbud hdln o nrnl for, n prulr h prd forl of rd-onl Ron rlgon nd nrng npulon for poll pur-

po. i wll hu du h prly bfor ondrng o of hupon h undrly h boh.

th phr g of nxy orgnd h l of long po by

W.H. audn, wrdd h Pulzr Prz n 1948, h dl wh h nd-dul rh for dny nd nng n h d wnh nury. iw fr ppld o h nn mdrrnn by Dodd, who borrowd h l of h udy of rlgou hng n h ond o fourh nurce, hng h h w rood n growng lnon fro nd holyowrd h rl world (Dodd 1965). ipl n Dodd ppropronof h phr w h upon h popl n h prod h w ondr-ng uffrd fro h or of ll h r ofn d o hrrz

lf n h wnh nury: drnon nd nury, no nd loof dny. aordng o Dodd, w ur for h ll h poplough nw for of rlgou xprn nd blf. Dodd w by non h fr holr o k h upon, nor ndd h l. mnyohr holr, howr, lod h orgn of h ll no n h prod onwhh Dodd foud bu rl nur rlr, n h Hlln prodof h hrd o fr nur bce. th followng wo xpl y r orprn h knd of nly.

th Frnh holr Fugr w on of h wnh nury ldng

uhor on Grk rlgon nd phloophy n h wnh nury,known prulrly for h don of h Hr corpu nd h Nopl-on phloophr Prolu, wll nd dld udy of lnqu y nd oul (194454). a h h w



7/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 245fnhng h udy, h lo publhd h only gnfn work n englh, ll bu wd-rngng book nldPersonal Religion Among the Greeks

(1954). H bgn h book wh h pr h

hr no ru rlgon xp h whh pronl. tru rlgon , fr ofll, lon o God. ery rlgou rony bu py k-bl fh fhful who prp n do no fl h hr for h abolu, hnxou dr o nr no pronl on wh h yrou Bng who hddn bhnd pprn (Fugr 1954: 1).

H hn dnf wo dffrn for of pronl rlgon ong h

nn Grk: populr py, whh ough or n rlonhpwh prulr dy, nd rfl py, whrby n n h prnof hun ry nd of h ng of h wll of God dr o l hworld for h of h god, or k o pnr God pln (1954: 37).alhough boh for xd lrdy n h ll prod, rn nl-lul nd oo-poll hng n h fourh nd hrd nur bce,h pl, wr rul for hr furhr dlopn: on h on hnd,h nflun of Plo, wh h r on h rnndn; on h ohr, oplx of pprnly nrrld oo-poll dlopn rng

fro h onqu of alxndr h Gr.Of h lr, Fugr hghlgh hr n prulr. th fr w

ndny o prfr h hddn lf, h lf n rr; n h w, h lo ofwhdrwl n h gr Hlln nd iprl Ron bo urrn of uh rngh h dr nr hpr on own (1954: 39).sondly, bu, prhp, of rn dffdn owrd h old god, hr w ndny o xpr rlgou doon by jonng noon nrd on h worhp of or god uh i, h syrn

aphrod, cybl, h God of h Jw, Donyu or alpu (1954: 40).thrd w n nrd n of h nbly of hun ffr. Onlyfor h hrd ndny do h prod n xpl xplnon: No orornd prod of world hory o b found hn h fr nur ofh Hlln ag. thr wr ounl wr ong h uor ofalxndr, nd ounl hng of forun. th rul w growngdonn of h noon h ryhng n h world gornd by rul nd nonn powr, by tyh or Forun nd onqun drfor or dy who ould ru on fro h unrn nd df-

ful of lf (1954: 40-41). th nrd n of h nbly of lfprubly lo prood h ndn o whdrw nd o jon olunryul group, bu nohr jor for, or o h o ply, w hlo of uonoy n h Grk n h Hlln prod; h rnly



8/61

246 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)u h h lo of uonoy ruld n h undnbl f hh prong d of h Grk lo n porn (1954: 37).

For Fugr, hn, h hngd ondon of lf n h Hlln prodruld n h dln of rdonl publ ul nd h nrd por-n of pronl rlgon n rou for.

a owh lr, f or nund, oun h bn propod orrnly by mrn n h ynh rn of Hlln rlgon (1987).Lk Fugr, mrn h fourh nd hrd nur bce prodof rul hng for Gro-Ron rlgon, nd lk Fugr h dn-f boh nllul nd oo-poll for h ngn of h

hng. H pu h ph, howr, on owh dffrn for.a rgrd oo-poll for, h ply no h alxndr prrrobly lrd h oopoll world of h Grk by rplng hlol world of h pol, h Hlln odl of h ndpndn, do-r y-, wh n nrnonlzng on of h nr world

pol (mrn 1987: 4). a rgrd nllul for, h gnor Plond r nd hf n oologl odl, fro h ngrdw of h oo hrr of ll Grk lzon o hPol oology, n whh h rrrl, ublunr rl w hrply

prd fro h ll, uprlunr rl by n by of o ppopuld by lnl nd don powr (1987: 6-8). th ffof Hlln oologl unrl, poll nrnonl, ndwdnd ulurl nd nllul pobl, oghr rd nw qu-on of nddul xn (1987: 156). th quon wr ruld

prrly round hngng onpon of f nd rg for opngwh . mrn dnf

hr yp of dour nd pr h r uully groupd undr hngulr gory of rlgou: py, yry, nd gno. th hryp ud n nlly dnl ordr of hng bu lud hordr dffrnly; onqunly, hy rprn hr dffrn rg ofxn (1987: 11).

alhough mrn n h h rou rg o-xd nd or-lppd, nd o o o xn od hpng h ynh n xplnrr of dln, h lo lrly pl h hy nold progr-

ly grr dgr of lnon fro h world nd progrly orrdl nd pronl onpon of lon.Lng d h nllul dlopn d by h wo holr,

w y ondr urrn w on h rou oo-poll for hhy rponbl for h dln of rdonl publ ul nd h



9/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 247urn o or pronl for of rlgou lf. Fr, hrdly nd o b

pond ou h Fugr hrrzon of h Hlln g h

o ornd prod of world hory ly ord. Wrfr wndd oon, n nd, durng Hlln , bu uh h ould b d bou h prdng ll prod. indd, ould b d h bu o uh of h wrfr ook pl bwnh profonl r of rrorl rulr h ordnry zn of hjor wr or nuld fro dr ff hn hy hd bnn rlr , whn h jor onfl ook pl bwn ndduly- nd hr zn r. mor pornly, upon h

lo of lol uonoy nd n nrng nrnonlzon ruld n hroon of ounl nd n wdprd drnon nd lnon rnow lo unrlly rjd. Whr y h lo n r of

poll uonoy hy o h or hn d up by hr por-n for lol nd ounl dny. en ubj o h rul ofHlln kng ll drnd hr nrnl nd n o o xnhr xrnl ffr; popl onnud o dnfy hl bo ll byhr fflon wh hr y nd o k prd n h dny; h rlryof l o proo hr own y or rl fuld h

progr of publ pron who rn n now n pr.moror, Hlln kng nd, lr, Ron pror poly nour-gd h blhn of Gro-Ron-yp n ny r whrhy hd prouly no xd. thu, on rn holr n r h hHlln r, fr fro wnng ny dln, w n ny rp ho porn prod n h hory of h Grk , prod of drgrowh nd dlopn (Bllow 2003: 196). th nw n of hly of lf n h Hlln nd Ron prod h hd profound

p on h wy popl judg h u of rdonl publ ul.turnng fro h Hlln o h y of Ro, w y ondr dffrn of nrr bou rlgou dln. a i nod bo, hnrr nd o fou round wo dn lhough nrrld h,on h on hnd h forl nd nrn ndquy of rdonlRon rlgon, nd h ohr ngl nd bu by h Ron ldurng h l nury of h Rpubl. a prulrly d nd lgnxpl w y ondr h oun n on of h o nflunl bookon Gro-Ron rlgon n h wnh nury, cuon Oriental

Religions in Roman Paganism (1911; no plly h 2006 rpubl-on of h fourh Frnh don, whh nlud uful nroduonng cuon work n wdr nllul onx). cuon rbdh u of h ornl rlgon n h Ron world o h f hho rlgon g grr fon fr, o h n nd pon,



10/61

248 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)ondly, o h nllgn, fnlly, nd bo ll, o h onn (1911:28). Wh rgrd o h fr, h no h prhp hr nr w rl-

gon o old nd pro h Ron. Bng ubordnd o pol, ough, bo ll, o ur h proon of h god for h ...by hr xuon of ppropr pr (1911: 28-29); w hu yfor h ornl rlgon o fy h hr for rlgou oon hh ur Ron rd hd bn unbl o qunh (1911: 30). a o hond pon, h dn of ronl fr n Gr nd hn n Ron h rdonl rlgon

lo ly nd drd up bu lkd h rnghnng nourhn

of rflon. i b hng dod of n, who raison dtre w nolongr undrood; bodd dd d nd n obol onpon of hworld (1911: 31).

Lly, h nn onr of h Ron rlgou rdon n h ould no ol o nw ndrd of orly. a rul,

ndffrn prd, h pl wr bndond nd hrnd o ublno run, h lrgy found dfful o rru br, h f, on

o populr, fll no duud, nd vrro, h bgnnng of hAntiquities,xprd h fr l h god gh prh, no fro h blow of forgnn, bu fro ry ngl on h pr of h zn (1911: 37-38).

auguu, propd by poll rhr hn by rlgou ron, pdo r h dyng rlgon, bu h pd rfor fld nrly,

bu kng rlgon n uxlry o orl polng no n ofblhng pr or oul (1911: 38).

For ny holr, h ond of cuon hr pon w h o

rul; w for ny yr rgrdd xo h h Ron l,ho rponbl for h nnn of rdonl rlgon, d o hny rl blf n nd rul ongnd o ngl nd ynl pol-l npulon. edn for ngl nd npulon ould rdly bfound, nd ndrd l of xpl grdully ook hp: nn pr-hood lf n, ron unprford, pl llowd o dy,

prhood ough for pronl nd, h rlgou lndr xplod forpoll gn. i w lo y nough o fnd n fro onpo-rry wrr h d o onfr h hy hl wr wr of h

rlgou dln, uh h pg fro h fr-nury-bce holrm. trnu vrro quod by cuon. Bu, or rn holr hrgud, h dn h ofn bn d whou propr ondron of onx; h , ohr dn h prn dffrn purh bn dd ou of hnd.



