Religion in Roman Egypt

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 336 pages
• Published by: Princeton University Press December 15, 2000
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0691070547
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0691070544
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 1 pounds

Product Review
. . . his book will become a standard for assessing the religious life and practice of Roman religions. -- Richard Valantasis, Iliff School of Theology

Frankfurter presents a new and convincing analysis of the history of religious change in Roman and early Byzantine Egypt This new synthesis of the available evidence constitutes a real breakthrough in our understanding of the religious changes in late ancient Egypt attending its Christianization. -- Birger A. Pearson Religious Studies Review An exemplary work, engagingly written, which will be of interest not only to students of late antiquity, early Christianity, and Egypt but to anyone concerned with issues of religious change and practice. -- Jonathan P. Berkey American Historical Review Where it has been usual to focus on the decay of grand temple religion, Frankfurter argues that this is only one side of the matter. There remained a lively practice of popular and local religion The book overflows with ideas and insights. -- Richard Gordon Times Literary Supplement Stimulating in the very best sense of that word: its thickly packed details and formulations reward readers not only with the insights of its author, but with material that often prompts them to travel down new paths of though themselves. -- Sarah Iles Johnston Journal of Biblical Literature This ambitious book rewards the specialist and nonspecialist alike with a rich overview of Egyptian religion in late antiquity within a comparative religion framework Frankfurter's refreshing synthesis of religion and magic both rewards and illumines the reader. His dexterity with such a diversity of visual, material, and textual evidence is a hallmark of this erudite book Generously illustrated and clearly organized, this thought provoking study has set a benchmark for future work on religion in the ancient Mediterranean. -- Georgia Frank Journal of the American Academy of Religion This ambitious book rewards the specialist and nonspecialist alike with a rich overview of Egyptian religion in late antiquity within a comparative religion framework Frankfurter's refreshing synthesis of religion and magic both rewards and illumines the reader. His dexterity with such a diversity of visual, material, and textual evidence is a hallmark of this erudite book Generously illustrated and clearly organized, this thought-provoking study has set a benchmark for future work on religion in the ancient Mediterranean. -- Georgia Frank Journal of the American Academy of Religion

This ambitious book rewards the specialist and nonspecialist alike with a rich overview of Egyptian religion in late antiquity within a comparative religion framework. . . . Frankfurter's refreshing synthesis of religion and magic both rewards and illumines the reader. His dexterity with such a diversity of visual, material, and textual evidence is a hallmark of this erudite book. . . . Generously illustrated and clearly organized, this thought-provoking study has set a benchmark for future work on religion in the ancient Mediterranean. -- Review

This thought provoking study has set a benchmark for future work on religion in the ancient Mediterranean. -- Georgia Frank, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

This thought-provoking study [sets] a benchmark for future work on religion in the ancient Mediterranean. -- Georgia Frank, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

Product Review
Frankfurter presents a new and convincing analysis of the history of religious change in Roman and early Byzantine Egypt. . . . This new synthesis of the available evidence constitutes a real breakthrough in our understanding of the religious changes in late ancient Egypt attending its Christianization.
(Birger A. Pearson Religious Studies Review )

An exemplary work, engagingly written, which will be of interest not only to students of late antiquity, early Christianity, and Egypt but to anyone concerned with issues of religious change and practice.
(Jonathan P. Berkey American Historical Review )

Where it has been usual to focus on the decay of grand temple religion, Frankfurter argues that this is only one side of the matter. There remained a lively practice of popular and local religion. . . . The book overflows with ideas and insights.
(Richard Gordon Times Literary Supplement )

Stimulating in the very best sense of that word: its thickly packed details and formulations reward readers not only with the insights of its author, but with material that often prompts them to travel down new paths of though themselves.
(Sarah Iles Johnston Journal of Biblical Literature )

This ambitious book rewards the specialist and nonspecialist alike with a rich overview of Egyptian religion in late antiquity within a comparative religion framework. . . . Frankfurter's refreshing synthesis of religion and magic both rewards and illumines the reader. His dexterity with such a diversity of visual, material, and textual evidence is a hallmark of this erudite book. . . . Generously illustrated and clearly organized, this thought provoking study has set a benchmark for future work on religion in the ancient Mediterranean.
(Georgia Frank Journal of the American Academy of Religion )

This ambitious book rewards the specialist and nonspecialist alike with a rich overview of Egyptian religion in late antiquity within a comparative religion framework. . . . Frankfurter's refreshing synthesis of religion and magic both rewards and illumines the reader. His dexterity with such a diversity of visual, material, and textual evidence is a hallmark of this erudite book. . . . Generously illustrated and clearly organized, this thought-provoking study has set a benchmark for future work on religion in the ancient Mediterranean.
(Georgia Frank Journal of the American Academy of Religion )

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Religion in Roman Egypt (Hardcover) What happened to the ancient Egyptian religion during the Roman rule and Christian incursion? This question is answered here. I am sure other people have read this book, but the book description delineates it so well it is difficult to add more. David Frankfurter gives a balanced and well researched account of the survival, adaption and transformation of the indigenous Egyptian religion between roughly 100 to 600 C.E.- a time when Egypt was without a pharoah and under the governance of Rome, when Rome itself was becoming Christianized. All these things put pressure on the Egyptians to change. The first chapter lays the groundwork and background and is a bit dry. Chapters 2 through 6 are the heart of the book and well worth it. Modern Pagans might be surprised and happy to see themselves in the domestic aspects of local religions discussed in Chapter 3. Chapter 5 was my favorite; it dealt with the transformation of the Priest into the Magician. Just how did the Egyptians get the reputation of high magic and deep wisdom among the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans? How did they use this? How did this survive into the Christian and Muslim eras? The seventh chapter is the last chapter and a conclusion of sorts, delineating how the Christian leaders excoriated the Pagan (Hellenes, as they were called at that time) customs, yet how these customs were adapted into the new religion. And more importantly, why. There is a great bibliography and a vast amount of footnotes for those who want to look further. Those interested in ancient Egyptian religion, comparative religion or the interaction of the Pagan and Christian worlds will find this book both useful and informative.