Franz Cumont (1868–1947)

A well written, lucid account of the history and evolution of after life ideas in the Roman pagans. There are several wonderful things to look at in this book: that there was once a society, about a hundred years ago, where a scholar could deliver lectures of this nature, print them, and reasonably expect to have a decent hearing. That there was once a time in academia, about a hundred years ago, when a philosopher could write clearly and succinctly, and keep it interesting. That there was show more once a time when people were interested in knowing what pagans thought, rather than just making up their own new religions and acting like that was the sum total of pagan thought (yes, Wicca, I'm talking to you). In reading this book, I am reminded once again of how important it is for people who want to talk about Christianity and the history of Christianity to spend some reasonable amount of time familiarizing themselves with the world in which Christianity was born. It is very difficult to read these sources without noticing the familiar themes, and thinking, ah, so this really did preexist Christianity. It really wasn't that odd to have a god that died and was reborn. It really wasn't that odd to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the gods. This is a wonderful book, and in spite of its age, it is worth reading for anyone who is interested in any aspect of religion, ancient or modern. I recommend it highly. show less

This slender book collects the 1911-1912 American Lectures on the History of Religions, as given by Franz Cumont late in his scholarly career (after his major researches in Mithraism, and his more general study of Oriental cults in ancient Rome). The six lectures divide into two sets of three: in the first three, Cumont provides a diachronic study of the propagation of astrology and "sidereal theology"; in the last three, he offers a synchronic description and analysis of the phenomenon at show more its classical acme in the Roman Empire.

As far as I'm aware, Cumont's basic historical data in the first three chapters have not been a matter for correction or revision in the century since these lectures were given. They are dated only because of his recurring, but now irrelevant, expressions of antagonism for the Pan-Babylonist historians of religion. This (mostly German) school of religious history embraced a radically diffusionist model for civilization with Babylon as its source. Ironically, Cumont agrees with them in assigning priority to the Mesopotamian cultures for observational astronomy and stellar theology. Where he disagrees quite strongly is the timeline. He absolutely refuses to credit the very early (multiple millennia B.C.E.) dating of the Pan-Babylonists, instead placing all significant developments in the 9th century B.C.E. and later. He also allows that some later astronomical accomplishments should be assigned to Greek sources. In addition to geographic spread, Cumont discusses how the ideas in question transitioned between elite and popular currency.

According to Cumont, the greatest exponent of religious astrology at its ancient peak was the author Posidonius, who taught Pompey and Cicero and influenced Philo of Alexandria. But none of Posidonius' works survive. A myriad other sources allow Cumont to create a detailed picture of ancient astrological theology, ethics, mysticism, and eschatology. Students of esoteric religion should acquaint themselves with this material, because it is an implicit context for so much of the magic and mysticism of the ancient and medieval worlds alike. As Cumont notes, it was not until Copernicus and Galileo inaugurated the obsolescence of the Ptolemaic system that these ideas suffered decline. And even so, there has been little to replace them on many fronts. show less

For public purposes these are very well served lectures that guide through a general outline of several clusters of historical beliefs among the Romans, Greeks and some other cultures, retracing their mutations and changes. Seldom they are accentuating which ones were absorbed into the Christian worldview. It is a cleverly composed work, which at its foundation is secular, yet of high necromantic value for intentful researchers. One may rely on the visions of sages, speculation of the poets, show more to the contrary - the crowd and the atheist Epicurean uncrowns their vista, yet to the detriment of the link between the world of the living and Thanathos in Veils that sustained bears poisoned fruits that heal both worlds, if understood properly. show less

For public purposes these are very well served lectures that guide through a general outline of several clusters of historical beliefs among the Romans, Greeks and some other cultures, retracing their mutations and changes. Seldom they are accentuating which ones were absorbed into the Christian worldview. It is a cleverly composed work, which at its foundation is secular, yet of high necromantic value for intentful researchers. One may rely on the visions of sages, speculation of the poets, show more to the contrary - the crowd and the atheist Epicurean uncrowns their vista, yet to the detriment of the link between the world of the living and Thanathos in Veils that sustained bears poisoned fruits that heal both worlds, if understood properly. show less