Ritual and Religion in Flavian Epic

This edited collection addresses the role of ritual representations and religion in the epic poems of the Flavian period (69-96 CE). Drawing on various modern studies on religion and ritual, and the relationship between literature and religion in the Greco-Roman world, it explores how we can interpret the poets' use of the relationship between gods and humans, cults and rituals, and religious activities.Divided into three major sections, thevolume includes essays on the most important religious activities and the relationship between religion and political power under the Flavian emperors. It also addresses specific episodes in Flavianepic which focus on religious activities associated with the dead and the Underworld, such as purification, necromancy, katabasis, suicide, and burial. It finally explores the role of gender in ritual and religion.