11/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 249For xpl, vrro n, whh n f no dr quoon bu

prphr of augun (City o God6.2), o fro h lrnd udy of

Ron rlgou nqu; h or o do wh oung h own rrhno nn nd obur rdon hn wh ng h hlh of Ronrlgon. in onr, vlru mxu, who n h hrd dd of h frnury ce opld nubr of horl ndo rour fororor nd udn of rhor, nludd whol rng of or h llu-r h powr of h rdonl Ron god nd hr nrnon n hunlf, or h h lrly fl would ll ron wh onporry ud-n (mullr 2002). agn, uh dn for h ngl of pl nd

rdonl prhood n h l Rpubl ddud fro h rou r-l nd rfurbhn h ook pl undr auguu. Bu w of ouro auguu dng o xggr ny rlr ngl of rlgon o hh ould gn ll h or rd for roron. Whn h bo h hrord ghy-wo pl of h god n 28 bce(Res Gestae Divi Augusti20.4), w hould probbly hnk no o uh of rbuldng hlf-ollpdruur of fw nor rpr nd nw pn job. On h ohr hnd,hr lo pl dn n Ro durng h fr nury bce for nwnuon nd h ongong dpon of old on. moror, onporry

oun of npulon nd hrg of rlg r now n or -dn for h onnud ly of rdonl rlgon hn for rrlnnd dy. a h uhor of h urrn ndrd oun of Ron rlgon

pon ou, h dn k lr h rlgon rnd hroughou hprod nrl onrn of h Ron gornng l, n f prnplly fou of hr onfl. thr w, n ohr word, onnu hrlgon blongd hgh up on h publ gnd (Brd, Norh nd Pr1998: i, 134; for h ongong ly of rdonl Ron rlgon n h l

Rpubl, n gnrl i, 114-40).Dp h dffrn h rul fro fou on h Grk or onh y of Ro, ll h rou nrr of dln hr nubrof undrlyng upon h ny urrn holr would no p.alhough h upon r orlppng nd nronnd, for h

purpo of nly w y ufully dnguh hr of h o g-nfn. On h upon h hr by dfnon fundnlnd lr-u pron bwn h rlgou nd poll phr, o hny orlp bwn h wo n po fo b rgrdd h poll

npulon or ppropron of rlgon. anohr h prlgng of hpronl dnon or h publ dnon, o h h forr kn h lou of rl rlgon. th hrd, ry loly rld, h phon blf nd of rul, o h rul hough o h rl rlgounng only whn h xrnl xpron of n nrnl blf. in h



12/61

250 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)1980 nubr of holr bgn o ll non o nd rqu hupon, wh h rul h popl r now uh or uou bou

kng h for grnd hn wr h holr of rlr gnron ( nprulr Phllp 1986 for wd-rngng rqu of h onpul -gor h nford rlr holrhp). i wll ondr o prulrxpl of uh rqu n on 3 blow, bu h pon i wn ofou on on of h o probl rul of h upon, nd h rkd ly n h u of dn.

i rkng h holr who wn o profound hng n rlgondurng Hlln nd Ron urn gn nd gn o h uhor

nd x: Plurh nd apulu, mru aurlu nd alu ard, Hr- r nd gno rpur. th ron for h obou: f rl rl-gon nr on r of pronl blf nd xprn unnd by pollondron, only fro lrry our h w n lrn nyhng worhknowng bou rlgou lf n nquy; Dodd pon ou, nrponldo ll u uh bou h undrlyng pronl xprn (1965: 3). Noonly do h upon prlg lrry x or dounry our,

bu hy lo dfn rn yp of x or gnfn hn ohr. Hdalu ard no wrn hSacred Discourses, nd h Ron ph,

h would b frly oonpl pron of ll nr o u, obrFugr (1954: 85), n h ohr work r rly ph of dror: h pngyr of god or of y, or dlon on o lrry orhl oonpl. in ohr word, ard rord of h nn pr-onl nron wh h hlng god alpu prod lubl dn forgnun rlgon, bu h pro hyn n pr of prulr d, of h orh w rgulrly dlrd rowdd publ fl, do no.

Or h l hry yr or o, howr, holr h ondrbly

xpndd h dnry b for h udy of rlgon n h Hllnnd Ron prod n ordr o k no oun nrpon, on, ulp-ur nd rhur. th rul h bn rdlly lrd pur ofrlgou lf, on h h polr oppo of h gr oun of ollpkhd by popl lk cuon. muh of h work on whh h nw

pur bd no n lf prulrly rn. For h udy of rlgonn h Grk , for xpl, w n ngl ou h fundnl work ofsokolowk (1955, 1962, 1969; lo Lupu 2005) nd bo ll Robr(.g., 1937, 196990). Bu w only n h 1980 h ynh pprd

h pulld oghr h rul of h or dld work. Worhy of pr-ulr non r h book by mmulln (1981), Pr (1984b, d-ud furhr n h nx on), nd Ln Fox (1987). all h bookrl ulur n whh rdonl publ ul rnd brnly l,



13/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 251 world flld wh proon, fl, pl nd prhood. m-mulln, for xpl, donr h xn o whh rdonl d

don h pgrph rord: n h w, Jupr, mrury, Hrul,slnu nd mr, wh i nd cybl only n h lowr rnk, nd nh , Zu, apollo, ahn, Donyo nd ar (mmulln 1981:5-7). Ln Fox, n ddon o rng h ly of publ proonnd fl, do wo d hpr o h noln of h rd-onl god n popl dy-o-dy l, hrough dr nd pphnon h on hnd nd orl on h ohr (Ln Fox 1987: 102-261). a

prulrly rkng donron of h onnud porn of rd-

onl rlgon for dny h of Rogr (1991), udy of onxrly long nd nold nrpon fro h y of epho. thnrpon dl h proon of bqu d o h y n 104 ceh prodd fund for n lbor r of proon nd rul. aRogr rgu, hrough h du of h foundon w h doof epho prnng lf o h world nlly rd ou-ny n whh nddul wr bound oghr nd dfnd n rlono h nuonl rol hy plyd n h gr dr of h rd pof epho, whh w prford h yr durng h lbron of h

yr of ar (Rogr 1991: 147).i porn o no h h nw pur of h onnud ly of

rdonl rlgon do no n h rlr holrhp h lo ll uly; ll h work h i h d hr onnu o prod lublngh. th nrr of dln h nford h wr wrong no

bu h phnon h h holr dud dd no x, bubu hy wr only pr of h ory, nd uh llr pr hnho holr ud. a mmulln pon ou, f w k h rn

of h ppyr found n egyp gud o wh popl hr wr rdng,w u h ry fw ppyr wh x of h or o blod by rlrholr gn h dozn of ppyr of Hod, eurpd nd cll-hu nd h lrlly hundrd of ppyr of Hor (mmulln 1981:68, wh 145 n. 41 nd 178 n. 30). th noon h rdonl publ ulnd rdonl Gro-Ron d wr n ny or of dln durngh Hlln nd prl prod dpndd on of hghly dubouupon, nd ould b onfrd only by ry l nd nrbrry u of dn. i n now no longr b nnd, l

no whou o jor qulfon. No urprngly, h fundnlhf n h b nrr of Gro-Ron rlgon h hd profoundplon for h wy holr pproh prulr op, nd oho h i now urn.



14/61

252 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)b. Imperial Cultth worhp of hun rulr hough hy wr god w for ny yr

rgrdd boh ypo nd u of h fnl dln of rdonl Gro-Ron rlgon: only n y h hd bo oplly dod of rlrlgou nng, w ud, ould ohng lk h h bn po-bl. alhough ondrbl oun of work w don on h op, uhof whh rn lu ollon of rl or nly of prulrdlopn, h gnrl ndny w o r prl ul poll

phnonon lokd n rlgou dr. Or h l hry yr, howr,hr h bn roluon n h udy of prl ul. alhough hr ll

ondrbl dgrn on pf pon of nrpron, h gnrlndny now o k uh or rouly rlgou phnonon.a nubr of holr h onrbud o h hf, bu f o y

h h o nflunl h bn Pr, prulrly n h onogrph onh Ron prl ul n a mnor (1984b) bu lo n rl ohrhorr ud (1980, 1984, 1987). th p h Pr work h hd du o nubr of rld for. Fr, i nond n h prouon, h ll non o h undrlyng upon h hd jufd d ud owrd rulr ul; uh upon, h rgu, for

xpl h d h nn oon nd pronl blf r hsine quanonof ny gnun rlgon, nold h llg pplon of chr-n ndrd o ohr for of rlgon o whh hy r n f rrln(Pr 1984b: 7-16). in pl of h chrnzng pproh, h drb, Pr drw on nhropologl odl o dlop ry dffrn on,n whh h rul nd onogrphy of rulr ul r nlyzd lnof ogn y, wy of undrndng nd ruurng h rlon-hp bwn h nhbn of rdonl Grk y- nd hr rulr.

th horl dlopn h lld forh h nw y w h ro powr, n h wk of alxndr h Gr, of rrorl rulr who wrnhr br of hpolis, Grk yrn hd bn n h p, nor

brbrn onquror, lk h Prn kng. Unlk h rlr fgur,

h Hlln rulr wr boh kng nd Grk, nd o oluon hd ob found o h probl h pod. thr w no lgl nwr nd h ndd o rprn h nw powr o hl. th ul of h god wrh on odl h w lbl o h for h rprnon of powr onwho h y w dpndn whh w xrnl nd y ll Grk (Pr

1984b: 29-30; n gnrl pp. 23-52).

On h y xd, w lo r of our h b dpdo dl wh ohr nol for of powr, bo ll, h of Ro.



15/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 253anohr porn p of Pr work h ubly wh whh

h dlop h nly ro wd pru of phnon, dong

pr hpr o rhur, g nd rf. in h of h h r h rl lo lngug, on h h popl of hHlln nd prl prod dpd n ordr o k nw nbou nw uon. thu, for xpl, h u d of h Hlln- rhurl rdon of pl for h god llur h flxblynd ly of Grk rlgou rhur nd donr h onrno ood h pror whn Grk frwork (Pr 1984b:134). slrly, prl g r no rly lluron of dology,

hy prly onu . thr onogrphy ruld dffrn pof prl rul, h ln, lry nd dn (1984b: 205). alhougho gh obj h nly lk h r ply updd wy of r-ng rulr ul poll phnonon, Pr dgr: h oluono h probl of powr or h y no l rlgou phnononhn h ul of h rdonl god, n h oo wr ond nr of honour nd n lo b nlyd h rprnon of powr(1984b: 52).

muh porn work h bn don on prl ul n h wny-f

yr n Pr book pprd, nd o n bfor. Of onporryholr who bgn publhng bfor h pprn of Pr book, ho porn Fhwk, who fr rl pprd long go 1961. Fhwk h dod h nr rr o h udy of h prlul n h Ln-pkng pron of h wrn pr, prulrlyh pronl ul, nd h brough oghr h o porn rulof h rrh n ul-olud onogrph (198792 nd20022005). Ohr porn ud h foud on prl ul n h

rn pr: Frn (1993) offr dld xnon of h pro-nl ul of h pron of a, nd Burrll (2004) prod opr-hn oun ofneokoroi, wh pl h rd h prlul of pron or rgonl oon. alhough boh book orlpo o xn wh Pr, hy dffr by onnrng on on prulrul or yp of ul nd by lyng uh or ph on h dhrondnon. anohr porn plzd udy Hnln-shfr (1985), oprhn nly of pl ddd o h fr Ron pror,auguu. Grdl (2002) fou on prl ul n Ro nd ily, kng

rong rgun h, onrry o rlr upon, prl ul wfully n ordn wh rdonl Ron rlgon. Lly, h jor book

by clu (1999) offr nohr ynh rn, foud gn on hwrn pr, h nlud wo horough ury of h rl, on



