This volume presents a case for how and why people in archaic and classical Greece worshipped Underworld gods. Mackin Roberts challenges the view that these gods are manevolent and shows that Underworld gods are, in many cases, approached and ‘befriended’ in the same way as any other kind of god.
This volume presents a case for how and why people in archaic and classical Greece worshipped Underworld gods.
These gods are often portrayed as malevolent and transgressive, giving an impression that ancient worshippers derived little or no benefit from developing ongoing relationships with them. In this book, the first book-length study that focuses on Underworld gods as an integral part of the religious landscape of the period, Mackin Roberts challenges this view and shows that Underworld gods are, in many cases, approached and ‘befriended’ in the same way as any other kind of god.
Underworld Gods in Ancient Greek Religion
provides a fascinating insight into the worship of these deities, and will be of interest to anyone working on ancient Greek religion and cult.
Thanks Preface A note about periodisation 1: The Religious Landscape of
Archaic and Classical Greece 2: Landscapes of the Underworld 3: Hades As God
and Place 4: Death and Plenty: Agriculture and the Underworld in Mythology 5:
Rites-of-Passage and Metaphorical Death 6: Personal Interactions with
Underworld Gods 7: The Dead Belief and Reality Afterword: Hekate, The
Missing Figure Appendix 1: Underworld Gods on Curse Tablets Appendix 2:
Underworld-Related Cults of Demeter Bibliography Index
Ellie Mackin Roberts is a Research Associate at the Institute of Classical Studies (School of Advanced Studies, University of London). Her PhD was awarded from Kings College London, and she has also previously taught at the University of Leicester and Royal Holloway, University of London.
