Aetiologies seem to gratify the human desire to understand the origin of a phenomenon. However, as this book demonstrates, aetiologies do not exclusively explore origins. Rather, in inventing origin stories they authorise the present and try to shape the future.

Introduction: Inventing Anchors? Aetiological Thinking in Greek and Roman Antiquity  Antje Wessels and Jacqueline Klooster PART 1: Aetiological Thinking. Old & New. From Present to Past to Future 1 Anchoring Innovations through Aetiology  Annette Harder 2 The Parallels between Aetiology and Prophecy in Ancient Literature. Hindsight as Foresight Makes Sense  Jacqueline Klooster PART 2: Aetiology and Politics 3 Veterem atque antiquam rem novam ad vos proferam. A New Drama, a Surprised Audience, and a ‘Live Aetiology’. Performing the Origin of the Amphitruo  Andrea de March 4 Callimachus Romanus. Propertius’ Love Elegy and the Aetiology of Empire  Alexander Kirichenko 5 The Origins of Rome in the Renaissance. Revival & Reinvention, Rejection & Replacement  Susanna de Beer PART 3: Aetiology in Myth and Science. From Religion to Research 6 Resistance to Origins. Cult Foundation in the Myths of Dionysus, Apollo, and Demeter  Susanne Gödde 7 Beginning with Hermes: Promoting Hermeticism through Aetiology in Corpus Hermeticum 1  Sean E. McGrath 8 The Aetiology of Myth  Hugo Koning 9 Patroclus Was a Parasite. Lucian’s Satirical Aitia  Inger N.I. Kuin 10 Crossing Borders. Aetiological Overlap in Plutarch’s Collections of Questions  Michiel Meeusen Index