RLB249 Divination in Ancient Religions

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2009
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Dušan Lužný, Dr.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable
Fri 27. 2. 16:40–18:15 J31, Fri 27. 3. 16:40–18:15 J31, Fri 24. 4. 16:40–18:15 J31
Prerequisites (in Czech)
RLB23 Ancient Near Eastern Religions || RLB24 Graeco-Roman Religions || RLB206 Roman Religion || RLB238 Greek Religion || RLB239 Hellenistic Religions
Vzhledem k nedostatku moderní literatury v češtině věnované problematice věštění ve starověkých náboženstvích je doporučena znalost anglického jazyka. K zápisu do kurzu je (v případě religionistů v bakalářském studiu) vyžadováno předchozí absolvování alespoň jednoho ze základních bakalářských kurzů věnovaných starověkým náboženským tradicím (RLB23 – Starověká náboženství Předního Východu; RLB24 – Náboženství antiky; RLB206 – Římské náboženství; RLB238 – Řecké náboženství; RLB239 – Helénistická náboženství).
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 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course provides a comprehensive introduction into the study of various methods of divination used in ancient religions, taking into account their historical and social context. The lectures concentrate especially on the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, but try to expand the subject with relevant examples taken from older civilizations of Asia Minor, Middle East or Egypt. The course discusses the most important strategies of divination and typology of persons concerned with this activity and tries to interpret them in regard to the prevalent contemporary political, cultural and religious conditions. The lectures accentuate larger social implications and cognitive predispositions which could decisively help to endorse the credibility of divination as useful strategy of attainment of critical information otherwise inaccessible to humans.
At the end of the course students will:
- have an enhanced knowledge of elementary facts about divination in ancient religions
- be familiar with the history of the study of ancient divination during the 20th century and major trends at the beginning of 21st century
- be able to critically interpret our most important literary sources and archeological discoveries concerning divination in antiquity
- be able to analyze the role that divination played in the life of inhabitants of the ancient world
Syllabus
  • 0. Introduction to the course; 1. Divination in Ancient Religions – An Introduction; 2. Seers, Prophets and Oracles in the Antiquity; 3. Seminar I.; 4. Sibylline Books and Other Prophetic Texts; 5. Prodigies and Omens; 6. Divination from Birds and from Animal Entrails (Hepatoscopy) 7. Seminar II.; 8. Necromancy(Consultations of the Dead) and "Magical Divination"; 9. Divination from the Dreams and Astrology; 10. Seminar III. 11. Why Divination: The Role of Divination in the Ancient World. 12. End-of-term test.
Literature
  • Věštění a prorokování v archaických kulturách. Edited by Tomáš Vítek - Jiří Starý - Dalibor Antalík. Vyd. 1. V Praze: Hermann & synové, 2006, 261 s. ISBN 8087054040. info
  • CURNOW, Trevor. The oracles of the ancient world. 1st pub. London: Duckworth, 2004, xxvii, 180. ISBN 0715631942. info
  • VANDENBERG, Philippe. Tajemství věštíren. Frýdek-Místek: Alpress, 2002. info
  • RÜPKE, Jörg. Náboženství Římanů. Translated by David Sanetrník. Vydání první. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2007, 341 stran. ISBN 9788070218075. info
  • BURKERT, Walter. Griechische Religion : der archaischen und klassischen Epoche. 1. Aufl. Stuttgart: W. Kohlhammer, 1977, 508 s. ISBN 3170043455. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminars and class discussions. Reading of texts concerning themes of individual lectures and seminars is required, as well as in time submission of position papers prior to seminars.
Assessment methods
1) successful passing of end-of-term test (at least 60 points from 100 possible); 2) in time submission of position papers to seminar reading subjects; 3) sufficient attendance at seminars and lectures (at least 70%) and active participation in seminar discussions.
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 2008.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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