Prophets and Emperors

David Potter

Published by Harvard University Press 1994

Prophets and Emperors

Human and Divine Authority from Augustus to Theodosius

David Potter

Volume 7 in the series Revealing Antiquity

https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674437067

Overview
Contents

About this book

To the practical modern mind, the idea of divine prophecy is more ludicrous than sublime. Yet to our cultural forebears in ancient Greece and Rome, prophecy was anything but marginal; it was in fact the basic medium for recalling significant past events and expressing hopes for the future, and it offered assurance that divinities truly cared about mere mortals. Prophecy also served political ends, and it was often invoked to support or condemn an emperor's actions. In Prophets and Emperors, David Potter shows us how prophecy worked, how it could empower, and how the diverse inhabitants of the Roman Empire used it to make sense of their world.

This is a fascinating account of prophecy as a social, religious, and political phenomenon. The various systems of prophecy--including sacred books, oracles, astrological readings, interpretation of dreams, the sayings of holy men and women--come into sharp relief. Potter explores the use of prophecy as a nieans of historical analysis and political communication, and he describes it in the context of the ancient city. Finally, he traces the reformation of the prophetic tradition under the influence of Christianity in the fourth century.

Drawing on diverse evidence--from inscriptions and ancient prophetic books to Greek and Roman historians and the Bible--Potter has produced a study that will engage anyone interested in the religions of the ancient Mediterranean and in the history and politics of the Roman Empire.

Author information

Potter David :

David Potter is Associate Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Michigan.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	v
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
[ 1 ] Prophecy and Cult Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
[ 2 ] Scholars, Poets, and Sibyls Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	58
[ 3 ] Prophecy and the Informed Public Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	98
[ 4 ] Prophecy and Personal Power in the Roman Empire Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	146
[ 5 ] Eastern Wisdom in Roman Prophetic Books Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
Epilogue: Power, Culture, and Communication Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	213
Notes Index
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	219
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	273
Backmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	283

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Edition: Reprint 2014
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Front matter: 8
- Main content: 281
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 13
- Other: 2 maps, 13 halftones
Keywords: Prophets -- Rome.; Oracles, Roman.; Rome -- Religion.; RELIGION / Ancient*; HISTORY / General

eBook

Published: October 1, 2013
ISBN: 9780674437067

Hardcover

Published: February 5, 1994
ISBN: 9780674437050

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Prophets and Emperors

Human and Divine Authority from Augustus to Theodosius