This insightful read traces the development of the principal Western religions and their philosophical counterparts from the beginnings of Alexander the Great's empire in 331 B.C.E. to the emergence of the Christian world in the fourth century C.E.

Zeus and the other gods of shining Olympus were in reality divine only by popular consent. Over the course of time Olympian luster diminished in favor of religious experiences more immediate to the concerns of people living in an increasingly cosmopolitan ancient world. These experiences were provided by the mysteries, religions that flourished particularly during the Hellenistic period and were secretly practiced by groups of adherents who decided, through personal choice, to be initiated into the profound realities of one deity or another. Unlike the official state religions, in which people were expected to make an outward show of allegiance to the local gods, the mysteries emphasized an inwardness and privacy of worship within a closed band of initiates. In this book, Marvin W. Meyer explores the sacrifices and prayers, the public celebrations and secret ceremonies, the theatrical performances and literary works, the gods and goddesses that were a part of the mystery religions of Greece in the seventh century B.C. to the Judaism and Christianity of the Roman world of the seventh century A.D.

This is the sixth edition of the classic textbook that has been introducing Paul and his writing to seminary and undergraduate students for over forty years. Roetzel provides a comprehensive look at Paul in light of recent scholarship and theological understandings of Paul. This new edition includes four brand-new sections on the following: the chronology of Paul's letters; Paul's concept of "law" in the context of messianic expectation; the religious and political contexts in which Paul's letters were written; and Jewish understandings of Gentiles and Paul's mission to include them among the elect of God. This long-established textbook is the ideal choice for any student of Paul.

Spanning the period from Alexander the Great's accession to the throne in 336 BC to the defeat by Octavian of Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BC, this volume provides a vivid account of the innovative civilization of the Hellenistic world.

Private associations organized around a common cult, profession, ethnic identity, neighbourhood or family were common throughout the Greco-Roman antiquity, offering opportunities for sociability, cultic activities, mutual support and a context in which to display and recognize virtuous achievement. This volume collects a representative selection of inscriptions from associations in Attica, Central Greece, Macedonia, Thrace, published with English translations, brief explanatory notes, commentaries and full indices. This volume is essential for several areas of study: ancient patterns of social organization; the organization of diasporic communities in the ancient Mediterranean; models for the structure of early Christian groups; and forms of sociability, status-displays, and the vocabularies of virtue.