16/61

254 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)hronologl nd h ohr h. in ddon o h jor proj,hr h lo bn nurou llr ud, of whh onnn

plng y b found n sll (1996) nd cnk nd Hzl (2003).muh of h rn work h bn n dlogu wh Pr, n whh

o ongong r of db n b dnfd. On of h h xu of h pror: w h rgrdd god, orl or ohngn bwn? th hd bn jor ublng blok for rlr holr,who ndd o k for grnd h bolu nd rnndn onponof dy hrr of onoh rdon nd o ould llohr hn gro flry n h d of rng orl god. Pr

brough bou fundnl hng n h duon by dng hquon of whhr or no popl rlly bld h h pror w god nd foung nd on h wy h Grk ud h lngugof rdonl dn ul o odl h rlonhp bwn hl ndh Ron pror; h pf onluon, howr, h bn lldno quon by or rn holr. Pr rgu h h pr ofprl ul nol nubr of bgu: whr o r hpror god, ohr dlbrly o dnguh h fro h r-donl god. For xpl, lhough o rf wr offrd drly

o h pror hlf, or o h bn offrd o h god onh pror bhlf. tkn whol, h rng of rul pr ndlngug xprd pur ofh prorbetweenhun nd dn(Pr 1984b: 233, ph ddd). Frn (1993: 146-52) ngg n

pon-by-pon rqu of Pr poon, nd onlud n ff h hbguy dnfd by Pr l n h y of h bholdr; nn ul

pr wr no n o k onologl n, bu o rprulr yp of rlonhp n prulr onx. Hn, rf-

ng o h pror nd rfng o h god on bhlf of h prorwr no onrdory on. thy wr wo oplnry p ofh lrgr rfl y (Frn 1993: 150). mor rnly, Grdl(2002) h dlopd lr pproh long or oprhn ln.H rgu h quon of dny n h or of bolu n h wofn k for grnd wr n h Gro-Ron world h pron of

phloophy, nd h ul pr onrnd dny only n rln. thu, Jupr w worhppd no o uh bu h w god,

bu bu

h n powr or h wll-bng of Ro g h dn u nh Ron onuon. H dn u w hu rl o h bodyhonourng h, nd w onrud by h honour ordd h by h

body (Grdl 2002: 28).



17/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 255i w n prly h wy, Grdl rgu, h h Ron prorwr dn ( n gnrl 2002: 27-32). a brodly lr rgun

dnd by clu (1996, 1999), lhough wh rhr l ubly. Lkohr rn holr, clu n h no blf bu pr h h ky for n Gro-Ron rlgon; onqunly, f w fnd h

popl rd h pror god, w u onlud h h w god(1999: 23). clu hn do h bulk of h book o logung hwy h popl dd n f r h pror god. alhough ll hholr rj h bgu dnfd by Pr, hy ll n hr dffrnwy buld on Pr hf of ph fro blf o ul pr.

anohr ky fou of duon h bn h pu bhnd prlul: whr rlr holr ndd o lrgly ohng podfro bo, by Ron uhor rprnng h prl nr, Prnd h orgnd wh h worhppr, who dlopd wy of ng hr own nd o o o r wh h powr of Ro.mo rn holr h pd Pr pproh, nd xndd furhr. Frn, for xpl, rgu h h growh of pronl ulrfld h f h ol nwork wr bong rgonl, nd ullf ndd o rfl h uon; h drng for n dlopn

wr h br of h l who od fro hr unpl b noh rn of pronl r (Frn 1993: 154 nd 167-68). Burrll(2004) prod prulrly dld nd ophd nly of hwy h prl ul rd h lou for oplx ngoon oru ong lol l nd rprn of Ron powr. Fhwk,howr, k forful for phzng h op-down rhr hnh boo-up p of prl ul. in h udy of pronl ul n hwrn pr, h prn dld hronologl oun of h ul

dlopn n whh h prl nr dlopd dffrn for of hul ud o dffrn rgon, dpndng on h dgr of hr ulur-on o Ro, nd nud hng o h nd of nw dyn.H onlud h by nd lrg pronl ul n h W ppr nnrun of prl poly, d h ould b npuld n whh-r dron h purpo of h nrl uhory gh rqur (Fh-wk 20022005: i, 219). alhough u b kp n nd h Fhwk dlng wh h wrn rhr hn h rn pr nd wh pronlrhr hn unpl ul, h w of prl ul n nrun of

nrlzd poly prod nobl onr o h gnrl rnd.On of h o gnfn onrbuon of rn work on prl ul

h bn nw ph on non-offl for of h ul. aong rlrholr, h f h worhp of h pror w lrgly ld o offl

publ onx w n proof h h pul bhnd wr poll



18/61

256 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)rhr hn rlgou. so, for xpl, Nok rgud h h ounlddon o dfd rulr

r ll of h nur of hog nd no of worhp n h full n, forworhp pl h xpon of blng o b dd n uprnurlwy. th ouhon of py n nquy h o offrng, d nrognon of uppod dlrn n o nbl nnr fro knor ohr prl. th w do no fnd drd o rulr lng or dd (Nok1934: 481; f. 1957: 115).

Qu pr fro h probl wh Nok upon bou wh on-u worhp n h full n, h urn ou o h bn wrong bou h

dn: clu h now olld dozn or o o ddon dby pr nddul o pror or br of h prl fly (1999:526). th ny nubr, ru, bu how h uh pronl r-on o h dny of h pror wr no pobl. mor gnrlly, now ppr h h xn o whh prl ul flourhd n pronx hd prouly bn grly undrd. For xpl, lrrydn how h h pror w worhppd on h do ll,wh h g pld ong h houhold god; n lgh of h, hr y

b ron o r h ponl rlgou gnfn of h nnurbl

ll g of pror h h bn found n wd rng of d(Grdl 2002: 198-212; turn 1996: 55-62). slrly, pgrph dnrl h xn of nurou pr oon of worhppr of hpror or of h pror g, ny of whh o h dlopdfro houhold oon (Grdl 2002: 213-33). in o of h proon, g of h pror n o h plyd rol n hlbron of yr (Plk 1965; f. clu 1999: 339-41). in hor,

pr ul of h pror wr ry oon nd wdprd ndd, n

h domus, n h r, n publ qur, n Ro lf (prhp hr nprulr) wll oud h pl (Grdl 2002: 232).Lly, w hould no n nrd onrn wh rnology. th phr

prl ul, nd n or theprl ul, h o o b n probl, n pl h xn of ohrn y; wh w nf fnd wd rng of pr nd g h n ry dffrn wyblhd o oon bwn h pror nd h houhold on hon hnd nd h dn phr on h ohr (.g., Brd, Norh nd Pr1998: i, 318; Burrll 2004: 3). so holr now prfr ohr r, uh pror worhp (Grdl 2002), whl ohr onnu o u prlul for lk of n qully onnn lrn. Bu lo ll gr hh dnon bwn dffrn phnon hould b gn du wgh,nd no oburd by gu nd poorly dfnd noon of prl ul.



19/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 257c. Oriental Religions and Mystery Religionsalhough h wo r ough proprly o dno dn phnon,

h , ul orgnng n h rn pr of h Ron world oppodo ul furng r nory rul, hy h n f ndd o b udlo nrhngbly (for duon, sfn Gprro 2006). thlppg no nw ndny, bu ppr lrdy n h wo book hdd h o o populrz hr u n h udy of rlgon n h Ronpr, cuon Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism, fr publhdn 1906, nd Rznn Hellenistic Mystery-Religions, fr publhdn 1910. alhough cuon foud on h prd of ornl rlgon,

h ook xo h ll h Ornl rlgon ud h for ofyr (1911: 205), whl Rznn phzd h r of hbook h by Hlln h n rlgou for n whh Ornl ndGrk ln r ngld (1978: 4). th orlp rfl h f hh wo holr, for ll hr dffrn n ph nd pproh, hrd nubr of b upon: h n h l Hlln nd prl

prod nw knd of rlgon bgn o prd hrough h Ron world,on h phzd pronl doon o dy nd h hop for bldfrlf nd h drd dn fur fro rn orgn.

Boh lkw w h prd of h nw yp of rlgon h donx for h rgn of chrny.

th gnrl odl ud by cuon nd Rznn h long bnubj o r, nd wo pon wr blhd frly rly on. shol-r n h 1930 donrd h yr of h knd on whh lduh r wr no ornl bu Grk n orgn nd npron, h oldnd o fou bng ho of Dr nd Kor elu, nd h hrwr n f no oprbl yr n h n rdon of rn ul-

ur (for rfrn, Burkr 1987: 2 n. 9). in h 1950, ohr holrhowd h h fgur of dyng nd rng god, whh cuon nd p-lly Rznn hd rgrdd nrl o h yry rlgon, wuh or of odrn holrly onru hn gnun ro-ulurlrlgou prn (for rfrn, , .g., sfn Gprro 1985: x-x;sh 1990: 89-111, plly 100-101). Dp h r, howr,h odl long rnd norou nflun n h udy of Gro-Ronrlgon. W y no, for xpl, h onunl r ud Prl-nr ux Rlgon Ornl dn lepr Ron (ePROeR), b-

lhd n 1961 by vrrn, who n o wy poond hlf cuon uor; 113 l pprd n h r bfor rnngn 1990. mor pornly, w y no h pr prn of ornlrlgon or yry rlgon ndrd gor n nroduon



20/61

258 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)o h Nw tn world nd ury of Gro-Ron rlgon.indd, h bn only wny yr n turn publhd wh w n

ff n updd ron of cuon l, book h n englhrnlon onnu o b ndrd x (turn 1992).

By h turn book pprd, howr, rou rqu of hodl w lrdy wll undrwy. Boh mmulln (1981) nd Ln Fox(1987), pr of hr nn on h onnud ly of rdonlGro-Ron rlgon, d png k on h holrly obonwh ornl ul. Burkr, jor holr of Grk rlgon, ho hubj of nn yry ul for r of lur h h dlrd

Hrrd Unry n 1982. in publhd for, h prodd o-pr phnonology of nn yr (Burkr 1987: 4), n whhh ylly rwd h dn for pronl nd, orgnzonnd dn, yh nd hology, nd h xrordnry xprn nf ul: ho of Dr elu, Donyu, cybl, i nd mhr.i lo, prhp ndnlly, onud horough rjon of h rlr

prdg. L bu no l w sh horogrphl donruonof h holrly progr of oprng rly chrny wh Gro-Ron yr (1990). a rul of h rqu, holr of Gro-

Ron rlgon h n rn yr bgun o hy wy fro h u ofyry rlgon nd ornl rlgon nly gor. W yno brfly fw of h n objon.

