For over a thousand years, the practice of animal sacrifice held a central place in ancient Graeco-Roman culture as a means of both demonstrating piety to the gods and structuring social relationships. As Christianity took root in Rome in the third century CE, the cultural role of this practice changed dramatically. In Animal Sacrifice in the Roman Empire (31 BCE-395 CE), J. B. Rives explores the shifting socio-economic, political, and cultural significance of animal sacrifice in crucial period of change.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Dedication
- Table of Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Chapter 1. Introduction
- Part I. The Practice of Animal Sacrifice in the Roman Empire
- Prologue: The Sacrifices of Nestor (Odyssey 3.5-66 and 418-72)
- Chapter 2. The Economics of Animal Sacrifice
- Chapter 3. Animal Sacrifice and Euergetism in the Roman Empire
- Chapter 4. Animal Sacrifice and Graeco-Roman Culture
- Chapter 5. Animal Sacrifice and the Roman Emperor
- Epilogue
- Part II. Discourses of Animal Sacrifice in Graeco-Roman Culture and Early Christianity
- Prologue: Paul and Barnabas at Lystra (Acts 14.8-18)
- Chapter 6. Theorizing Animal Sacrifice I: From Hesiod to Plutarch (c.700 BCE to c.100 CE)
- Chapter 7. The Early Christian Displacement of Animal Sacrifice (c.50-c.150 CE)
- Chapter 8. Theorizing Animal Sacrifice II: From Apollonius to Iamblichus (c.100-c.300 CE)
- Epilogue
- Part III. Transformations of Animal Sacrifice in Late Antiquity
- Prologue: The Decree of Decius (SB I.443)
- Chapter 9. The Obligations of Empire: Decius to the Tetrarchs (250-313 CE)
- Chapter 10. From Roman to Pagan: Constantine to Theodosius I (313-395 CE)
- Epilogue
- Chapter 11. The End of Animal Sacrifice?
- References
