This volume brings theoretical and methodological discussions from religious studies, ancient history, and classics to the study of ancient religions, thus attempting to bridge a disciplinary chasm often apparent in the study of religions in antiquity.

Series Editor Preface Phil Tite, University of Washington Editor Preface 1. Introduction: The Present and Future of Ancient Religion Brent Nongbri, Aarhus University PART I: FROM LANGUAGE TO METHOD 2. Our Language and Theirs: `Religious' Categories and Identities Steve Mason, Groningen University 3. The Value(s) of Belief: Ancient Religion, Cognitive Science, and Interdisciplinarity Jason P. Davies, University College London 4. Imagining Religion in Antiquity: A How To Kevin Schilbrack, Appalachian State University PART II: THE GREEK WORLD 5. Philosophical Reflections on the Presocratics: A Contribution to the Scientific Study of Religion Donald Wiebe, University of Toronto 6. Impiety and Versions of Rationalization of Religion in Classical Greece Emese Mogyorodi, University of Szeged, Hungary 7. Theorizing About (Which?) Origins: Herodotus on the Gods Nickolas P. Roubekas PART III: FROM MESOPOTAMIA TO ROME 8. Ancient Mesopotamian Scholars, Ritual Speech, and Theorizing Religion without `Theory' or `Religion' Alan Lenzi, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California 9. Magic and Religion in Ancient Egypt Rita Lucarelli, University of California, Berkeley 10. Manipulating `Religion': The Egyptian Theologoumena in Diodorus Siculus Panayotis Pachis, Aristotle University 11. Metaphor and Religion in Ancient Rome Spencer E. Cole, University of Minnesota PART IV: FROM JUDAISM TO CHRISTIANITY 12. Defining Judaism: The Case of Philo Michael L. Satlow, Brown University 13. Religion, Geography, and the Impossibility of Jewish Identity Sarah Imhoff, Indiana University 14. Whither Shall We Go? Tertullian and Christian Identity Formation Nickolas P. Roubekas 15. The Anachronism of `Early Christian Communities' Sarah E. Rollens, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee PART V: TOPICS IN THE STUDY OF (ANCIENT) RELIGION 16. Cognitive Study of (Ancient) Religions Leonardo Ambasciano, Masaryk University, Czech Republic 17. Cultural Geography Justin K. H. Tse, Northwestern University 18. Texts James Crossley, St Mary's University, London 19. Gender Irene Salvo, Georg-August University Goettingen, Germany 21. Epilogue: The Jabberwocky Dilemma: Take Religion for Example Luther H. Martin, University of Vermont