The second (or outer circle) was composed of either second- and third-generation immigrants or converts from groups for whom the religion was not native. 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. There was much continuity in Hellenistic religion: people continued to worship the Greek gods and to practise the same rites as in Classical Greece. People sought to escape from the despotism of this world and its rulers (exemplified by the seven planetary spheres) and to ascend to another world of freedom. The decline of Hellenistic Judaism started in the 2nd century AD, and its causes are still not fully understood. 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. The religion came back in 1967, while Lithuania was under Soviet rule. Oracular shrines and sanctuaries were still popular. This philosophy provided the foundation for Hellenism, which was devoted to the supremacy of human beings and human accomplishment. For example, Isis (Egypt), Baal (Syria), the Great Mother (Phrygia), Yahweh (Palestine), and Mithra (Kurdistan) were worshiped in their native lands as well as in Rome and other cosmopolitan centres. Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Service Professor of the Humanities, University of Chicago. [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. Until the fall of the Roman Empire and the Muslim conquests of the Eastern Mediterranean, the main centers of Hellenistic Judaism were Alexandria (Egypt) and Antioch (now Southern Turkey), the two main Greek urban settlements of the Middle East and North Africa area, both founded at the end of the 4th century BC in the wake of the conquests of Alexander the Great. [13] Strabo wrote of the Serapeion at Canopus near Alexandria as being patronized by the most reputable men. The Hellenistic political outlook was essentially cosmopolitan; nothing comparable to the national patriotism of modern times really prevailed. . The difference between these groups was responsible for many shifts in the character of the religion. [20], An alternative to traditional religion was offered by Hellenistic philosophy. One of these philosophies was Stoicism, which taught that life should be lived according to the rational order which the Stoics believed governed the universe; human beings had to accept their fate as according to divine will, and virtuous acts should be performed for their own intrinsic value. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? She was a healing and protecting goddess, and a guardian of fertility and wild nature. It was created during an age characterized by a strong sense of history. Religion from the death of Alexander to the reformation of Augustus: 323–27, Religion from the Augustan reformation to the death of Marcus Aurelius: 27, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hellenistic-religion, ReligionFacts - Hellenic Reconstructionism. Elsewhere, practice varied; a ruler might receive divine status without the full status of a god,[9] as occurred in Athens in 307 BCE, when Antigonus I Monophthalmus and Demetrius I Poliorcetes were honored as saviors (soteres) for liberating the city, and, as a result, an altar was erected; an annual festival was founded; and an office of the "priest of the Saviours" was introduced. THE RELIGION OF THE HELLENISTIC AGE. Hellenism (Greek: Ellinismós, Latin: Hellenismus ), also less frequently called Olympianism (Greek: Olympianismós, Latin: Olympianismus) or Dodekatheism (Greek: Dodekatheïsmós, Latin: Duodecimdeismus ), is the traditional polytheistic and animistic orthopraxic religion, lifestyle, aesthetics, and ethos of the ancient Graeco-Roman world, and is the indigenous religion of the … [12] Serapis was patronized by the Greeks who had settled in Egypt. This empire was so vast as truly to stagger the imagination. Many people practised magic, and this too represented a continuation from earlier times. This religion involved initiation rites like the Eleusinian Mysteries. 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. Hellenistic people saw themselves as exiles from their true home, the Beyond, and they sought for ways to return. 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. The major literary product of the contact of Second Temple Judaism and Hellenistic culture is the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible from Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Aramaic to Koiné Greek, specifically, Jewish Koiné Greek. Each of these native traditions likewise underwent hellenization (modifications based on Greek cultural ideas), but in a manner frequently different from their diasporic counterparts. 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. Hellenic Paganism, as of Holy Fury (Patch 3.0), can now be revived as a religion. Certain cult centres remained sites of pilgrimage or objects of sentimental attachment; but the old beliefs in national deities and the inextricable relationship of the deity to certain sacred places was weakened. [20] Interest in astrology grew rapidly from the 1st century BCE onwards. 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. Modern-day religions are central to the lives of billions of people around the world. [9] Although the Egyptian religion found only a small audience among the Greeks themselves, her popularity spread under the Roman empire,[10] and Diodorus Siculus wrote that the religion was known throughout almost the whole inhabited world. On Hellenistic religion see Graham Shipley, The Greek World after Alexander: 323-30 BC (New York: Routledge, 2000): 153-76; Erskine, ed., A Companion to the Hellenistic World: 405-445. Hellenism (neoclassicism), an aesthetic movement in … Mentionable are also the philosophic and ethical treatises of Philo and the historiographical works of the other Hellenistic Jewish authors.[21][22]. The history of Hellenistic religions is rarely the history of genuinely new religions. [17] Ptolemy's son Ptolemy II Philadelphus proclaimed his late father a god, and made himself a living god. 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. "Hellenistic" is a modern word and a 19th-century concept; the idea of a Hellenistic period did not exist in ancient Greece.Although words related in form or meaning, e.g. ... into connection with the widespread pagan myth of a dying and rising saviour-god. Hellenistic artists copied and adapted earlier styles, and also made great innovations. Today, much of modern Christianity has become inseparable from Greek philosophy and thought. Hellenismos is the term used to describe the modern equivalent of the traditional Greek religion. Hellenistic religion, any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of eastern Mediterranean peoples from 300 bc to ad 300. During the 18th century, several notable authors and freethinkers embraced Ancient Greek religion to some extent, studying and translating ancient works of theology and philosophy, and in some cases composing original hymns and devotionals to the Ancient Greek pantheon. . 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. Rather it is best understood as the study of archaic Mediterranean religions in their Hellenistic phase within both their native and diasporic settings. Martin critiques the modern concept of syncretism to describe Hellenistic religions. The study of Hellenistic religions is a study of the dynamics of religious persistence and change in this vast and culturally varied area. The civic religion of the Greeks as it was in the age of the city-states had now almost entirely disappeared. "This is a book that makes extensive and expert use of the epigraphic evidence for Hellenistic Athens (with sizeable pasages quoted in translation). D.