Religions of the Classical World

This course aims to give both an historical and non-confessional perspective on religious studies (XIX-XXI c.) and an overview of religions of the classical world through specific case-studies in Greek and Roman religion. This course shares the same methodological approach as the course of Anthropology of the classical World and of Classical Mythology, based on historical anthropology, that is focused on the understanding of emic (i.e. native) conceptual categories used by Ancients.

Knowledge: Students will get knowledge and understanding of the main problems of classical religions (Greece and Rome) in their cultural context and of modern methodological approaches to this field of study, through the reading both of ancient sources (in Italian translation) and of modern scholarship.
Skills: Students will learn to analyze, compare and evaluate ancient sources of different type (literary, epigraphical or iconographical) to draw informed conclusions on religions of classical world, building both on case-studies presented during the course and on the knowledge of modern scholarship. Students will also develop the ability to evaluate critically texts from modern scholarship, in order to understand their methodological approach, their hidden bias, and their purposes.