RLB223 Roman Emperor Worship

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable
Wed 16:40–18:15 VP
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Základní orientace v antických náboženstvích, dějinách antického světa a znalost religionistické terminologie. Vzhledem k téměř naprosté neexistenci odborné literatury na dané téma v českém jazyce je rovněž doporučena znalost anglického nebo německého jazyka.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main objective of the course is to provide a comprehensive introduction into Roman Imperial Cult, in all its varieties and with regard to its various contexts. Special attention will be paid to the methodological problems that complicate the study of this religious institution in modern scholarship, not only among scholars of religions but also among classicists, historians and New Testament theologians concerned with the study of Early Christianities. The main problem seems to reside in anachronistic understanding of the difference between religion and politics as it is applied in modern European thinking which is completely irrelevant from the ancient perspective and it leads scholars to diminish the importance of Roman Imperial Cult and treat it as a futile exchange system of political honors and practical benefits, if not to direct rejection of the whole system as a shameful act of hypocrisy. The lectures will try to demonstrate the obviously anachronistic nature of these misconceptions and to put the study of the Roman Imperial Cult on the methodologically more solid and objective foundations.
The target group are primarily magisterial students of the Study of Religions, but interested persons from other subjects of study (e.g. Classical Studies, Classical Archaeology, History etc.) are also invited to participate.
At the end of the course students will :
- be able to demonstrate the knowledge of fundametal features of the Roman imperial cult
- be able to describe preconditions and mechanisms necessary for successful operation of the Roman imperial cult
- have an enhanced knowledge of the history of the study of the Roman imperial cult during the 20th century and major trends at the beginning of 21st century
- be able to analyze critically the most important methodological problems complicating the study of Roman imperial cult
- be able to critically interpret our most important literary sources and archeological discoveries concerning Roman Imperial Cult
- understand the general difference of Roman perspectives on religion and politics compared to those common in modern Europe
Syllabus
  • 0. Introduction to the course; 1. Roman Imperial Cult: Outlines of Its History; 2. Forerunners of Roman Imperial Cult in the Ancient World; 3. Origins of Roman Imperial Cult: From Scipio Africanus to Gaius Iulius Caesar; 4.  Seminary I.; 5. Roman Imperial Cult: How Did It Work?; 6. The Iconography of Roman Imperial Cult; 7.  Roman Imperial Cult and Roman Provinces; 8.  Roman Imperial Cult and Jews and Christians; 9. Roman Imperial Cult as a Methodological Problem: Causes and Consequences; 10. Divinity of Roman Emperors: A political Tool or a System of Religious Worship?; 11. Seminary II. 12. Final Discussion
Literature
  • RÜPKE, Jörg. Náboženství Římanů. Translated by David Sanetrník. Vydání první. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2007, 341 stran. ISBN 9788070218075. info
  • CLAUSS, Manfred. Kaiser und Gott. Herrscherkult im römischen Reich. Stuttgart - Lepzig: Teubner, 1999. info
  • GRADEL, Ittai. Emperor Worship and Roman Religion. New York - Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. info
  • PRICE, Simon R. F. Ritual and Power. The Roman imperial cult in Asia Minor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984. info
  • BEARD, Mary, John NORTH and Simon PRICE. Religions of Rome. Vol. 1, A history. 1st publ. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, xxiv, 454. ISBN 0-521-30401-6. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminars and class discussions. Home reading of texts concerning themes of individual lectures and seminars is required. Students have the duty to submit position papers to each seminar.
Assessment methods
1) In time submission of position papers to seminar reading subjects; 2) Attendance at seminars and active participation in seminar discussions; 3) In time submission of a semestral paper accepted by the teacher; 4) Successful completion of a colloquium (defense of the semestral paper; examination of the subject matter of the course).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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