Paradigm lost, paradigm found? Larger theoretical assumptions behind Roger Beck’s The religion of the Mithras cult in the Roman empire
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Pantheon : religionistický časopis |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Philosophy and religion |
| Keywords | Mithraism; Mithraic scholarship; Roger Beck; gateway text theory; Porphyry; astrological interpretations; Mithraic grades |
| Attached files | |
| Description | This article places Roger Becks book The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire (Oxford 2006) into a larger contexts of various trends recognizable in the Mithraic scholarship especially since 1970s of the 20th century. The article also raises theoretical and methodological questions concerning Becks gateway text theory originating from his choice of Porphyry as the only Graeco-Roman source giving unambiguous information about the cults ideology and religious rationale. The final part of the article draws attention to more specific problems concerning the search for external confirmation of information provided by Porphyry in our archaeological and epigraphical material. |
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