The Gods of the Greeks

Originally published in Germany fifty years ago, The Gods of the Greeks has remained an enduring work. Influential scholar Erika Simon was one of the first to emphasize the importance of analyzing visual culture alongside literature to better understand how ancient Greeks perceived their gods. Giving due consideration to cult ritual and the phenomenon of genealogical relationships between mortals and immortals, this pioneering volume remains one of the few to approach the Greek gods from an archaeological perspective. From Zeus to Hermes, each of the major deities is considered in turn, with Simon's insights on their nature and attributes guiding the reader to a fuller understanding of how their followers perceived and worshipped them in the ancient world.

This careful and fluid translation finally makes Simon's landmark edition accessible to English-language readers. With an abundance of beautiful illustrations, the book examines portrayals of the thirteen major gods in art over the course of two millennia. Scholars who study the lives and practices of those living in ancient Greece will value this newest contribution.

Author: Erika Simon
Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
Published: 02/09/2021
Pages: 400
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 3.35lbs
Size: 10.30h x 8.20w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780299329402


Review Citation(s):
Choice 12/01/2021

About the Author
Erika Simon (1927-2019) was professor emeritus of classical archaeology at the University of Würzburg. She published hundreds of articles and reviews and almost two dozen books, including Festivals of Attica: An Archaeological Commentary. Jakob Zeyl is a former professor of classics and assistant dean of arts and sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. Alan Shapiro is the Academy Professor and W.H. Collins Vickers Professor of Archaeology Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University and the author of The Cambridge Companion to Archaic Greece and Worshipping Women: Ritual and Reality in Classical Athens.


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