Backgrounds of Early Christianity

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ISBN: 9780802806697 | 0802806694
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 9/1/1993

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Widely used as a textbook since its publication in 1987, this work provides an analytical and systematic introduction to the Roman, Greek, and Jewish political, social, literary, and religious backgrounds necessary for a historical understanding of the New Testament in the early church.

Preface

Acknowledgments

xvii

Abbreviations

xviii

General Bibliography

xix

Introduction: Perspectives on Parallels

(4)

Political History

(40)

Introduction

(1)

Near East Before Alexander

(4)

Persian Empire

(1)

Greece

(3)

Alexander the Great

(5)

Macedonia

(1)

Life of Alexander III (356-323)

(3)

Alexander's Influence

(2)

The Hellenistic Kingdoms

(4)

The Diadochi

(1)

Ptolemies-Egypt

(2)

Seleucids-Syria

(2)

Rome

(20)

The Roman Genius

(2)

Rome and the West

(1)

Rome and the East

(1)

The Later Republic: Civil Wars

(2)

Augustus (31 B.C.-A.D. 14)

(5)

The Early Empire

(8)

The Later Empire

(1)

Administration of the Empire

(6)

Cities

(2)

Provinces

(2)

Client Kingdoms

(2)

Society and Culture

(92)

Introduction

(1)

The Roman Military

(6)

Legions

(2)

Emblems, Weapons, and Dress

(3)

Auxiliaries

(1)

Praetorian Guard

(1)

Other Units

(1)

Social Classes

(4)

The Senatorial Order

(1)

The Equestrian Order

(1)

Municipal Aristocracies

(1)

Plebeians and Other Free Persons

(1)

Freedmen

(1)

Patron-Client Relationship

(1)

Slavery

(3)

Roman Citizenship

(2)

Roman Law

(2)

Social Morality

(11)

Marriage and Family

(5)

Place of Women

(3)

Exposure of Children

(1)

Economic Life

(14)

Trade and Travel

(4)

Coinage

(5)

Taxation

(1)

Entertainment

(12)

Theatres

(3)

Athletics

(2)

Arenas

(1)

Circuses

(1)

Gymnasia and Baths

(2)

Banquets

(2)

Music

(2)

Education

100

(4)

Literature and Language

104

(22)

Authors

104

(5)

Rhetoric

109

(2)

Literary Forms and Genres

111

(6)

Making of Books

117

(5)

Reading and Studying of Books

122

(1)

Inscriptions and Papyri

123

(1)

Language

124

(2)

Art and Architecture

126

(5)

Clubs and Associations

131

(6)

Greek Clubs

131

(1)

Roman Colleges

132

(1)

Egyptian Associations

133

(1)

The Statutes of an Association

134

(2)

Conclusion

136

(1)

Hellenistic-Roman Religions

137

(162)

Ancient Greek Religion

138

(17)

The Epic Age: Homer

139

(7)

Hesiod

146

(3)

The Archaic Period

149

(4)

Signs of Dissolution in the Classical Age

153

(2)

Ancient Roman Religion

155

(6)

Deities

155

(2)

Religious Personnel

157

(1)

Religious Observances

158

(1)

Soul and the Dead

159

(1)

Characteristics of Roman Religion

160

(1)

Religion in Hellenistic-Roman Times: General Characteristics

161

(5)

Domestic and Rural Religion

166

(4)

Greek

166

(2)

Roman

168

(2)

Civic Cults

170

(15)

Priesthood

172

(2)

Ritual Prescriptions

174

(2)

Sacrifice

176

(4)

Votive Offerings

180

(1)

Prayers and Hymns

181

(2)

Festivals

183

(2)

Other Features

185

(1)

Ruler Cult

185

(14)

Antecedents and Presuppositions

186

(4)

Historical Developments

190

(7)

Forms of the Imperial Cult

197

(2)

Personal Religion

199

(36)

Oracles

199

(7)

Dreams and Divination

206

(1)

Healing Cults

207

(5)

Magic and Maledictions

212

(7)

Imprecations and Oaths

219

(1)

Demons and Superstition

220

(2)

Astrology, Astral Religion, and Fate

222

(6)

Death and the Afterlife

228

(7)

Greek Mysteries and Eastern Religions

235

(47)

Local Mysteries

236

(1)

Eleusinian Mysteries

237

(6)

Dionysiac Mysteries

243

(6)

Egyptian Deities: Isis, Osiris, and Sarapis

249

(11)

Phoenician Deities: Astarte and Adonis

260

(1)

Syrian Deities: Atargatis and Others

261

(3)

Phrygian Deities: Cybele and Attis

264

(6)

A Persian Deity: Mithras

270

(9)

Mystery Religions and Christianity

279

(3)

Gnosticism, Hermetic Literature, Chaldaean Oracles

282

(14)

Origins of Gnosticism

288

(2)

Characteristic Features

290

(2)

Gnosticism in the New Testament

292

(2)

The Hermetica

294

(2)

Chaldaean Oracles

296

(1)

Later Developments: Monotheism and Sun Worship

296

(3)

Hellenistic-Roman Philosophies

299

(74)

Introduction

300

(6)

Philosophy as Religion

300

(1)

Philosophy as Ethics

301

(2)

Popular Philosophy

303

(1)

Philosophy and Individualism

304

(1)

Philosophy in Its Social Setting

305

(1)

Sophists and Socrates

306

(4)

Sophists

306

(1)

Socrates (469-399 B.C.)

