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Greek Religion Paperback – July 26, 1985

by Walter Burkert (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 48 ratings
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In this book Walter Burkert, the most eminent living historian of ancient Greek religion, has produced the standard work for our time on that subject. First published in German in 1977, it has now been translated into English with the assistance of the author himself. A clearly structured and readable survey for students and scholars, it will be welcomed as the best modern account of any polytheistic religious system.

Burkert draws on archaeological discoveries, insights from other disciplines, and inscriptions in Linear B to reconstruct the practices and beliefs of the Minoan–Mycenaean age. The major part of his book is devoted to the archaic and classical epochs. He describes the various rituals of sacrifice and libation and explains Greek beliefs about purification. He investigates the inspiration behind the great temples at Olympia, Delphi, Delos, and the Acropolis―discussing the priesthood, sanctuary, and oracles. Considerable attention is given to the individual gods, the position of the heroes, and beliefs about the afterlife. The different festivals are used to illuminate the place of religion in the society of the city-state. The mystery cults, at Eleusis and among the followers of Bacchus and Orpheus, are also set in that context. The book concludes with an assessment of the great classical philosophers’ attitudes to religion.

Insofar as possible, Burkert lets the evidence―from literature and legend, vase paintings and archaeology―speak for itself; he elucidates the controversies surrounding its interpretation without glossing over the enigmas that remain. Throughout, the notes (updated for the English-language edition) afford a wealth of further references as the text builds up its coherent picture of what is known of the religion of ancient Greece.

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  1. Print length
    512 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harvard University Press
  4. Publication date
    July 26, 1985
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0674362810
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0674362819
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book has established itself as a masterpiece, packed with learning but also rich in ideas and connections of every sort. Its appearance in a good English translation is an event not only for Hellenists but for all those interested in the study of religion… Nobody else could have produced an account of the subject of comparable range and power. This will be the best history of Greek religion for this generation.”―New York Review of Books

“Greek Religion…already has the standing of a classic, and the publication of an English version, which incorporates new material and is in effect a second edition, demands a toast… Anyone who pretends to survey Greek religion must be phenomenally learned. Burkert is. His book is a marvel of professional scholarship… Anyone with an interest in the ancient world can follow the book with pleasure and advantage. No one whose interest has been caught by the Parthenon or by Homer’s stories should miss it.”―Jonathan Barnes, London Review of Books

“In this new book by Walter Burkert, professor of Greek at the University of Zurich and possibly the most eminent living student of ancient Greek religion, we are given the opportunity to enter into this strange world [of ancient Greece]… Mr. Burkert has told his fascinating story not only with immense learning but in a way that captures the interest and sympathy of the reader.”―John Macquarrie, New York Times Book Review

“The subject of Greek religion has recently received a masterly and elegant treatment in Walter Burkert’s Greek Religion…beautifully translated by John Raffan. Like the Decalogue in the old saw, it arouses feelings of reverence not unmixed with awe at the author’s grasp of his material and the acuity with which he uses the insights of psychology and sociology to show how the forms of Greek religion were able to satisfy many of the deepest needs of men… One will not often read a book that illuminates so profoundly what it was like to live in ancient Greece.”―Richard Stoneman, History Today

“The German edition of this book was published in 1977, and the author has added references to important new publications since that date. The introduction has a survey of previous scholarship, a discussion of the sources, and an explanation of the scope of the volume. What this book seeks to do is to indicate the manifold variety of the evidence and the problems of its interpretation, always with an awareness of the provisional nature of the undertaking. This new paperback edition makes an important work available at an economic price.”―Manuscripta

“The many fine qualities of this book’s original German version (Griechische Religion der archaischen and klassichen Epoche, 1977) have been noted in a veritable forest of reviews… The present English translation, with updated references and an inexpensive paperback edition, offers the prospect of use by American teachers and/or students… It is comprehensive in subject, rich in evidence of many types…and current… It is a peculiar excellence of this book that its usefulness to scholars does not make it less appropriate for students. Its length, in fact, is not at all excessive for a college text, and its many subdivisions make it easy to excerpt.”―Robert M. Simms, New England Classical Newsletter

