RLB238 Greek Religion

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2013
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Iva Doležalová (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable of Seminar Groups
RLB238/P: each even Wednesday 9:10–10:45 J21, I. Doležalová
RLB238/K: Fri 15. 3. 10:50–12:25 J22, Fri 12. 4. 10:50–12:25 J22, Fri 10. 5. 10:50–12:25 J22, I. Doležalová
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 80 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/80, only registered: 0/80, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/80
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main objectives of the course are as follows:
- characteristics of the religion of Ancient Greece
- understanding of place and role of religion in life of ancient Greeks and Greek poleis/states
- study of historical sources and their critical analysis
- acquainting with the structure of pantheon, mythological system and ritual practices
Based on acquired knowledge students should be able to interpret particular aspects of Greek polyteistic system in their contexts as well as understand the system itself.
Syllabus
  • 1. Greek religion. Introduction to the study. Role of religion in the life of Greek Ancient polis
  • 2. Sources to the study of Greek religion. Epic as a source to the study of Greek religion and the problem of canon
  • 3. Concept of gods, structure of pantheon, relationship of gods to people and vice versa
  • 4. Many of gods - polytheism as the system of representaion
  • 5. Greek cosmological myth. Problem of myth - ritual relationship
  • 6. Concept of "hybris": Tantalos, Atreus and his kin. Misdeeds against order, punishment and its forms in myths
  • 7. Prometheus
  • 8. Heroic myths: common Greek, local. Example: Heracles, Theseus.
  • 9. Underworld. Concept of death
  • 10. Organisation of religious life, religion and polis, problem of authority and control, system of festivals
  • 11. Mysteries in the Ancient Greece: Dionysos, Eleusinian mysteries. Mysteries and their history, myth, cult, mystery piety. Tragedy as the source for the reconstruction of myth
  • 12. Ritual in Greek religion: sacrifice, prayer, purity, sacred places and architecture, priests and priestesses. Divination and oracles
  • 13. Greek religion as a challenge for the academic study of religion
Literature
  • Řecký člověk a jeho svět. Edited by Jean-Pierre Vernant, Translated by Lucie Fialková. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2005, 268 s. ISBN 8070217316. info
  • VERNANT, Jean-Pierre. Vesmír, bohové, lidé : nejstarší řecké mýty. Translated by Zuzana Dlabalová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Paseka, 2001, 183 s. ISBN 8071853445. info
  • PRICE, S. R. F. Religions of the ancient Greeks. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999, xii, 217. ISBN 9780521388672. info
  • HOŠEK, Radislav. Náboženství antického Řecka. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2004, 239 s. ISBN 807021516X. info
  • DOSTÁLOVÁ, Růžena and Radislav HOŠEK. Antická mystéria. Vydání první. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1997, 365 stran. ISBN 8070212179. info
  • BURKERT, Walter. Griechische Religion : der archaischen und klassischen Epoche. 1. Aufl. Stuttgart: W. Kohlhammer, 1977, 508 s. ISBN 3170043455. info
  • GRAVES, Robert. Řecké mýty. Translated by Jiří Hanuš. Vyd. 1. Praha: Odeon, 1982, 396 s. info
  • GRAVES, Robert. Řecké mýty. Edited by Radislav Hošek, Translated by Jiří Hanuš. Vyd. 1. Praha: Odeon, 1982, 427 s. info
  • VEYNE, Paul. Věřili Řekové svým mýtům? : esej o konstitutivní imaginaci : Les Grecs ont-ils cru a leurs mythes? (Orig.). Translated by Milena Šubrtová - Jiří Šubrt. 1. vyd. Praha: Oikoymenh, 1999, 166 s. ISBN 80-86005-78-X. info
Assessment methods
Lecture, seminar
Colloquim
Request for colloquim:
- active participation in seminar discussion based on reading and written comments on given texts
-written test
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.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Autumn 2014, Spring 2016, Autumn 2017, Spring 2019, Autumn 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2013, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2013/RLB238