The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism

INTRODUCTION.—The Significance of Franz Cumont's Work,
By Grant Showerman .................................... v

PREFACE ............................................. xv

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION ....................... xxv

I. ROME AND THE ORIENT .............................. I
Superiority of the Orient, 1.—Its influence on political institutions, 3.—Its influence on civil law, 5.—Its influence on science, 6.—Its influence on literature and art, 7.—Its influence on industry, 9.—SOURCES: Destruction of pagan rituals, 11.—Mythographers, 12.—Historians, 13.—Satirists, 13.—Philosophers, 14.—Christian polemicists, 15.—Archaeological documents, 16.

II. WHY THE ORIENTAL RELIGIONS SPREAD ................ 20
Difference in the religions of the Orient and the Occident, 20.—Spread of Oriental religions, 22.—Economic influences, 23.—Theory of degeneration, 25.—Conversions are of individuals, 27.—Appeal of the Oriental religions to the senses, 28.—Appeal to the intelligence, 31.—Appeal to the conscience, 35.—Inadequacy of the Roman religion, 35.—Skepticism, 37.—Imperial power, 38.—The purification of souls, 39.—Hope of immortality, 42.—Conclusion, 43.

III. ASIA MINOR ..................................... 46
Arrival of Cybele The Great Mother goddess of Phrygia. at Rome, 46.—Her religion in Asia Minor, 47.—Religion at Rome under the Republic, 51.—Adoption of the goddess Ma-Bellona, 53.—Politics of Claudius, 55.—Spring festival, 56.—Spread of the Phrygian religion in the provinces, 57.—Causes of its success, 58.—Its official recognition, 60.—ARRIVAL OF OTHER CULTS: Mèn, 61.—Judaism, 63.—Sabazius, 64.—Anahita, 65.—The Taurobolium A sacrifice of a bull, often associated with the cult of Cybele., 66.—Philosophy, 70.—Christianity, 70.—Conclusion, 71.

IV. EGYPT ........................................... 73
Foundation of Serapis worship, 73.—The Egyptian religion Hellenized, 75.—Diffusion in Greece, 79.—Adoption at Rome, 80.—Persecutions, 82.—Adoption under Caligula, 84.—Its history, 85.—Its transformation, 86.—Uncertainty in Egyptian theology, 87.—Insufficiency of its ethics, 90.—Power of its ritual, 93.—Daily liturgy, 95.—Festivals, 97.—Doctrine of immortality, 99.—The Refrigerium The "cooling" or refreshment of the souls of the deceased., 101.