Fr, n h wk of sd (1978), h ry word ornl now rgu-lrly wd probl r h prpu wrn roypbou h rn ohr. th dofor h prook prhp xpln dpprn fro h englh rnlon of h l of turn book,f no fro onn; lrly, vrrn ud Prlnr ux

Rlgon Ornl dn lepr Ron w udd by h nwr Rlgon n h Gro-Ron World (RGRW, whh onnu hnuron of olu fro h rlr r), lhough n h hhng n l lo rfl brodnng of fou h w lrdy pprn nh lr g of h orgnl r. Bu hr r or pf objon wll. For on hng, h phr ornl rlgon pl o dgrof uny ong h ul, hough d fro h anoln, syrn,egypn, nd Prn rdon ll hrd oon r h dnguhdh fro rdonl Gro-Ron d. in f, h r h

pond ou, h rdon wr qu rd, nd o lup h oghr no only o u wrn wpon bu o glo or gnfn df-frn (.g., mmulln 1981: 126-27; Burkr 1987: 2-3; Brd, Norhnd Pr 1998: i, 246-47). moror, lhough h d hl y



21/61


22/61

260 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)rlgon nd yry ul r for dn od of rlgoyn h Ron prl prod (2008). alr fou on h ul of cybl,

i nd mhr, whh h ollly rfr o ornl rlgon.alhough ondng h h phr no nrly fory, h oun gorou dfn of . On h on hnd, ornl ubl bu hhr ul dlbrly phd hr own lryn f w prfro ll pudo-lry (alr 2008: 2). th do no n h hywr nlly rn rhr hn Gro-Ron; rhr, h ornlul of h Ron prod wr n f oplx brolg of lndrwn fro hgh ulur noonlly ohr hn Gro-Ron, ln

n h rrrbly, n unrognbly, ondond by onqu,frgnon, rnlon nd rpon (2008: 187). On h ohr hnd,hy dr o b drbd rlgon bu h uppld full r-on of wh alr dnf h rou ub-y h opr hulurl y of rlgon: y of blf bou h o, hun,nd hologl ordr, y of lu nd h, nd y ofrul pr (2008: 17-23). moror, hy wr ll ndpndn noughof h Gro-Ron nr h hy wr no ply borbd noh lrgr y bu howd hl pbl of qu-uonoou

dlopn (2008: 5). alhough hy norpord ny of h ndrdfur of h Gro-Ron rlgou rdon, hr dn furw h pro of lon, or rhr, or prly, hr d powro oro F (2008: 26), onrn h w bodd bo ll nhr yr. th populry of h ornl rlgon w du no oh flur of rdonl rlgon, bu rhr o hr bly o nwprul nd h hy hl nourgd nd ford, nd by whhhy wr und n rurn (2008: 12). in ny wy alr obouly

rng o of h ndrd h of rlr holrhp, bu h doo fr kng no oun h rqu h h bn d n rndd. in h w, h gor, whn hndld rlly, rn hrfundnl ldy: th onpul lo h w nur by prndng...h h ul wr ju h ny ohr rlgou oon...o o ouwgh h rl dngr of bng kn proponn of honpul foll of yr-yr (2008: 2).

turnng fro h gnrl gory of ornl or yry rlgono nddul ul, w y brfly ondr rn work on h hr

o porn: ho of cybl, i nd mhr. th ul of h ano-ln ohr godd cybl h long nd ronbly wll-doundhory xndng fro rh anol hrough ll Gr ndRpubln Ro nd wll no h prl prod, whn b



23/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 261wdprd hroughou h pr. two rn book prod opl-nry hronologl ury of h hory: Borgud (2004; orgnlly

publhd n 1996) nd Rollr (1999). Of h wo, Borgud or l- n h pproh; h fou on prulr op nd pod nd onrnd n prulr wh xplorng h nonn n h nnoun of h godd nd hr ul. in h bkground onrn oonfron nd donru wo holrly yh h r nou hyr ll-foundd (Borgud 2004: x): h w of cybl n hr of

Nolh Gr Godd nd prdor of h vrgn mry. Rollr,by onr, or y nd oprhn, dong or or l

qul org o h ul n Phrygn, Grk nd Ron ph nddlng fully wh h rhologl, pgrph nd lrry dn. Buh oo onrnd wh h pronpon h hlpd hp rlr workon h ul, prulrly gndr (h , odrn pronpon of wh ohr godd ough o b) nd r (nly, h a orgn of hgodd ul); ndd, h rgu h

odrn ulurl ud owrd u of gndr nd r h ofn boo dply bddd n h holrly lrur h hy pd ffor olu h prry dn for h nn dy nd pl n h pfonx of nn mdrrnn oy (Rollr 1999: 9-10).

tkn oghr, h wo book prod rl wll up-o-doun of h ul n hronologl dnon. an porn opl-n o h prodd by h rlr book of sfn Gprro (1985),whh fou prulrly on h rol of ounon wh h dy ndd of lon n h ul.

in h prl prod, h ul of cybl w gnrlly publ on,

wh pronn pl nd publ fl lk ho found n rdonlGro-Ron ul. th xn pgrph nd onogrph -dn h bn ghrd n r of olu by vrrn (197789).alhough h ul h rdonlly bn lfd on of h oporn yry ul, h dn for h lbron of ul yr- rlly pr. th full dn, nd rnly h o wdlyknown, rl o h rul of h urobolu, prulr yp of bull-rf d n nubr of nrpon fro h ond o h fourhnur ce. th fourh-nury chrn po Prudnu prod lurd

drpon of h rul, n whh h worhppr dnd no p nd drnhd by h blood of bull h lughrd on grll orhd(Peristephanon10.1011-50). two y ud of h dn hpprd lo ulnouly n h 1960 boh pod n oluon n



24/61

262 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)h rul, n whh dlopd fro on h d h wll-bngof h pror no or pronl non r h yldd prul

bnf o h pron who undrwn , kn o chrn bp (Rur1968 nd Duhoy 1969). mor rn holr h bndond h olu-onry h, nd r uh l nlnd o hnk h h rul w r

prrly n hl for prul rnwl. mLynn, for xpl, hd rong h Prudnu drpon, on whh o uh ph- h bn pld, w nndd o r h own rhorl nd nd onqunly lrgly unrlbl (1996). Borgud rh uh h onluon (2004: 117-18), nd rgu h h urobolu w bo ll

n ror rul who purpo w o gurn h hlh nd wll-bng of h prl hou nd y, lhough h ll knowldg hrr n non (2004: 92; f. 116).

th ul of i h, f nyhng, longr nd n br doundhory hn h of cybl, xndng fro Phron egyp o h lRon pr, nd prhp for h ry ron oprhn horloun of h ul rn o b wrn. two ynh r urrnly l-bl n englh, nhr ry fory. th of W (1971) lrnd ndor egypn wll Gro-Ron our, bu rblng prn-

on nd lk of rl nly k lo unubl; h of soln(1979) dl only wh h Gro-Ron world nd lrgly ld oh dpon of i n lrry x. Boh book r now lo noblyou of d. in Grn, by onr, hr h oh onrbuon ofmrklbh (1995), of whh h fr pr prn y orwof wh known bou h yh nd ul of i nd hr o, wh hn our gn boh n h orgnl nd n rnlon. in h ond pr,mrklbh lbor on h h, whh h fr dnd or hry

yr bfor (1962) nd whh hd bn orgnlly propod by Krny(1927), h h nn nol orgnd n pr fro rlog, ul nr-r h llur h powr of god, nd funond odd xloly lnkd o h egypn yr (for brf prnon n englh, mrklbh 1994). th h onrorl o y h l, nd h

bn wdly, lhough no unrlly, rjd (, .g., Bk 1996).Bu f w r ll wng fory gnrl oun of h ul n

englh, w r now ry wll off wh rp o h prry dn.th wo jor lrry our for h ul n h prl prod, Plurh

phloophl rOn Isis and Osirisnd h l book of apulunolThe Golden Ass, whh drb h hro non no h yr ofi, h boh rd dld onr by holr xpr n hegypn wll h Gro-Ron our (Grffh 1970 nd 1975).



25/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 263to (1985) oll wd rng of horr x fro ry of our(nrpon, ppyr nd lrry work), nludng ll h o porn;

hy r prnd n h orgnl Grk or Ln whou rnlon oronry, bu wh furhr bblogrphy. Ld o nrpon lon,

bu uh or oprhn whn h gory, h rn ollonof Brul (2005), whh lo prod Frnh rnlon nd furhr bb-logrphy. in ddon, nw don of nddul x onnu o ppr(o rnly, Koklnn 2008). th d h n b xrd fro h

prry dn h lo bn olld nd nlyzd: mor (1990) pro-d n xhu f owh dunng nly of h prnng o h

worhppr of i, nd Brul (1996) bl l of ll h phbowd on i oghr wh full rfrn o h x n whh h onour. Brul h lo (2001) ylly ppd h gogrphlprd of h ul. Lly, w y no h or h l dd hr h

bn rgulr rnnl onfrn on i ud, of whh h publhdprodng prod good pon of nry no urrn work n h r(Brul 2000, 2004; vrluy, Brul nd myboo 2007).

th l of h hr ul h i wll du hr, h of mhr, hlwy hd dn pl n odrn rrh on ornl nd yry rl-

gon: cuon bgn h rr wh udy of h ul (189699),nd vrrn bgn h wh oprhn ollon of dn hrpld cuon (195660). sn h hr h bn dy rof nw fnd, ny of h of ondrbl porn, lhough hr h

bn no nw oprhn ollon. Bk (1984) prod uful gudo nw fnd nd nw work down o bou 1980, nd clu (2000) prodh b nd o urrn nroduory ury of h ul; h x lf kno oun work o bou 1990, h d of h orgnl Grn publon,

whl h upplnry bblogrphy nlud rpor on nw fnd down oh bgnnng of h prn nury ( lo turn 2004). mnon houldlo b d hr of h olld ppr of wo of h o porn hol-r workng on h ul of mhr, Gordon (1996) nd Bk (2004).

Lk cybl nd i, h fgur of mhr h long hory n hnn world. th Prn dy mhr d rly h four-nh nury bce, nd h worhp onnud n Prn-nflund prof h rn mdrrnn world wll no Hlln . Bu unlkh ul of cybl nd i, whh n b rd or or l onnuouly

fro hr orgn, hr rdl donnuy bwn h dn forh worhp of h old Prn dy n h Hlln nd h for hyr of mhr, whh ppr bruply n ily nd h wrn pro-n h nd of h fr nury ce. th rlon bwn h wo bod



26/61

264 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)of dn h bn uh dbd. cuon w onnd h hy wrloly onnd, n f o of h lnk wr no longr pprn, nd

h h Ron yr of mhr wr dr dndn of h Prnul, whh h hough hd bn dnd n h Gro-Ron world

by n irnn or l ornl dpor ( o onnnly cuon1903: 1-43). Bu or rn holr h pond ou h cuon hdpnd or on rulr rgunon hn on old dn (Gordon1975; f. Bk 1984: 2063-71), nd now ond ll uppor. thyh lo donrd h Gro-Ron knowldg of gnun Prnrlgon w b b nd fnful wor; wh ruld Prn

wdo w lrgly of Grk orgn (Bk 1991; d Jong 1997). so oo hyr of mhr hl r now gnrlly rgrdd nlly Gro-Ron nnon, lb on h drw npron fro Prnrdon: clu pon o h rgon of Ro nd O hr plof orgn (2000: 21-22), whl Bk h d n for co-gn, rgon on h w bnk of h uppr euphr (1998).

th dn for mhr lo dffr fro h for cybl nd i nh lo nrly rrd o onogrph, rhologl nd, o lr xn, pgrph our. Lrry our r fw, nd hr g-

nfn dpud: turn (1975) h rgud h rfrn o mhrn phloophl x rfl h prulr progr of hr uhor rhrhn ul ul pr, whl Bk h d wo pg of h No-

plon phloophr Porphyry (On the Cave o the Nymphs6 nd 21-29)nrl o h nrpron of h ul gry (o horoughly n Bk2000). Bu rgrdl of hr w on h u, ll holr lrgly rlyon h onogrph nd rhologl our n ordr o ronru hyh nd dorn of h ul. a h our k bundnly lr,

h ul hd n xrly rh rprory of g, of whh h owll-known, nd lrly h o porn, w h of mhr n h of lyng bull (onnonlly lld uroony). th nrpronof h gry, howr, ofn unrn. On h on hnd, mhrlughr of h bull gnrlly undrood n of ron, rffro whh prng h lf of h oo (.g., clu 2000: 79-82). On hohr hnd, h gnfn of h ronol gry h found nny pr of h ul uh or onrorl. Ulny, n book hrd uh non, dnd h rgun h h uroony n

f odd r p, nd h h yr of mhr wr dd rpon o h dory of h pron of h qunox (1989); hrgun h prookd o rong ron (nobly swrdlow 1991),nd fw h followd h n plng uh ph on wh u h

bn frly rond b of lrnng. For h pr, Bk h rgud h



27/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 265nrl ln of h ul w hng bou h oul dn nd r-n hrough h hn, hng h w propgd or hrough h

ul gry nd rul hn hrough ny or of forl dorn ( ornly 2006). i hu no only h nrn nr of h ul bu loh probl wh h dn h h d o nrl o duonof h rol of yr n h Gro-Ron world.