307

(3)

Plato and the Academy to the First Century

310

(8)

Life of Plato (429-347 B.C.)

310

(2)

The Dialogues

312

(1)

Plato's Thought

313

(2)

Plato's Influence

315

(1)

The Old Academy

315

(1)

The Skeptical Academy

316

(1)

The Eclectic Academy

317

(1)

Aristotle and the Peripatetics

318

(7)

Life of Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

318

(1)

Aristotle's Thought

318

(4)

Aristotle's Influence

322

(1)

Theophrastus (370-285 B.C.)

322

(1)

Strato

323

(1)

Later History and General Character

323

(1)

Aspects of the Peripatetic Legacy

324

(1)

Skepticism

325

(2)

Pyrrho (c.360-c.270 B.C.)

326

(1)

Aenesidemus

326

(1)

Sextus Empiricus (C.A.D.200)

326

(1)

Influence of Skepticism

327

(1)

Cynicism

327

(6)

Beginnings of Cynicism

327

(2)

Cynic Characteristics

329

(2)

Dio of Prusa (A.D. 40 to after 112)

331

(1)

Lucian of Samosata (C.A.D. 120 to after 180)

331

(2)

Stoicism

333

(15)

Early Stoa

333

(2)

Stoic Physics

335

(2)

Stoic Logic and Epistemology

337

(1)

Stoic Ethics

337

(2)

Middle Stoa

339

(3)

Later Stoa: Roman Stoicism

342

(4)

Stoicism and Christianity

346

(2)

Epicureanism

348

(8)

Epicurus and His School

348

(2)

Lucretius (94-55 B.C.)

350

(1)

Epicurean Physics

350

(2)

Epicurean Epistemology

352

(1)

Epicurean Ethics

353

(1)

Estimate and Comparisons

354

(2)

Eclecticism

356

(4)

Characteristics

356

(1)

Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

357

(3)

Neopythagoreanism

360

(4)

Pythagoras

360

(1)

The Pythagorean Revival

360

(1)

Apollonius of Tyana and Philostratus

361

(2)

Numenius

363

(1)

Middle Platonism

364

(3)

Characteristics

364

(2)

Plutarch (C.A.D. 50-after 120)

366

(1)

Plotinus and Neoplatonism

367

(6)

Life of Plotinus (A.D. 205-270)

367

(1)

Plotinus' System

368

(1)

Later Neoplatonists

369

(4)

Judaism

373

(174)

Jewish History, 538 B.C. To A.D. 200

376

(27)

The Persian Period

376

(3)

The Greek Period

379

(4)

The Maccabean Period

383

(5)

The Roman Period

388

(15)

Jews in the Early Roman Empire

403

(3)

Jewish Literature and Other Sources in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods

406

(74)

The Old Testament in Greek

407

(6)

Jewish Literature in Greek: Fragments

413

(1)

Apocrypha

414

(8)

Pseudepigrapha

422

(14)

Dead Sea Scrolls

436

(10)

Apocalyptic Writings

446

(4)

Philo

450

(6)

Josephus

456

(5)

Rabbinic Literature

461

(9)

Archaeological Sources

470

(9)

Pagan References to Jews

479

(1)

Parties and Sects

480

(22)

Pharisees

480

(6)

Sadducees

486

(1)

Qumran Community, Essenes, and Therapeutae

487

(10)

Zealots

497

(2)

Herodians

499

(1)

Samaritans

499

(3)

Beliefs and Practices

502

(25)

One God

503

(1)

Israel, the Chosen People

504

(1)

Torah, Tradition, and Scripture

505

(5)

Jewish Mysticism

510

(2)

Proselytes and Godfearers

512

(5)

Messianism and the Glorious Destiny

517

(2)

Afterlife

519

(2)

Festivals and Holy Days

521

(6)

Daily Devotions

527

(1)

Organization and Institutions

527

(20)

Temple and Priesthood

527

(6)

Sanhedrin

533

(3)

Community Organization

536

(2)

Rabbis

538

(1)

Synagogue

539

(8)

Christianity in the Ancient World

547

(38)

Literary References to Christianity in Non-Christian Sources

548

(1)

Archaeological Remains Bearing on Early Christian History

549

(4)

Inscriptions

549

(2)

Papyri

551

(1)

Coins

552

(1)

Some Claimed Archaeological Remains of Early Christaianity

553

(3)

Rotas-Sator Word Square

553

(1)

``Cross'' at Herculaneum

554

(1)

Talpioth (Jerusalem) Ossuaries

554

(1)

Tomb of Peter

555

(1)

Attitudes of Pagans Toward Christians

556

(9)

The Legal Status of Christianity

565

(6)

Hindrances to the Acceptance of Christianity

571

(1)

Religious Rivals

572

(7)

Judaism

572

(1)

Pagan Religion and Philosophy

573

(2)

Gnosticism and Rival Versions of Christianity

575

(1)

Jewish Christianity

576

(3)

Factors Favorable to Christianity

579

(3)

External Circumstances

579

(1)

Hellenistic Judaism

580

(1)

Religious Quest

581

(1)

What Was Unique in Christianity?

582

(3)

Index of Subjects

585

(21)

Index of Scripture References

606

(6)

Map of the Ancient World

612

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Backgrounds of Early Christianity

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials