DSBcB031 Oriental and Mystery Cults in the Ancient Mediterranean

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2020
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Martin Šmerda (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 16:00–17:40 K24
Prerequisites
( SOUHLAS ) && (! DSBcB31 Mediterranean Oriental Cults )
*** WARNING *** The course under this code is meant for students, who matriculated in 2018 or in previous years, only. All the others must be enrolled under the new code DSBcB31.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Students will gain general knowledge about eastern and mystery cults in ancient mediterranean and their original roots. In closing lectures, they will become familiar with complicated relationship between paganism and newly evolving Christianity until the end of paganism including mystery cults. Lectures are divided by individual cults.
Learning outcomes
Student after absolving this class: - will be familiarised with main and lesser oriental and mystery cults.;
- will know the character of these cults and will be able to know the differences between them.;
- will know the origins of these cults (concerning cult of Isis and cult of Mithra).;
- will be familiarised with the problematic of religious development in roman empire between 1st and 4th century AD, therefore with the problematic relationship between original religions and cults with evolving and spreading Christian religion.;
Syllabus
  • Introductory class, basic information
  • Eleusinian mysteries
  • Cult of Cybele
  • Cult of Isis - formation and development of the original cult in Egypt.
  • Cult of Isis - development of the cult in Hellenistic period and its spreading in the Mediterranean. Roman cult of Isis.
  • Cult of Mithra - Oldest beginnings in indo-iranian region, Rgved. Persian Mithra and Zoroastrism, Avesta
  • Cult of Mithras - spreading of the cult in the Mediterranean, roman mithraism
  • Minor cults of Jupiter Dolichenus, Sol Invictus and Juno Caelestis.
  • Origin and development of early christianity and its reflection in ancient sources. Paganism vs. Christianity. Prosecutions of Christians.
  • Religious development in Roman empire during 4th century AD. Constantine the Great and his family. Julian the Apostate and his reforms.
  • End of Paganism. Imperial Edicts against Pagans. First Heresies of ancient Christianity. Gnosis and Manicheism.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Histoire des croyances et des idées religieuses. [T.] 2, De Gautama Bouddha au triomphe du christianisme (Orig.) : Dějiny náboženského myšlení. 2, Od Gautamy Buddhy k triumfu křesťanství. info
  • ALVAR, Jaime. Romanising oriental gods : myth, salvation and ethics in the cults of Cybele, Isis and Mithras. Translated by Richard Gordon. Leiden: Brill. xx, 486. ISBN 9789004132931. 2008. info
  • BECK, Roger. The religion of the Mithras cult in the Roman Empire : mysteries of the unconquered sun. 1st publ. in paperback. Oxford: Oxford University Press. xiii, 285. ISBN 9780199216130. 2007. info
  • TURCAN, Robert. Mithra a mithraismus. Praha: Vyšehrad. ISBN 80-7021-708-1. 2004. info
  • WITT, R. E. Isis in the ancient world. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Uiversity Press. 336 s. ISBN 0801856426. 1997. info
  • ELIADE, Mircea. Dějiny náboženského myšlení. I., Od doby kamenné po eleusinská mystéria. 1. vyd. Praha: OIKOYMENH. 429 s. 1995. info
  • CLINTON, Kevin. Myth and cult : the iconography of the Eleusinian mysteries : the Martin P. Nilsson lectures on Greek religion, delivered 19-21 November 1990 at the Swedish Institute at Athens. Stockholm: Paul Åström. 209 s. ISBN 9179160255. 1992. info
  • MYLONAS, George E. Eleusis and the Eleusinian mysteries. 1st pub. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University. xx, 345. ISBN 0691002053. 1961. info
Teaching methods
Lecture, communal reading of textual sources, discussion.
Assessment methods
Active participation on lectures, written test (at least 100/150 points).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught once in three years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
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