On l gnrl pon hould b d bou ll h ul: hr rong rnd n rn work o h no n ny fundnl noppod o h ol nd poll u quo of h Ron pr, burhr on h f nyhng uppord nd rnford nrl

lu. i h lrdy nod h n onnon wh h urobol pr-ford n h ul of cybl, nd ru of h ohr wll. Forxpl, tk (1995) hr h rnforon of i nd srp nooffl god of h Ron or h our of h fr nury ce,nd hn donr how hr worhp n h Grn nd Dnubn

pron w loly bound up wh doon o h pror. alhoughw gh no b urprd o fnd h lnk o nr oy n hul of cybl nd i, boh of whh frqunly ook h for of rd-onl publ ul, w gh xp hng o b dffrn n h of mhr,

whh w lbrd only by ll group n lod ng. Y hr oonr nor wr uphld. abou hlf of h known ddon omhr wr d on bhlf of h pror wll-bng; oror, hrly hrrhl orgnzon of h ul, wh ph on dplnnd ubon o uhory, ndd o rnfor h ruur ndlu h wr lo porn oud h ul. a clu obr, wh hr phnonon whh hlpd undrwr h bly of h nrRon ol ordr (clu 2000: 40; lo h fundnl udy of

Gordon 1972). if ny rnd of rly Jud nd chrny nold pro gn or rjon of h donn ol nd poll ordr, h nno b d of h yry ul.

3. New Approaches

a i rgud n h fr pr of h ury, h old r nrr h forny yr nford oun of Gro-Ron rlgon n h Ron

pr h n rn dd bn lrgly dnld, lhough nflunlngr on n o populrzng work nd nroduory ury. th rlgou

phnon of h prl prod on whh h nrr ld uh r,prl ul nd ornl/yry rlgon, onnu o b n pornfou of holrly non, bu uh of rl of h upon



28/61

266 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)nd nrpron of rlr holrhp, nd no longr ord h uhdonn rol n h rlgou lf of h . Wh, hn, h of

h fld n h wk of h hng? a on gh xp n n r whnll-brng oun nd o b wd hubr nd n hgon,no nw r nrr h rn o k h pl of h old on. Rhr,rn holrhp h rngd or wd rry of op nd xplord wd rng of pproh. i wll hr brfly non hr, ply uggon of h ry.

Fr, n h r of fn holrhp n h 1970, hr h bnuh porn work don on h rol of won n Gro-Ron rl-

gon nd, or brodly, h gnfn of gndr. th ponrng workn h r w Poroy Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves(1975),h fr gnrl rn of won n h nn world o norporfn hodolog; lhough foung on won rhr hn rlgon, prodd h fr y xnon of won rlgou rol.eqully ponrng h work of Krr, who fr n ourbook(1988) nd hn n onogrph (1992) prod wh rn h onlyoprhn ury of won nd rlgon n h nn world, or-ng h Gro-Ron rdon wll rly Jud nd chrny.

th hrd holr n h r h i wll non hr shulz, whobook on won rlgou y n Rpubln Ro (2006) por-n for hfng h frwork of nqury. erlr rrh hd ndd ofou on won d nd won rlgon, rgy h prhpndrnly ndd o ugg h n h Gro-Ron world wonnd n oprd n lrgly dn rlgou phr. shulz, by onr,ognly donr h n h Ron rdon won wr nold n wd rng of rlgou , boh publ nd pr, ofn worhp-

png h d n nd n h onx n.a ond op h h rd ondrbl nr h rol of whr now ofn lld olunry oon: group wh o rlgoudnon who brhp dpndd no on dn of brh or r-dny bu on dlbr ho. inr n Gro-Ron oon nlf nohng nw: nubr of jor gnrl ud wr publhdn h l nnnh nd rly wnh nur ( h rfrn nHrlnd 2003: 9). Wh nw fou on uh oon kyo undrndng rlgou lf n h Gro-Ron world, prulrly

h pl of Jwh nd chrn group whn hr lrgr ol onx.agn, i wll non hr only ry fw work. On of h fr o prooh nw rrh gnd w ollon of ppr h rgd fro ul-yr nr on h op ponord by h cndn soy ofBbll sud (Kloppnborg nd Wlon 1996). cong ou of h



29/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 267bkground h onogrph of Hrlnd (2003), whh, whl foung onrlgou oon n a mnor, prod good orw of h op

whol; Hrlnd rgu h uh oon onud n pornn whrby popl ould l pl whn h lrgr oy, rhrhn offrng onx for opng or lrn dn. approhngh ubj fro dffrn ngl, Bndln (2005) h r-xnd hquon of h lgl ndng of uh oon, nd n h nrnoon of rlgou oon. two rn ollon of y uggh rng of urrn work (Blyh nd moun 2003; Rpk 2007).

a hrd op h i wll non hr h pl of yh nd lr-

ur n Gro-Ron rlgon. myh, nd h lrry x n whh w bodd, h of our lwy plyd donn pr n nrpr-on of rh nd ll Grk rlgon, nludng ho h n rndd h bn o nflunl (.g., Burkr 1979, 1983; Dnnnd vrnn 1989; vrnn 1991). Bu h h gnrlly no bn h for h Ron rdon, or n for Grk rlgon n h Hlln ndprl prod. th ron for h ngl h h lrry work ofho prod nd o b uh or lf-onouly lrry, wrn forn l udn who ould ppr h lrnng nd w wh whh

hy rd yh; o odrn holr h ndd o u h hhghly lrry rworkng of yh wr oplly rrln o ulrlgon. th upon now bng hllngd, nd or rn hol-r h bgun o k rouly h rlgou dnon of h x; nny , h wrr prod houghful xg of rlgou rd-on whh, n f no uhorzd by publ pr, no for h rono b dd. arl by Brd (1987) nd shd (1992) onuo rly xpl, nd h hor book of Fny h pprd fw

yr lr (1998) prod n xlln nroduon o h ky u (lo Fny 2007). agn, o rn ollon of ppr prod goodplng of h or of work h now bng don (Brh, Rpk ndsphn 2004; Bndln nd Rpk 2006).

ad h ry, ny n of porn urrn rnd boundo ry rkngly fro pron o pron. th d, i wll n h rn-dr of h rl hghlgh wo u h o prulrly g-nfn. On of h h db urroundng wh h prhp boh nw donn odl for undrndng Gro-Ron rlgon,

odl h n onnnly b drbd polis rlgon. sn hodl h lrdy bn ubj o ry of r nd qulfon,donn prhp oo rong r; nrhl, rnly furlrgly n urrn rrh on Gro-Ron rlgon. th wll b hubj of h fr on blow. th ond on wll ury ubj



30/61

268 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)h plyd urprngly rgnl rol n o rlr work on rlgonn h Ron pr bu h n rn dd h od o nr g:

h rlgou rdon of h rou lol nd rgonl ulur h dup h pr, nd hr nron wh h donn Gro-Ronrdon of h rulng l.

a. Polis Religion and its Criticsth r polis rlgon w orgnlly dd o drb h rlgouy of h ll Grk world, nd w gn wdprd urrnyn pr of l rl by sournou-inwood (2000 nd 2000b). sour-

nou-inwood b rgun w h h nr Grk rlgou yw ruurd round h polis, or y-. On h on hnd, h polisnhord, lgd, nd dd ll rlgou y (2000: 15); w h nuonl uhory h ruurd h unr nd h dnworld n rlgou y, ruld pnhon wh rn prulronfguron of dn pronl, nd blhd y of ul,

prulr rul nd nur, nd rd lndr (2000: 19). Onh ohr hnd, ju ruld rlgon, w lf ruld by; rlgon b h polis nrl dology, ruurng, nd gng

nng o, ll h ln h d up h dny of h polis, p, phyl lndp, h rlonhp bwn onun pr(2000: 22). in hor, on sournou-inwood nly, h Grk rlgouy nd h Grk oo-poll y wr no only nrhd

bu rully dnl. a h sournou-inwood w dl-opng hr nly of Grk rlgon, ohr holr wr nlyzng hRon rdon n lr or l loly opbl r. On of hky fgur Norh, who n oupl of ground-brkng rl hlpd

rorn h whol pproh o Ron rlgon (1976 nd 1979). alongwh Brd, hrlf jor holr, h lo dd n porn ollonof ppr on nn prhood (Brd nd Norh 1990) nd, wh Brdnd Pr, o-uhord wh h bo h urrn ndrd oun ofh Ron rlgou rdon (Brd, Norh nd Pr 1998). anohr kyfgur h Frnh holr shd, who h dod uh of h rr oudyng h o dld urng body of dn for h pr ofRon rlgon, h nrbd rord of h Ron prly ollg of harl Brohr (shd 1990; shd, tn nd Rpk 1998). in ddon

o nurou plzd ud, shd h lo publhd or gnrlduon of h Ron rlgou rdon (2001 nd 2005), nludng hor nroduon h now lbl n englh (2003).

th holr, nd fw ohr of lk nd, h bn rponbl forworkng ou wh i hr, followng Woolf (1997), llng hpolis-rlgon



31/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 269odl. Bfor i prod furhr, howr, oupl of r n ordr.Fr, h wordpolis proprly ppl only o Grk y- nd no o

h non-Grk of h Gro-Ron world; holr workng on hRon rdon h gnrlly ud lr phr lk rlgon.Y h lr n b bguou for non-pl, whrpolisrlgon uh or pf; hu or onnn, n f hnlly n-ur whn ppld o h Gro-Ron world or gnrlly. sondly, would b ldng o ugg h wh i llng h polis-rlgonodl n f ngl ohrn odl o whh ll h holr h inon hr ubrb. i would b or ur o drb rly

of frqunly lnkd propoon h o o xn onu hnw u quo n work on Ron prl rlgon nd whh h hol-r h ll n rou wy hlpd o proo. Y obouly plro rfr o h of propoon n horhnd hpolis-rlgon odl.

