Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity

by Michael Frede, Polymnia Athanassiadi

Overview

In this book distinguished experts from a range of disciplines (Orientalists, philologists, philosophers, theologians and historians) address a central problem which lies at the heart of the religious and philosophical debate of late antiquity. Paganism was not a unified tradition and consequently the papers cover a wide social and intellectual spectrum. Particular emphasis is given to several aspects of the topic: first, monotheistic belief in late antique philosophical ideals and its roots in classical antiquity and the Near East; second, monistic Gnosticism; third, the revelatory tradition as expressed in oracular literature: and finally, the monotheistic trend in popular religion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199248018
Publisher:	Oxford University Press, USA
Publication date:	01/28/2002
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

University of Athens

Keble College, Oxford

Table of Contents

Introduction
Towards Monotheism
Monotheism and Pagan Philosophy
Monotheism in the Gnostic Tradition
The Cult of Theos Hypsistos
The Chaldean Oracles
The Speech of Praetextatus

Editorial Reviews

Fascinating...It tells on that complex, turbulent Middle Eastern and Hellenistic world in which modern Judaism, Christianity and, later, Islam worked out their uneasy relations to monotheism.
—Times Literary Supplement

George Steiner