
Civic Rites
Democracy and Religion in Ancient Athens
Nancy Evans(Author)
University of California Press
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 3. May 2010
Book
Hardback
296 pages
978-0-520-26202-7 (ISBN)
Description
"Civic Rites" explores the religious origins of Western democracy by examining the government of fifth-century BCE Athens in the larger context of ancient Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. Deftly combining history, politics, and religion to weave together stories of democracy's first leaders and critics, Nancy Evans gives readers a contemporary's perspective on Athenian society. She vividly depicts the physical environment and the ancestral rituals that nourished the people of the earliest democratic state, demonstrating how religious concerns were embedded in Athenian governmental processes. The book's lucid portrayals of the best-known Athenian festivals - honoring Athena, Demeter, and Dionysus - offer a balanced view of Athenian ritual and illustrate the range of such customs in fifth-century Athens.
Reviews / Votes
"Highly recommended ... provides a compelling narrative ... would be useful in any course on ancient Greece." Canadian Journal Of History "Undergraduate students of ancient Athens can profit from this book." Choice "A trustworthy, readable, well-organized, and enjoyable case study in the interrelationship between politics and religion in antiquity." Review Of Biblical LiteratureMore details
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Berkerley
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
12 b-w photographs and 3 maps
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
635 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-520-26202-7 (9780520262027)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2010
1st Edition
Naval Institute Press
€83.99
Available for download
Person
Nancy Evans is Associate Professor of Classics at Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts.
Content
Contents List of Illustrations Preface Introduction / The City of Pericles and Socrates One / Cleisthenes: The Family Curse behind Athenian Democracy Two / Athena: Religion and the Democratic Polis Three / Pericles: Empire and War in the City of Athena Four / Demeter: Civic Worship, Women's Rites, and the Eleusinian Mysteries Five / Alcibiades: Politics, Religion, and the Cult of Personality Six / Dionysus: Civic Rituals of Wine, Theater, and Transformation Seven / Socrates: Impiety Trials in the Restored Democracy Epilogue / The City after Socrates Glossary of Terms Suggested Further Readings by Chapter Bibliography Index