Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Posits that polytheism, and Roman polytheism in particular, can help societies navigate political, social, and religious diversity." * Publishers Weekly *
"This small book is excellent for high school and college students, enthusiasts of the history of religions, and anyone who is curious about interreligious dialogue and its difficulties. This book is highly recommended. One will find none better." * World History Encyclopedia *
"A valuable and long-overdue work." * Reading Religion *
Table of ContentsContents
Introduction: The Gods in Exile
1. Sacrificing the Nativity Scene and Bombing the Mosque
2. Festivity Figurines: Animals, Shepherds, Three Kings
3. End of the Year Figurines: Sigilla, Sigillaria, and Compitalia
4. A Life Through Figurines: The Lararium
5. Thou Shalt Have No Other God Before Me
6. Translating the Gods, Translating God
7. Grammatical Paradoxes: The Name of God
8. The Interpretatio of the Gods
9. Polytheism, Curiosity, and Knowledge
10. What If Monotheisms Were Just Polytheisms in Disguise?
11. Tolerance vs. Interpretatio
12. Polytheism as Language
13. Giving Citizenship to the Gods
14. The Long Shadow of Words
15. The Twilight of Writing, the Sunset of Scripture
Appendix A. Religious Tolerance and Intolerance in the Ancient World
Appendix B. The Ups and Downs of Paganus
Notes
Bibliography
