Brill’s New Pauly

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Mysteries
(5,198 words)

[German version]

A. General Points, Definition

Mysteries or rather mystery cults (in order to avoid the misleading term ‘mystery religions’) are cults of the Greek and Roman world which, for classical and modern observers alike, constitute a circumscribed category of cults within Greek and Roman religion.  Their name derives from the Attic celebration of the Mysteria, the festival of Demeter and Kore/Persephone, celebrated ann…

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Graf, Fritz (Columbus, OH), “Mysteries”, in: Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and , Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Consulted online on 28 May 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e814910>
First published online: 2006
First print edition: 9789004122598, 20110510



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