Religion Among Ancient Greeks and Romans

An introduction to the variety of religious beliefs and practices in the world of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Topics include official state cults, unofficial forms of worship such as household religion and mystery cults, "Oriental" deities such as Mithras and Isis, and early Christianities. Students examine Greek and Roman sources that describe practices such as divination, prayer, and sacrifice, and analyze ancient philosophical, satirical, and polemical texts in order to appreciate the diversity of the Greeks' and Romans' thinking about their own religious traditions.