Wh h n nd, w n prod o ury kh of hodl. th or of h Gro-Ron rlgou rdon o b foundn h publ ul of h y, whh u b undrood rlgou wll ol ouny. Rlgon dd no x pr r ofhun y, bu w bddd n h orrhng ruur of h y;

hr wr no porn rlgou nuon or off pr fro nuon nd off. eh y hd own dn of ul, nf o of h wr drd hrd of d, nd y publul wr wh dfnd h dn rlgou dny of zn; hrw no rlgou dny pr fro poll or dny. conrolof h publ ul w n h hnd of h lol l, n hr py gr, pr nd br of h own ounl; prhood wr

publ poon, dnguhbl fro gr only by rn forl

fur. th own ounl whol orw publ ul, upporngblhd hrn nd fl wh publ fund nd drng nw on ppropr. Pr nd gr prdd or rul nd flon bhlf of h y whol; n o ron h popul lrgook pr, hren masseor hrough h prpon of rprngroup. Rlgou y lo ook pl n pr onx, uh hhouhold or rou oon, bu h funond onun l-n of h y rhr hn lrn fou for rlgou llgnnd dny. th n of rlgon ly n rul rhr hn blf; hn

h xg of prulr ul or ron nd pulon bou hnur of h dn wr no pr of publ rlgon, bu wr lf o h

pr n of nrd nddul.th odl h prod o b ry fruful on for dnng our undr-

ndng of h Gro-Ron rlgou rdon. a no doub obou,



32/61

270 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)h plyd n porn rol n rqung h upon h undrly hr nrr of Gro-Ron rlgon n h Ron prl prod

h i dud bo n on 2, th Dln of trdonl Rlgon.so, for xpl, n n xpl rjon of h upon h rl rl-gon by dfnon lod n h rl of pronl xprn rhr hnh of publ on, holr h pld gr ph onh ounlnur ofpolis rlgon. For xpl: h rlgon of Rpubln Row nlly publ rlgon. in onr o h odrn Wrn ron pr nfon of rlgou on, rlgou obrn nRo ond prrly n publ or ounl rul (Brd nd crw-

ford 1985: 30). Nor w h prd by popl h n ngr, ohng for whh hy hd o k opnon lwhr, rlr holr d o u.

i h o bn ld h [pr nd fly ul] offrd hRon knd of pronl fon nrly lkng n publ rlgon.thr no jufon for h w. alhough proof pobl, wfrly bl h h jory of uh ul nlly rprnd h ul on llr lprd whn h llr ol un of hfly (Brd nd crwford 1985: 35-36).

ipl n h rloon of rlgon fro h pr o h publ rl lr rjon of h upon h hr lr nd nurl d-non bwn h rlgou nd poll phr. On h onrry, whnpolis-rlgon y lk h of Ro w prfly nurl for publ

pr o b n ff rly ub-group of h Ron poll l, whod xpr dr on rlgou r nd rrd ou or uprd

prulr rul nd rf.

th w no dn, no flur on h pr of h Ron o dffrndquly bwn dffrn pf funon. i w h nurl orollryof rlgou y h w bddd n h pollor polly bddd n h rlgou (Brd nd crwford 1985: 30).

in uh onx, poll y nd rlgou y wr nblynrwon, nd o o xn ply dffrn p of h ph-nonon. i hu rdu nd n o drgrd h poll pl-on of rlgou or nrpr h dn of bu.

Ordnry nhbn of h Ron pr expected h poll powrhd rlgou dnon. th oppo w lo ru: rlgou ul ghqu proprly h poll dnon. if w k o dnguh bwnul h wr (rlly) poll nd ho h hd (gnun) pruldnon w r dong ll or hn nggng llly n chrn



33/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 271pol gn n ln rlgou y (Brd, Norh nd Pr 1998:i, 359; ph orgnl).

th prnpl lrly fundnl o h r-luon of prlul h h kn pl or h l fw dd nd h i h lrdydud bo n on 2b. Bu h lo llowd for ohr nly.Gordon, for xpl, h xplord h plon of wh h r h opro, h , h flur whn rdonl Gro-Ronul o dffrn hrply bwn gry nd prhood; h rguh h rful no ju urou f bou h Ron y bu nrl od of donon (Gordon 1990: 202). in h Gro-Ron

world, ny publ honor brough wh h xpon h h pron ohonord would n rurn bow rl bnf on h ouny hhd honord h. th xhng of publ bnfon for publ honor,onnonlly known n ll holrhp urg ( p-lly vyn 1990), w n ff n of prpung h donn ofh ono l; Gordon pu , h onld boo ln nh: gng + grud/honour = powr for h l (1990: 224 n. 68).Bu publ prhood wr n porn yp of publ honor, rl-

gon w nrly bound up wh urg. conqunly, nofr hr n orll dlopn drnbl n h oplx hory of prhood n h Prnp, ronl urly l n h fuon of hrlgou y wh h oo-poll y, fuon whh rd ol fro h nrl nd lol l h ru hrr of hr donon(Gordon 1990: 231).

th polis-rlgon odl lo rj h upon h blf ub pror o rul, nd h rul n h gnun rlgou gnfnonly whn h xrnl xpron of n nrnl blf. shd, n

prulr, h d ry rong h Ron rlgou rul w nopy or nngl ply bu dd no prod fro ny uhor-zd nd xplly ruld y of blf. On h nly, rulonnd hr own pl nng, nofr rul gur wrorgnd n qun h ford, wr, propoon or pln (shd 2003: 32). Bu hr w no uhory o prrbh n of h n h gh b rnng; o, n nonw oblgory, on w good ny ohr. apr fro h dnd for

rp o b hown for h god, h only rl l w h podby h rdonl ordr of on nd ud, whh dly on-yd lrl nng: rf, for xpl, prold h xnof h god prnr of n n h hy grd o hr l whh (shd 2003: 35). Y h rul, wh hr pl nng,



34/61

272 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)prodd h b for pruly ry b rl h groundd nlbor n of blf.

th rul [of rul produr] wr no rly obrd. thy podhr own lf h grdully ruld n lrnd ury. th prulyof h rul w d o h lr of rul oblgon... in h rlgou y,h rol of huny dd no rd n h prul onplon of hyry of God; ond n rpng nd onng on h r, ndn h pro onplng h nur of h bond h orl nnwh h god (shd 2005: 279).

in ddon o ounrng h upon h hpd rlr ounof Gro-Ron rlgou hory, hpolis-rlgon odl h lo bnud o onru n oun of rlgou hng h ry dffrn froh found n h old r nrr. so holr h propod hw n b undrnd h hng by ng dfnng fur hdln nd ollp ofpolis rlgon h donn for of rlgouorgnzon: h nrly of publ ul progrly g wy o

plurly of rlgou opon, nd rul rlgou dny bnrngly prbl fro /poll dny. Norh, for xpl,

h uggd h w n dnfy ry rly g of h dlopnn h Ron pruon of h Bh ul n 186 bce. th ul, whhook h for of pr group of worhppr o whh nddul wrdd byn non rony, funond n orgnzon ollydod o rlgon nd nrly pr fro h orgnzon of h y.i hu prodd popl wh rlgou ho, ohng h dd no xwhn h onx of rdonlpolisrlgon, nd wh h pobly ofuh ho, h rlonhp bwn rlgon nd oy lrdy bgn

pro of hng (Norh 1979: 96). in lr rl Norh dlop hrgun furhr, wh prulr rfrn o Jwh group n h Gro-Ron world, nd propo n nly of rlgou hng n h Hl-ln nd prl prod dlopn fro rlgon bdddn h y- o rlgon ho of dffrnd group offrngdffrn qul of rlgou dorn, dffrn xprn, ngh, or

ju dffrn yh nd or (1992: 178).i h dnd h h n y own work wll. in y udy of

rlgou lf n Ron crhg n h fr hr nur ce, i rgu h

rully h only odl for rlgou dny h xd n h Ronworld w odl, on whh lnkd h nddul o prulry (R 1995: 5); Ron uhor, howr, n xndng Ronznhp nd proong or ulurlly nd pollly unfd pr,



35/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 273unwngly rd rdlly nw poll onx n whh h odl of rlgon w nrngly ou of pl (1995: 9). i w h nr-

ng drgn bwn h ulurl nd poll rl of h prnd h rdonl orgnzon ofpolisrlgon h prodd h onxwhn whh plurly of rlgou opon ould dlop. slrly, n lr rl i propo h w gh b nrpr h dr ndngunrl rf ud by h pror Du n h d-hrd nuryce n ff rpon o h nw rl of h pr: by nngh ry nhbn of h Ron epr hd pf nd d- rlgou oblgon o h prl gornn, h dr dfnd

l on p of wh w y ronbly ll h rlgon of h Ronepr (R 1999: 152).alhough o holr would probbly gr h hpolis-rlgon

odl h don uh o dn our undrndng of Gro-Ronrlgon, h lo bn ubj o rou r. i wll hr ury rprn plng, n ordr o g o n of hr ry.(No lo Knd forhong 2009, houghful pprl of h odl ud n h udy of ll Grk rlgon, whh ddr ny ofh u rd hr.) in on of h rl nd o oprhn

rqu, Woolf (1997), whl knowldgng h u of hpolis-rlgon odl, lo pon ou h nbly rgnlz ll for ofrlgou h nno ly b n pr of hpolisynd hrby npbl of xplnng h oly of rlgou lf n hnn world. a xpl, h l four pf horong. Fr,polis rlgon offr ll xplnon of h oplxy of nn rlgon:pu blunly, h profuon of god, ul nd prhood rdundnf h nd of h y r n proun. sond, h ph on

publ rul l ll roo for o p of rlgon h oh bn ry porn o o nn, yh for xpl, or no pronn d, for xpl slnu or h mr, who nrrd publ ul (Woolf 1997: 76). thrd, hpolis-rlgon odl doll o xpln how hng ully bou:

ny publ nnoon n f o b rpon o hng n whgh b rd h rlgou koine of h mdrrnn world. if h orgnof rlgou nnoon o ofn fro h world of pr rlgon,ny prp h rgnl non-publ ul bound o b hndppdn ounng for hng (Woolf 1997: 76).

Lly, rng pr ul ondry k dfful o ounfor h onnud populry of pgn n prod whn publ ul



36/61

274 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)whrd wy nd wr bolhd (Woolf 1997: 76). Woolf do nougg h holr bndon hpolis-rlgon odl, bu rhr h hy

do or o uppln by kng no oun ohr ordrng prnpl(1997: 77) uh yh, lndp nd ndpndn rul rdon; hg o n of how ohr oud hpolis l gh h xpr-nd nn rlgon, nd of wh wn on n h rul gp bwn h

prrbd nd h prorbd ul of h nn y (1997: 83).Ohr holr h lrly rzd hpolis-rlgon odl for

downplyng h oplxy of rlgou lf n whn y, pru-lrly whn uh lrg nd dr y Ro. Rpk (1999)pon ou

h

h y of publ ul o whh h

polis-

rlgon odl g uhprory by no n h whol pur, nd h h ul u n fh bn of or porn o h l hn o h rnk-nd-fl nhb-n of y: rhr hn donng rlgou lf, hy wr nd forny popl ply on ln ong ny. Rpk dop h phorof rkpl of rlgon wy of drbng h uon orfully. Bndln (2000) dlop lr pproh n grr dl, r-ng h nddul n hr dy-o-dy rlgou l frqunly d onhr own pronl oon nd h ny pl nd hrn would

h drd gnfn pr of hr no fro nddul ln. Hhu rgu h w u bndon h rdonl dul of rlgonnd pr ul, ofsacra publicandsacra privata, nd h ubqunubordnon of h on o h ohr (Bndln 2000: 131); h propo n lrn odl dnrld y of ul nd pobly fnn-l wll dnr rponbl h rd rk ofll rlgo-ono n -dhd fro, rhr hn onpu-lly bddd n, h y (2000: 134).