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. [2], Astrology — the belief that stars and planets influence a person's future — arose in Babylonia, where it was originally only applied to the king or nation. The Ancient Greek practice of Hellenism lives on as a modern religion. - Confronting the Hellenism of Today "Man," said the Greek philosopher Protagoras (481-411 BC), "is the measure of all things of what is and what is not." It was called the Romuva movement, a call to connect Lithuanians back to their roots. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [10] The religion following Cybele (or the Great Mother) came from Phrygia to Greece and then to Egypt and Italy, where in 204 BCE the Roman Senate permitted her worship. Curse tablets made from marble or metal (especially lead) were used for curses. The empire of Alexander and his successors created a great world community which, whether in Macedonian, Greco-Roman, or its later Christian form, established a cultural unity that was destined to be broken only 1,000 years later with the advent of Muslim imperialism (beginning in 7th century ad). Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. The period of Hellenistic influence, when taken as a whole, constitutes one of the most creative periods in the history of religions. Elsewhere, rulers might receive divine status without achieving the full status of a god. The period of Hellenistic influence, when taken as a whole, constitutes one of the most creative periods in the history of religions. Throughout the Hellenistic world, people would consult oracles, and use charms and figurines to deter misfortune or to cast spells. Religion in the Hellenistic Age If there was one aspect of the Hellenistic civilization which served more than others to accent the contrast with Hellenic culture, it was the new trend in religion. When the Union fell, though, they were once again free to practice their religion in the open. For the faithful, religious practice provides a link between humanity and the spiritual world, joining people together in communities of worship and service. Almost every religion in this period occurred in both its homeland and in diasporic centres—the foreign cities in which its adherents lived as minority groups. It is based on the modern form of Hellenism called humanism clearly descended from the human centered worldview of the Greeks. Both the inner and outer circles fostered esotericism (secrets to be known only by initiates)—the former by its use of native language and its oral recollection of traditions from the homeland; the latter by its use of allegory and other similar methods to radically reinterpret the sacred texts. [16], Another innovation in the Hellenistic period was the institution of cults dedicated to the rulers of the Hellenistic kingdoms. 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. [1], Religious practice would also involve the worship of heroes, people who were regarded as semi-divine. The first of these was established under Alexander, whose conquests, power, and status had elevated him to a degree that required special recognition. For many scholars the Hellenistic age saw the emise of traditional state religion and the rise of more personal cults, thus leaving the Greeks vulnerable to the missionary zeal of Christianity. Hellenistic art is richly diverse in subject matter and in stylistic development. For the first time, there were museums and great libraries, such as those at Alexandria and Pergamon. These religions often had a goal of personal improvement, which would also extend to the afterlife. Despite the remarkable expansion of trade in the Hellenistic Age, no industrial revolution ever took place, for reasons which have already been noted. It was a time of spiritual revolution in the Greek (Greek religion) and Roman (Roman religion) empires, when old cults died or were fundamentally transformed and when new religious movements came into being. [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. Hellenism and Wicca: A Perfect Fit. Symbols would be placed on the doors of houses to bring good luck or deter misfortune for the occupants within. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Although rare in mainland Greece, it was common on the islands and in Anatolia. Hellenistic Judaism also existed in Jerusalem during the Second Temple Period, where there was conflict between Hellenizers and traditionalists (sometimes called Judaizers). The religion was brought to Greece by Egyptian priests, initially for the small Egyptian communities in the port cities of the Greek world. His successors continued his worship to the point where in Egypt under Ptolemy I Soter, we find Alexander being honored as a god. The concept of Hellenistic religion as the late form of Ancient Greek religion covers any of the various 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). It is usually by concentrating on the diaspora that the Hellenistic character of a cult has been described. There were slaves belonging both to individuals and the state, but their lot was mitigated in general by a steadily growing humanity. [18] Temples dedicated to rulers were rare, but their statues were often erected in other temples, and the kings would be worshiped as "temple-sharing gods. In the diasporic centres, as is generally characteristic of immigrant groups, there were two circles. 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]. 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. The popular image of a nude Aphrodite, for example, reflects the increased secularization of traditional religion. [16] By the 1st century BCE there were additional religions that followed Ba'al and Astarte, a Jewish Synagogue and Romans who followed the original Roman religions of gods like Apollo and Neptune. . From Palestine to Persia one may trace the rise of Wisdom literature (the teachings of a sage concerning the hidden purposes of the deity) and apocalyptic traditions (referring to a belief in the dramatic intervention of a god in human and natural events) that represent these central concerns—i.e., national destiny, the importance of traditional lore, the saving power of kingship, and the revival of mythic images. 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. Hellenistic religion, any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of eastern Mediterranean peoples from 300 bc to ad 300. A Personal Monarchy. In Dawson's words, this "synthesis has remained the foundation of Western culture and has never been destroyed." 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 … There was a noticeable lessening of concern on the part of the members of the dispersed religious group for the destiny and fortunes of the native land and also a relative severing of the traditional ties between religion and the land. [10], Another mystery religion was focused around Dionysus. It is also called Hellenic Polytheism, Hellenic Reconstructionist Paganism, or simply Hellenism. In their homeland they were inextricably tied to local loyalties and ambitions. [15] The members were known as Bacchants, and the rites had an orgiastic character. [17], By doing so, the Ptolemies were adapting earlier Egyptian ideas in pharaonic worship. Early Christianity engaged Hellenistic culture generally, and more specifically Greek philosophy, from the end of the first century on. 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