About the Author

Walter Burkert was Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of Zurich.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harvard University Press; Reprint edition (July 26, 1985)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0674362810
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0674362819
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.56 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 48 ratings

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Walter Burkert

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
48 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

J. COMER
5.0 out of 5 stars The best on this field.
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
Though it is an older book, this is simply the best in the field, now translated into English. There is an enormous quantity of citations over a hundred pages long for further study (if you live that long). Highly recommended for students of ancient religion inc Christian origins.
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Kaela
5.0 out of 5 stars Would highly recommend
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved it. Very detailed and it discusses all aspects including the prehistory, how it tied into politics, the stories of the gods and heroes, etc. I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about ancient Greece.
2 people found this helpful
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Nico Vela
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2017
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A great introduction to Greek Religion. This book was quite informative and is a great addition to my library.
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C. E. R. Mendonça
4.0 out of 5 stars A Functionalist analysis of Greek religion.
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2001
Verified Purchase
Basically, this book attempt to present Greek religion as it (supposedly) transits from a mythological explanation of the world, with the gods as concrete personifications of abstract notions, towards a rational religion where abstract attributes and social morals and philosophical ethics supersede mythology. Such an approach does little to explain the enormous resilience shown by Greek mythology until today, yet the account is enormously informative and gives much food for alternative thinking on the subject.Recommended as a handbook for the advanced student on the subject.
17 people found this helpful
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Heather
5.0 out of 5 stars While there is a distinctive modern psychological approach to the ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2018
While there is a distinctive modern psychological approach to the reasoning of a lot of practices, it is incredibly informative. There's a reason it's the go-to book for modern Hellenists.
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Sean Francisco Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic survey of religious practice in Ancient Greece
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2002
While the market for Mythology is flooded by books describing Greek Myth (with many excellent versions), too many have been reduced to neo-pagan re-usage, forcing the myths onto a modern metaphor. All too often, books cut and paste the myths into a new age ideal that melts Taosism, Buddhism, American SHamanism into a nasty blend devoid of any of the specific flavorings of any of these rich traditions.
Burkett's book doesn't d othis. If you want to know how the Ancient Greeks PRACTICED religion, this is a great book, filled with fantastic detail. Burkett is neither a Frazer/Campbell Synthesist, nor a true Levi-Strauss Structuralist. Like the latter group, he delves into the details, discussing how the individual greek cities and cults practiced their religion.
By the time the book is complete, the reader has a crystal clear picture of the everyday spiritual life of an ancient greek citizen, from the archaic to the philosophical (even the the curses and phrases).
More than that, the book gives a clear definition of what a Polytheistic system of beliefs is like.
I definite part of any student of Greek History or General Mythology and Religion.
63 people found this helpful
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Mitchel Weaver
3.0 out of 5 stars Very overwritten, but nevertheless informative and worth reading.
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2020
Like most highly praised academic work, it is excruciatingly long winded, spending page after painful page explaining how Sir So-and-so thought this about some aspect of Greek religion but then Sir So-and-so-else thought something else and then So-and-so-else-the-third even managed to think something, but Burkert doesn't agree with part of it because of etc etc etc.

If that's your bag, fine, but if you just want to know what Burkert thinks about Greek religion, I suggest doing a whole lot of skimming.

All that being said, there's some good information in here and it's worth taking a look at.
One person found this helpful
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Charissa Gilreath
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2000
Finally, a book that doesn't just go over the main Greek gods and goddesses, list a few of the festivals and some myths, and stop there. This book goes into great depth about what Greek religion was /really/ like, and the motivations, beliefs, and psychology behind it. Relying on archaeological evidence as well as other sources, this book gives an in depth look at ancient Greek religion, even confronting the issue of human sacrifice. Extensive notes in the back further flesh out this fantastic book, providing hundreds of other avenues and sources to explore. The author even provides an index of Greek words if you want to look a term up straight from the original Greek instead of wondering how it's been translated into English so you can look it up in the regular index. The writing might be slightly dense in some areas, but this isn't a problem as the subject is so interesting and so much information is presented. A truly scholarly book.
36 people found this helpful
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