The Pagan World: Ancient Religions before Christianity

Take a close, behind-the-scenes look at religion and life in the ancient Mediterranean world to see how early pagan religions helped shape the world as we know it today.

Syllabus

01: Early Pagan Religion in Mesopotamia
02: The Rigveda and the Gods of Ancient India
03: State Religion in Ancient Egypt
04: From Myth to Religion: The Olympian Deities
05: Household and Local Gods in Ancient Greece
06: Feeding the Gods: Sacrificial Religion
07: Prayers, Vows, Divination, and Omens
08: Delphi and Other Greek Sanctuaries
09: Cults and Mystery Religions
10: Philosophical Critiques of Paganism
11: Greek Funerary Practices and the Afterlife
12: Egyptian Influences on Ancient Religion
13: Ancient Roman Ancestor Worship
14: Gods of the Roman Household
15: Gods of the Roman State
16: Priests and Ceremonies in the Roman Republic
17: Religion, Politics, and War in Rome
18: Rome’s Reactions to Foreign Religions
19: The Roman Calendar and Sacred Days
20: Julius Caesar: A Turning Point in Roman Religion
21: Emperor Worship in Rome
22: Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians
23: Popular Religions of Late Antiquity
24: The End of Paganism in the Roman Empire
By This Professor

Taught by

Hans-Friedrich Mueller, Ph.D.

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