Technologies of the marvellous in ancient Greek religion
- ISBN: 9781009331739
- Editorial: Cambridge University Press
- Fecha de la edición: 2025
- Lugar de la edición: Cambridge . Reino Unido
- Colección: Cambridge Classical Studies
- Encuadernación: Rústica
- Medidas: 22 cm
- Nº Pág.: 300
- Idiomas: Inglés
This book investigates the ways that technological, and especially mechanical, strategies were integrated into ancient Greek religion. By analysing a range of evidence, from the tragic use of the deus ex machina to Hellenistic epigrams to ancient mechanical literature, it expands the existing vocabulary of visual modes of ancient epiphany. Moreover, it contributes to the cultural history of the unique category of ancient 'enchantment' technologies by challenging the academic orthodoxy regarding the incompatibility of religion and technology. The evidence for this previously unidentified phenomenon is presented in full, thereby enabling the reader to perceive the shifting matrices of agency between technical objects, mechanical knowledge, gods, and mortals from the fifth century BCE to the second century CE.
Introduction
Part I. Greek Tragedy and Mechanical Epiphany:
1. Viewing the mechane
2. Visual representations of the gods in tragedy
3. Theos apo mechanes
Part II. Technologies and Ritual Experience
4. Technical divination and mechanics of sacred space
5. Dedicated inventions
6. Pompai and the mechanics of sacred occasion
Part III. Faking the Gods
7. In the hands of frauds
8. Theomimesis-theomachy
