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7 results

  • 13 - Herodotus and Greek religion
  • Edited by Carolyn Dewald, Bard College, New York, John Marincola, Florida State University
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to Herodotus
  • Published online: 28 January 2007
  • Print publication: 08 June 2006, pp 192-208
  • View extract

    Summary

    The Histories contains a great deal of information about specific elements of Greek religion, from sacrificial practice to oracles delivered at Delphi, but questions about the general role of religion in the work and about Herodotus' own religious attitudes suggest themselves to every reader and are the natural focus of a brief account. What distinguishes Herodotus' treatment of religion from that of other writers? Is there an overarching religious theme in the Histories? Can we construct a Herodotean theology? Difficulty in answering these questions is caused by the contrast between Herodotus' largely uncritical handling of religious material and his few critical or sceptical statements of general import. Most scholars focus on the former and neglect or explain away the latter; others, notably Burkert, stress the scepticism without adequately reconciling it with the usual, uncritical treatment. I attempt such a reconciliation here, primarily on the basis of Herodotus' ambivalent attitude to custom and convention (nomos).