In the aftermath of the conquests of Alexander the Great, Greek culture spread widely and came into much closer contact with the civilizations of the Near East and Egypt. Each of these native religions also had diasporic centres that exhibited marked change during the Hellenistic period. These religions often had a goal of personal improvement, which would also extend to the afterlife. By the 3rd century BCE her worship had spread from Syria to Egypt and Greece, and eventually reached Italy and the west. [5], There is, however, no reason to suppose that there was a decline in the traditional religion. The history of Hellenistic religions is rarely the history of genuinely new religions. The first of these was established under Alexander, whose conquests, power, and status had elevated him to a degree that required special recognition. [2] Figurines, manufactured from bronze, lead, or terracotta, were pierced with pins or nails, and used to cast spells. The island was sacred as the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and by the 2nd century BCE was also home to the native Greek religions that follow Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, Hermes, Pan, and Asclepius. Hellenistic religion, any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of eastern Mediterranean peoples from 300 bc to ad 300. [2], Charms, often cut in precious or semi-precious stone, had protective power. Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Service Professor of the Humanities, University of Chicago. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. It incorporates study, ritual, philosophy, and what we call Mysteries, which are the deepest teachings of the religion. There were slaves belonging both to individuals and the state, but their lot was mitigated in general by a steadily growing humanity. The historical Hellenistic Age is defined as the period from the death of the Greco-Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great (323 bc) to the conquest of Egypt by Rome (30 bc), but the influence of the Hellenistic religions extended to the time of Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor (d. ad 337); these religions are confined to those that were active within the Mediterranean world. All of these philosophies, to a greater or lesser extent, sought to accommodate traditional Greek religion, but the philosophers, and those who studied under them, remained a small select group, limited largely to the educated elite.[7]. Ancient sacred books were translated or paraphrased into Greek—e.g., the 4th–3rd-century-bc Babylonian priest Berosus’ version of Babylonian materials, the 4th–3rd-century-bc Egyptian priest Manetho’s Egyptian accounts, the Jewish Septuagint (Greek version of the Old Testament), or the 1st-century-ad Jewish historian Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, and the ethnic histories of the 1st-century-bc Greek writer Alexander Polyhistor. What is Hellenismos? There’s arguably no Pagan religion that’s been as influential on language, politics, philosophy, art, and literature. It is based on the modern form of Hellenism called humanism clearly descended from the human centered worldview of the Greeks. [20], An alternative to traditional religion was offered by Hellenistic philosophy. It may be that it was eventually marginalized by, partially absorbed into or became progressively the Koiné-speaking core of Early Christianity centered on Antioch and its traditions, such as the Melkite Catholic Church, and the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch. The study of Hellenistic religions is a study of the dynamics of religious persistence and change in this vast and culturally varied area. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Ancient Greek practice of Hellenism lives on as a modern religion. Syncretism is inappropriate, he says, as it attempts to harmonize Hellenistic religious thought and behavior as a defined system while ignoring the differences: “syncretism betrays modern theological and historiographical concerns” (101). Magic was a central part of Greek religion[2] and oracles would allow people to determine divine will in the rustle of leaves; the shape of flame and smoke on an altar; the flight of birds; the noises made by a spring; or in the entrails of an animal. The English author John Fransham(1730–1810) was one example, considered an eccentric by his peers, who was also referred to as a pagan and a polytheist. Succinctly, Hellenismos is the ancient Greek religion, the worship of the Olympian Gods and all the myriad deities. [3] People were indoctrinated into mystery religions through initiation ceremonies, which were traditionally kept secret. [12] Serapis was patronized by the Greeks who had settled in Egypt. . This empire was so vast as truly to stagger the imagination. She was a healing and protecting goddess, and a guardian of fertility and wild nature. Hellenistic religion, systems of beliefs and practices of the people who lived under the influence of ancient Greek culture during the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire (c. 300 BCE to 300 CE) Modern. Another philosophy was Epicureanism, which taught that the universe was subject to the random movements of atoms, and life should be lived to achieve psychological contentment and the absence of pain. It was a time of spiritual revolution in the Greek and Roman empires, when old cults died or were fundamentally transformed and when new religious movements came into being. [16], Another innovation in the Hellenistic period was the institution of cults dedicated to the rulers of the Hellenistic kingdoms. Rather than a god who dwelt in his temple, the diasporic traditions evolved complicated techniques for achieving visions, epiphanies (manifestations of a god), or heavenly journeys to a transcendent god. In their homeland they were inextricably tied to local loyalties and ambitions. The period of Hellenistic influence, when taken as a whole, constitutes one of the most creative periods in the history of religions. [15] The members were known as Bacchants, and the rites had an orgiastic character. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The religion was brought to Greece by Egyptian priests, initially for the small Egyptian communities in the port cities of the Greek world. [14], The religion of Atargatis (related to the Babylonian and Assyrian Ishtar and Phoenician Ba`alat Gebal), a fertility- and sea goddess from Syria, was also popular. Central to Greek religion in classical times were the twelve Olympian deities headed by Zeus. Most notable was the shift from elements characteristic of native religion in its definition of religion (e.g., local tradition and custom, informal knowledge orally transmitted, and birth) to formulated dogma, creeds, law codes, and rules for conversion and admission that were characteristic of diasporic religion. Curse tablets made from marble or metal (especially lead) were used for curses. Many people practised magic, and this too represented a continuation from earlier times. ΘΕΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, Walter, N. Jüdisch-hellenistische Literatur vor Philon von Alexandrien (unter Ausschluss der Historiker), ANRW II: 20.1.67-120, Jerusalem during the Second Temple Period, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hellenistic_religion&oldid=988715049, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 14 November 2020, at 20:57. With few exceptions, each of these religions, originally tied to a specific geographic area and people, had traditions extending back centuries before the Hellenistic period. The concept of Hellenistic kingship was that of a personal monarch (Virgilio 2003, 129; Mooren 1983)—“the king is the state”—even though the concept of “state” as we know it did not exist then.The states that were the business, personal matters, and property of the king all are referred to in Greek by the plural ta pragmata. [15], These newly introduced religions and gods only had a limited impact within Greece itself; the main exception was at Delos,[9] which was a major port and trading center. Modern-day religions are central to the lives of billions of people around the world. This philosophy provided the foundation for Hellenism, which was devoted to the supremacy of human beings and human accomplishment. The Beginnings of Jewishness: Boundaries, Varieties, Uncertainties (Hellenistic Culture and Society Book 31) - Kindle edition by Cohen, Shaye J. Each persisted in its native land with little perceptible change save for its becoming linked to nationalistic or messianic movements (centring on a deliverer figure) seeking to overthrow Greco-Roman political and cultural domination. [1] At the local level, the landscape was filled with sacred spots and monuments; for example, many statues of Nymphs were found near and around springs, and the stylized figures of Hermes could often be found on street corners.[1]. The Hellenistic States. The religion came back in 1967, while Lithuania was under Soviet rule. In the diasporic centres, as is generally characteristic of immigrant groups, there were two circles. This resulted in the export of Greek culture and language to these new realms, spanning as far as modern-day India. [9], The Egyptian religion which follows Isis was the most famous of the new religions. A Personal Monarchy. In the Hellenistic age they attained a position essentially similar to that of modern Europe. Despite the remarkable expansion of trade in the Hellenistic Age, no industrial revolution ever took place, for reasons which have already been noted. D.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Hellenic Paganism, as of Holy Fury (Patch 3.0), can now be revived as a religion. Loading... Unsubscribe from Rational Pagan? It was created during an age characterized by a strong sense of history. Its membership was drawn from the ethnic group for whom the deity was indigenous, and the group tended to continue to speak the native language. Today, much of modern Christianity has become inseparable from Greek philosophy and thought. Extending from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Indus River, from the forests of Germany and the steppes of Russia to the Sahara Desert and the Indian Ocean, it took in an area of some 1.5 million square miles (3.9 million square kilometres; most of Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Africa, Persia, and the borderlands of India) and had a total population of more than 54 million. [7] Other philosophies included Pyrrhonism which taught how to attain inner peace via suspension of judgment; Cynicism (philosophy), which expressed contempt for convention and material possessions; the Platonists who followed the teachings of Plato, and the Peripatetics who followed Aristotle. Hellenistic religion, any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of eastern Mediterranean peoples from 300 bc to ad 300. In Fransham's 1769 book The Oestrum of Orpheus, he advanced a theolo… Although rare in mainland Greece, it was common on the islands and in Anatolia. [20] The Greeks, in the Hellenistic era, elaborated it into the fantastically complex system of Hellenistic astrology familiar to later times. The period of Hellenistic influence, when taken as a whole, constitutes one of the most creative periods in the history of religions. Change came from the addition of new religions from other countries, including the Egyptian deities Isis and Serapis, and the Syrian gods Atargatis and Hadad, which provided a new outlet for people seeking fulfillment in both the present life and the afterlife. There was much continuity in Hellenistic religion: people continued to worship the Greek gods and to practise the same rites as in Classical Greece. [10], Another mystery religion was focused around Dionysus. The New Testament and other parts of the Bible are considered Hellenistic in form, and much of Christian art throughout the centuries has been based on a Greek artistic and sculptural sensibility. 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