Whl Woolf, Rpk nd Bndln offr gnrl rqu of h

polis-

rlgon odl, ohr holr h foud on o of h prulrpropoon h opr . in n porn onogrph, Dgn (2002)r-xn h upon h n h Gro-Ron world h rlgouy nd h oo-poll y wr ndnguhbl. sh do hhrough dld xnon of h fnnng of o of h gr pln Hlln nd Ron a mnor. alhough h uul upon h

bn h h fnn of ul wr ply ubud whn h orgnrl fnn of h y, h dnf nubr of uon n whh

h pror of h pl nd h pr who orw h noonfl wh h nr of h y whol. a rul, pr ndpl pronnl ppld o xrnl uhor uh Hlln kngor Ron gornor o nfor hr rgh nd prlg gn wh



37/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 275hy w h nrohn of h y. thu, ndof unfdpolisrlgon, h po rngulr rlonhp bwn ul, polisnd rulr.

Dgn rqu of hpolis-rlgon odl h lon. a onrwr pond ou, ll D. h ngd o donr h groupwhn y, group who nr nlud ono on, do no lwyg ubud no hpolis (Knd 2004: 275). Nrhl, by llngnon o ho whr h nr of ul nd y drg, Dgnr porn quon bou h xn o whh w n rgrd h wo forng l whol.

Kng h kn on nohr ky ln of hpolis-rlgon odl, h

propoon h llg or l ldng o lk bou Gro-Ron rlgon n r of blf ( lo Bndln 2000: 119-23).aordng o Kng, h rgun h h bn ployd gn h uof h word blf r no lf-onn, nd h ll o bnh h rfro Ron ud prur, for h r blf pproprnd uful for drbng o p of h Ron rlgou xprn,

prulrly n rgrd o Ron pryr (Kng 2003: 276-77). Kng rgu-n n n h objon o h r blf r on onflon ofh word b nng nd h prulr wy h ud n chrn-

y; h rjon of h r chrnzng onqunly unjufd.

th quon of h prn or bn of blf hould no b onfudwh h quon of how blf n b orgnzd. i whn hr uullynopbl frwork for h orgnzon of blf h fundnldnon bwn h nur of Ron Pgn nd chrny n bn (Kng 2003: 277).

if w dfn blf brodly onon h n nddul (or group ofnddul) hold ndpndnly of h nd for prl uppor (2003:278), hn ufuln n lkng bou Gro-Ron rlgon bopprn; for xpl, ny pryr who d gol rqur dn powro n o on would, prrqu, rqur undrlyng blfn h xn, powr, nd rponn of h dy (2003: 282). Buwhr chrny odul blf n h prulr for of dognd orhodoxy, Gro-Ron rlgon w ply n ggrg of norlppng of blf, no on of whh w boluly rqurd orrd h nry ruurng prnpl of h ohr. H onlud

h nly by dnfyng hr hn h prnd or gdonfl bwn h holdr of dffrn blf: polyorph (h ,h d h god pod or hn on for or p), h orho-

prx ph of h pr, ndpietas, h Ron onp of rproloblgon (2003: 292).



38/61

276 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)Lly, Nongbr (2008) h ry rnly r-lud h dng

nd ddng of h onp of bdddn, ppr, for

xpl, n h followng quoon:

Whn w look, hrfor, h wy n whh rlgon nd oy nrd,w do no fnd pl nuon nd , d fro rydy lfnd dgnd o puru rlgou obj; bu rhr uon n whhrlgon nd od rul wr embedded n ll nuon nd (Brd, Norh nd Pr 1998: i, 43; ph ddd).

Nongbr knowldg h uly of h r n hghlghng how nnulur dffr fro odrn, po-enlghnn world h yplly pohrp dd bwn rlgon nd pol or rlgon nd ono (2008:441-42). H rz , howr, for n ff llowng h holr whoploy o h hr k nd , oo: o y h rlgon bd-dd n h ol ruur of gn ulur o d h h dn ofh ulur no prulrly wll-ud o h nlyl gory of rl-gon, whl h o r h rlgon ll ohow nrno h ulur (2008: 452). Nongbr do no nrly propo bnhngh word rlgon loghr fro oun of h Gro-Ron world,

n hr nohng nhrnly wrong wh ung rlgon rdrp- wy of rrngng h d for our own opr purpo, as long aswe strive to make it clear that the resulting arrangement is our own (2008:455; ph orgnl). a h , h r h w nd o fnd

br wy of kng our drp oun, br wy of lkng bouhow hun nd god nrd n nquy (2008: 456).

i hop h lr fro h brf duon h h rou hodo-logl propoon h i h brough oghr undr h rubr of hpolis-rlgon odl h don uh o dn h nly of Gro-Ron rlgon n h Ron pr; h , hy do no on-u nw r nrr nor n r ky o undrndng hubj. thr ul lu y n f l n ulng furhr dbnd nourgng or pr nd br-groundd pproh.

b. Religion in the Roman Provincesalhough on gh ronbly u h h ndgnou rdon ofh rou popl who d up h pr, nd h wy h h dl-

opd undr Ron rul, would long h bn nrl fou of rrhon rlgon n h Gro-Ron world, h no n f h . thrwr ny ron for h f, hr of whh i wll no hr. th frply h o do wh our. Bu urng lrry x prod ry



39/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 277ll nforon bou rlgon n h Ron pron, udy dpndlo nrly on pgrph nd rhologl rn. conqunly,

only wh h y ollon nd publon of nrpon ndwh h dlopn of nrngly ophd rhologl hodh dld rrh on h op h bo pobl. Y h r n-ry rhr hn uffn ondon, n h y publon ofnrpon hd bgun lrdy n h nnnh nury, nd nbld hoholr who wr nrd n rlgon n h Ron pron o udy n o dl; prulrly nobl rul w toun uryof ul n h wrn pron of h pr, of whh h hrd olu

w dod o ndgnou nonl nd lol ul (19071920). Y hf h toun work long rnd xponl ugg h h orgnfn ron for h gnrl lk of nr hd o do wh h wyh h rrh gnd of h dy wr dfnd.

On h on hnd, hr w h wdprd pn of h rnrr bou h rlgou hory of h Gro-Ron world h idud n h fr pr of h rl. th nrr, wh phon h dln of rdonl rlgon nd h prd of prl ul ndyry rlgon, ply hd no pl for h rnforon of lol nd

rgonl rdon. th ornl rlgon y n obou xpono h gnrl lk of nr, bu hy r n f h xpon h proh rul. For holr lk cuon, rgonl rdon wr gnfn pr-ly o h dgr h hy b drnd. For xpl, n onr-ng h rlgou rdon of h wrn nd rn pr of h pr,h no h wdprd ddon o h cl godd epon d byoldr fro h r of hr orgnl worhp. and y, h onnu, do no ppr h h r rd h hog of ny rngr;

do no ppr, bo ll, h drud r ud h hp of y-r of epon n whh Grk nd Ron would h kd o bnd (cuon 1911: 25). For cuon, onqunly, h worhp ofepon lkd ny rl gnfn for rlgou hory. On h ohr hnd,ho holr who dd h n nr n ndgnou nonl nd lolul ndd o b onrnd wh ronrung h pur, pr-Ronfor of h rdon, rhr hn ngng h wy h hy dl-opd undr Ron rul. Fro h pon of w, h lu of h bundndn fro h Ron prod ly no n wh ould rl bou h

rlgon of h prod n whh w produd, bu n h lgh h ghhd on n rlr uon.

in rn dd, howr, h uon h hngd drlly. inpr h hf du o h ollp of h old r nrr, whh h



40/61

278 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)opnd up p for nw pproh nd fou. in pr rfl orgnrl hf n h fld of nn hory whol, wy fro h poll

nd nllul hory of h l, o fou on ol hory nd n nrn uh brodr pru of h populon. Bu for whr ron,hr h bn n xploon of work on rlgon n prulr pronnd rgon of h Ron pr. Lng d lrg nubr of llrud, h nlud onogrph on sly (Kunz 2006), Norh afr(Brouqur-Rdd 1992; R 1995; sn-an 2004; cdo 2007),Gul (Drk 1998; vn andrng 2002), Brn (Hng 1984), h Grn

pron (spkrnn 2003, 2008), Jud/Pln (Blyh 2001),

Plyr (Kzr 2002), nd egyp (Frnkfurr 1998), wll rlollon of ppr (Dondn-Pyr nd Rp-chrlr 2006; Hu-lr nd Kng 2007; Hkr, shd-Hofnr nd Whl 2009). ajor fou of y h bn wd-rngng nd ul-yr proj nGrny, orgnzd by cnk nd Rpk, on Ron iprl Rlgonnd Pronl Rlgon: Pro of Globlzon nd Rgonlzonn ann Rlgou Hory, h orll gol of whh h nly ofh foron of ulurl zon of rou l nd dgr of nr-on whn h Ron pr (Rpk 2007: 1); h proj h n f

ruld n nw r, Rlgon n dr Rhn Pronzn (RRP), owhh rl of h olu d bo blong. aong h yrd ohr

publon rulng fro h proj i would no n prulr oluh prod n orw of h od proj, oghr wh full

bblogrphy (Rpk 2007d), nd wo ollon of ppr h fou onbrod hodologl u (cnk nd Rpk 1997, 2009).

i obou nough h ll h rn work k pobl o g dld n of rlgou lf n uh wdr rng of ulurl r

whn h Ron pr hn r bfor. Bu h lo brough wh whol nw of hodologl u. mny of h nr on h long-ndng quon of how w n b undrnd h nron bwnGro-Ron nd lol ulur. For long , h donn odl wh of Ronzon: h ubj populon grdully dopd h -rl, ol nd nllul ulur of h Gro-Ron l, nd n dongo b lzd. W hould no wo prulr fur of h orgnlodl, w dlopd n h l nnnh nd rly wnh nur:fr, pd unquonngly h uprory of Gro-Ron ulur

or h of h populon norpord no h pr, nd o rgrddRonzon n nrly po dlopn (, .g., Woolf 1998:4-7); ondly, ndd o r Ron ulur n unprobl uny,nd o poul pl dhooy bwn Ron nd n. if h



41/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 279orgnl odl of Ronzon rfld orgn n h hydy of euro-

pn olonl, h w of olonl npon h bgn fr World

Wr ii no urprngly brough hf n hnkng. th fr dlopnw ndny o hghlgh n rn o Ron ulurl prl.th pproh no only rd obou onnu n lol ulur, bulo d h n h dopon of prulr Ron r ouldr o k h nnn of n rdon; for xpl, n on-bly Ron ul ould n f bo dlbrly ndgnzd for of ulurl rn (.g., Bnbou 1976). Ohr holr, howr,qukly pond ou h h noon of rn w ply h rror

oppo of Ronzon. Prulrly n h wk of po-olonlhory (.g., sd 1978; Bhbh 1994), holr h xplord rngof or flxbl odl for h nron of Gro-Ron nd lolulur, propong lrn r uh ulur hng, ulur-on, hybrdzon or globlzon; o do bndonng hr Ronzon loghr, lhough uly h o fr d oouwgh ll h probl od wh (.g., Woolf 1998: 7-16; furhr mngly 1997; Hngly 2005; shrnr 2005).

th gnfn of h gnrl db for h udy of rlgon n

h Ron pron obou. a h , hr r ohr dbh fou or prulrly on rlgou orgnzon nd rlgou hng,uh ho round h polis-rlgon odl dud n h prouon, wh whh hy nr. a rul, hr urrnly rhr

bwldrng rry of pproh nd odl for undrndng rlgoulf n h Ron pron. Rhr hn png ny or of y- nly, i wll hr offr or or l rndo plng of rnwork. Fr, loly lnkd o h rqu of hpolis-rlgon odl d-

ud n h prou on (Bndln 2000) Bndln propol orpl Ronzon wh h odl of n dd xnon of nopn y, whr ho r d on h prnpl of xndng, rhrhn rplng, ulurl y (Bndln 1997: 53). Bndln r hdnrlzon of pronl o, h f h h dnronof h pr dpndd on h uul nr hrd bwn Ronnd pronl l nd w hu nlnd o uppor h uonoy oflol powr group (1997: 42). th lol powr group lookd o hdonn ulur of h pr for odl, y rprodud h n d-

oynr wy h rd hr own d nd. th lry ofrlgou dlopn hroughou h pr w hu no h rul ofo onolh Ronzon, bu ply rfld h f h ll loll ndd o h lr nr nd onrn.



