Mystery cults of the ancient world

• Main Author: Bowden, Hugh (Author)
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Princeton, New Jersey Princeton University Press c2010
• Subjects: Μυστήρια, Θρησκευτικά; Πολιτισμός, Αρχαίος > Θρησκεία; Λατρεία; Ελλάδα > Θρησκεία; Ρώμη > Θρησκεία

"This is the first book to describe and explain all of the ancient world's major mystery cults -- one of the most intriguing but least understood aspects of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal Mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically re-enacted the story of Demeter's los...

Table of Contents:

• The Eleusinian mysteries
• The mysteries of the Kabeiroi and the great gods of Samothrace
• Other mystery sanctuaries in the Greek world
• The mother of the gods
• Dionysus
• Private initiation
• Words written on gold
• Isis
• Mithras
• The end of the mysteries
• Encountering the sacred.