RLB239 Hellenistic Religions

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Iva Doležalová (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jana Valtrová, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Kateřina Sedlářová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable of Seminar Groups
RLB239/Kombi01: Fri 20. 9. 14:00–15:40 J22, Fri 18. 10. 14:00–15:40 J22, Fri 15. 11. 14:00–15:40 J22, I. Doležalová
RLB239/Prez01: Wed 10:00–11:40 B2.23, except Wed 18. 9., I. Doležalová
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course offers a comprehensive overview of religious believes and practices in the Hellenictic period (from the fourth century B.C.E. to the fourth century C.E.). During particular lectures is introduced a rich variety of Hellenictic piety, mystery cults, and gnostic traditions representing three types of discourse and practice as well as existence as a part of coherent system. This system incorporated many religious alternatives, including newly rising Mithraism or Christianity, is interpreted with regard to the new Ptolemaic construction of cosmos and changes in the roles and representation of feminine and masculine deities, to the concepts of destiny and salvation.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
  • to present and interpret particular aspects of Hellenistic religion
  • to interpret various forms of religious alternatives as a part of system which is characteristic for the time of religious and cultural change
  • to understand religion and culture of late Antiquity as a complex developing in particular historical and social kontext
  • to read with understanding historical sources and use academic terminology and methodolocical approaches of academic study of religion for interpretation in their contexts as well as understand the system itself
  • to differentiate academis approach to events and phenomena in the history of Late Antiquity from those of non-academic (apologetic, believers atc.)
    • Syllabus
    • Syllabus
    • Introduction: basic characterization and chronology of the Hellenistic period. Hellenistic religion. Syncretism
    • Primary/historical sources for the study of Hellenism (Apuleius: The Golden Ass)
    • Hellenistic religious strategies: pietas, mysterium, gnosis.
    • Traditional pietas. Divination as an interpretation of cosmos (Cicero, De Divinatione); healing; magic
    • Hellenistic Philosophy (Epicureism, Stoicism, Novoplatonism) – a way to formulation of a rational order of things?
    • Problem of social formation: clubs, associations, confraternities (voluntary associations)
    • Mysteries - matter of personal decission (anti-individualistic character of Ancient culture)
    • Mysteries and the sovereignty of feminine: Fortuna and salvation; Demeter, Isis, Great Mother of Gods.
    • Mysteries and innovations: Dionysos, Orfeus
    • Hellenistic Judaism
    • Innovations – a shift to the sovereign of masculine: Mithraism, Christianity
    • Problem of the so called Oriental cults
    • Hellenistic gnosis: Christian and non-Christian
    • Manicheism, Hermetism
    • Hellenistic religions as a system: strategies, transformations, new cosmic architecture
    • Religious and cultural change
    Literature
      required literature
    • MARTIN, Luther H. Helénistická náboženství. Překl. Iva Doležalová a Dalibor Papoušek. 1st ed. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 1997, xx, 161. Religionistika, sv. 4. ISBN 80-210-1702-3. info
    • BURKERT, Walter. Ancient mystery cults. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1987, ix, 181. ISBN 0674033876. info
      recommended literature
    • DOSTÁLOVÁ, Růžena and Radislav HOŠEK. Antická mystéria. Vydání první. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1997, 365 stran. ISBN 8070212179. info
    Teaching methods
  • Lecture, seminar discussion based on reading and written comments on given texts
  • Seminar presentation upon particular text of historical source (two presentation during semestr based on writen comments of historical source and reading)
  • Preparation of writen comments for colloqium
    • Assessment methods
    Colloquim
    Requests for colloquim:
  • Written test based on the required reading, lectures, and presentations (100 points each, the minimum of 60 points is required to pass the test, which is a prerequisite for the oral colloquim)
  • Two submissions of abstracts of source texts - for seminar discussions (see Study materials), evaluated 100 points each, the minimum of 60 points is required. This task is a prerequisite for the oral colloquim)
  • Active participation in seminar discussions based on reading and written comments on given texts
  • Before the colloqium term published in the IS MU, participants of the course submit an analytical comment on elected text of historical source and reading.
  • See Study materials for detailed information.
    • Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    Study Materials
    The course is taught once in two years.
    Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučující.
    The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2009, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2015, Spring 2017, Autumn 2017.
    • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2019/RLB239