42/61

280 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)Hn, h rlgou ulur of h Ron pr n b drbd opn, y ngrd y whr h nddul gn opz rlgou

onfguron hrough h ddon of nw opon uh rulr ul ndh xndd Gro-Ron pnhon, or hrough r-nrpron of nd long Gro-Ron ln. Bu h nr nd ulhb of lol l wr roughly lr, h opzon of h rplol rlgou y n h prod followd lr prn nd rrn(1997: 57).

ando, lhough kng ry dffrn pproh o h ubj hnBndln, rh onluon h r no nopbl. ando fou noon h worhp of d od wh Ro or on rlgou prh n o wy rfld Ron odl, bu nd on h rdonlRon onpon of ul, h w bodd n h pf of ul

pr nd rl lw (2007; 2008: 95-148). H nrl rgun h rlgou y h ond h prd of ul ourrng hroughh rnfr of pf ul obj fro on pl o nohr w n f llquppd o on h poon of ngl ul nd ndl rprodu-on of ppru hroughou h pr (ando 2008: 97). two opr prulr non. Fr, h ng h xn o whh, nd

h pr wy n whh, h rlgou ruur of Ro wr rpl-d n h hrr of Ron olon nd unpl (whh nluddblhd ndgnou ln r Ron oun wll nw foundon). sondly, h hghlgh h Ron ndny o od wh prulr pl or prulr obj, o h h worhp ofho d w nrly fr nd foro lol. H onluon noo uh h pflly Ron ul nd rul on dd no prdundr h pr, bu rhr h h ul nd rul of h pr dn only whn pf gogrph, poll, nd horl onx,nd hy d o r nd n h uppor of h dn n h n-nn of h ondon, nuon, nd pronl of h hr ndnow (ando 2007: 444-45). in hor, h rlgon of h Ron pr wnbly lol rhr hn prl.

in y own rn book i oo h rd o prod gnrl frworkfor xplorng h ry of rlgon n h Ron pr, h oo-nl nd dffrn n rlgou lf xd hrough h Ronworld (R 2007: 6). Gn h h book drd prrly non-

pl, n undrgrdu, udn, o of h gor i ployr or prg hn hodologlly ophd: pronl xpr-n of h dn; h rol of rlgon n h onruon of oun h ll of h houhold, oon, nd y; h rou hnh rd o proo o dgr of rlgou ngron hroughou h



43/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 281pr. i lo, howr, propo on pproh h y b worh xplor-ng furhr, h of ngng rlgon n h Ron pr n r of

h nrlokng dyn of prulrzon nd gnrlzon, whh i fur hrd by rully ll h rdon whn h pr (hJwh rdon bng prhp h pr xpon). By prulrzoni n rurrng ndny o dny god ry loly wh pflol nd o g h dnguhng ph h lnkd h o pr-ulr pl, , rb, or opogrphl fur; by gnrlzoni n h qully oon ndny o o h lol god whh ohr by h u of hrd n, onogrphy nd ul pr, nd

hu o knowldg h h god h on group worhppd n on plwr h h god nohr group worhppd n nohr (R2007: 86). an nnfon of ruur h upr-lol ll, uh ho ford by h Ron pr, rd o lr h ndnyowrd gnrlzon, whh nrhl lwy rnd blnd byh owrd prulrzon.

alhough h ud h i h nond o fr ll dl wh rlgon nh Ron pr n gnrl, o of h o ulng work n h rdl wh prulr rgon or ulurl rdon. i wll gn non ju

hr xpl. Frnkfurr (1998) ury rlgou lf n egyp durng hddl nd l Ron pr, foung on rdonl egypn pr nd

blf n llg nd ll own. alhough h book rh n pf dlnd nrpron of prulr phnon, wo jor h run hrough-ou. th fr n ph on rlgon lol, oll ndor ongo frly, fy, hlh, forun, dny, nd oll ol-dry (Frnkfurr 1998: 6); h , lol phnonon dlng whh b onrn of dy-o-dy lf. On Frnkfurr nly, howr,

h lol phnonon by no n old fro lrg-l dlop-n; ung h nhropologl odl of ll rdon n dlogu wh gr rdon, h ng h wy h lol nd rgonl rlgouuhor ulzd h do of rdonl egypn prly rdon, ofHllnzon nd lly of chrny wy o rpond o lol ndnd hu nn hr own poon. th ond nd obouly rldh h of onnuy nd rnforon, whh Frnkfurr

pro h r nbly nrlnkd: ulur rn o onr-on or rlgou dln ofn oun o oplx pro of brng

nw do nd dolog n ordr o rnrpr h, o ndgnz h(1998: 6). thu rdl hf n gr rdon, for xpl h ofro rdonl egypn rlgon o chrny, n b opnd byrobu onnuy n h ll rdon, h wy h lol populonrpdly urn o rd nd ru ruur of rlgou powr.



44/61

282 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)Foung on ry dffrn pr of h pr, Drk (1998) ud h

rnforon of rlgou rdon n norhwrn Gul. Drk book

porn no l bu offr odl ngon of rlgouorgnzon nd rlgou hng bd lo nrly on rhologlnd, o lr xn, pgrph dn, whh r wh gr h-odologl ophon ( h ry uful rw of Woolf 2000, whhxn h book whn h lrgr onx of urrn holrhp). Lkohr rn holr, Drk rj pl dhooy of Ronzonnd rn; rhr, uh rhr quon of lon, of rdfn-on of h dopd d nd good whn hr own ulurl onx nd of

h ron of nw ulurl for, norporng ln of boh ulur,whh dd no prouly x n hr ulur (Drk 1998: 241). thd, Drk r h ndny of lol group o kp hr own ul-url dny uh pobl...by nrodung ln fro Ronulur n h wd n (yh, rhur, rul pr) no hrown wy of lf nd hnkng, whou hng o drd h n ofhr own rdon (1998: 245). On of h o nrng rul ofh udy, howr, dld donron h h pro dd noopr n h wy n ll rgon bu w hpd by lol ologl

nd ono ondon; onqunly, ould rul n h rulonof nw group dn. Hng dnfd prn n whh group n hnorhrn pr of h udy r ld hr lol god o Hrul ndho n h ouhrn pr prfrrd mr, h onlud h

h dffrn bwn h old rbl oun dnhd whn h ofh wo on of h udy r (nd of h forr plurly of dffrngod hy now ll worhppd hr mr or Hrul), bu ho bwnh wo hl nrd. in h ul of hr prnpl god nw boundry

w ybollly dfnd whh w lo o b of gr gnfn n hl-Ron nd rly-dl prod (1998: 245).

anohr porn book wh fou on Gul h of vn andrng(2002), lhough dffr fro Drk n nubr of wy. vn andrnggogrphl op uh wdr hn Drk, nd h pproh h of horn rhr hn h of n rholog. th o porn dffrn,howr, on of ph. vn andrng rgu h rlgou rnfor-on of Gul w n ff funon of oo-poll rnforon, n

whh h rbl orgnzon of h pr-Ron prod w rpld by y of y- on h Gro-Ron odl. th hng h Ro

prnd nw wy of lng oghrld o h rgn of nw forof h dn. Y h Gllo-Ron y- wr no ndpndn poll



45/61

Rives Graeco-Roman Religion in the Roman Empire 283un lk ho of ll Gr, bu wr blhd fro h r prof rrorl pr. Hn, h ndolubl bond blhd bwn h

y nd h nrl powr nl n ry p of lol rlgon. thgod wr ndpnbl for prong h ouny, ju hy wr fordfnng h bond bwn h y, Ro nd h pror (vn andrng2002: 11). i would b nur o drb h rul of h dlopn knd of ynr, n hr w no fuon or xng of rlgou pr- or dn bng. On h onrry, rlgon llow on o rrnrbn n xrly pr wy, gn on of xn, h of oy (vn andrng 2002: 289). a or rn onrbuon (vn andrng

2007) offr onnn ury of h pproh h n ddon xnd op o h Ron pr whol. a h prl gornn rd onn lg of uonoou , h rng pon h ron of rlgouonru dfnd by h y n rlon o pf hory nd h pol-l dlogu hd blhd wh Ro. a h ,

h prd of dn powr of unrl hrr...nd h ll on h ygod o fgurd h pror nd h pr onrbud o h pprn of oon rlgou lngug. a oon rlgou lngug nd ry of

pnhon pf o h ounyh how on n dfn rlgon n

h Ron pr bgnnng n h ond nury ad (vn andrng 2007: 84).

alhough hr ondrbl ry n h rn work on rlgonn h Ron pron, i hop h brf rw ugg, uh of nol lr prnpl: onrn wh h prulr, r on lolondon, nd ny o h oplxy of ulurl nron.Prhp bo ll, hr n ph on h gny of lol populonwhn h pr, who r no longr n rly h p rpnor n h opponn of Gro-Ron ulur, bu h hprof hr own rlgou nd ulurl dny. sn h udy of rlgon nh Ron pron n ny wy ll n rly g, i hnk w nxp furhr nrng dlopn n h yr o o.

4. Conclusion

in h rw i h rd o prod n orw of wh i rgrd o

of h n rnd n rrh on Gro-Ron rlgon n h Ronpr or h l wo or hr dd. Prhp h o porndlopn h bn h roon of wh i h drbd h oldr nrr of Gro-Ron rlgou hory, h rgun h



46/61

284 Currents in Biblical Research 8.2 (2010)h dln of rdonl Gro-Ron rlgon n h Hlln nd n Rpubln Ro lf od h n h prl prod w flld,

on h on hnd, by h purly poll phnonon of prl ul nd,on h ohr, by yry/ornl rlgon, whh rd o h ulrlgou nd of h popul. to o xn, r of h up-on h undrpnnd h r nrr dlopd n nd wh nw odl for undrndng Gro-Ron rlgon, whh i hhr lld h polis-rlgon odl. aordng o h odl, wh nodrn wrn ulur dnfd rlgon hd no xn n hGro-Ron world dn r of hun y, bu w nd

bddd n h gnrl ruur of h nn y; hr w no rl-gou dny pr fro poll or dny, nd h n ofrlgon ly n rul rhr hn blf. alhough hpolis-rlgon odlh lf bn ubj o o ubnl rqu, ny of h hd no o uh o rfu nrly o rfn or o norpor whn wdr nd or flxbl odl. Bu n ho who h r-zd gnrlly ond h h plyd rul rol n u

Documents

a project report on Currents in Biblical Research 2010 Rives 240 99