Table of Contents

Introduction Sarah Iles Johnston Note on Translation and Transliteration Abbreviations Maps Encountering Ancient Religions What Is Ancient Mediterranean Religion? Fritz Graf Monotheism and Polytheism Jan Assmann Ritual Jan Bremmer Myth Fritz Graf Cosmology: Time and History John J. Collins Pollution, Sin, Atonement, Salvation Harold W. Attridge Law and Ethics Eckart Otto Mysteries Sarah Iles Johnston Religions in Contact John Scheid Writing and Religion Mary Beard Magic Sarah Iles Johnston Histories Egypt Jan Assmann and David Frankfurter Mesopotamia Paul-Alain Beaulieu Syria and Canaan David P. Wright Israel John J. Collins Anatolia: Hittites David P. Wright Iran William Malandra and Michael Stausberg Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations Nanno Marinatos Greece Jon Mikalson Etruria Olivier de Cazanove Rome John North Early Christianity Harold W. Attridge Epilogue Bruce Lincoln Contributors Index

About the Author

Sarah Iles Johnston is Professor of Greek and Latin at Ohio State University.