Deisidaimonia: The Hellenistic concept of superstition
This paper attempts to reexamine the notion of superstition in a concrete historical period: from the moment it first appeared in the early Hellenistic period (and named deisidemony, deisidaimonίa) till the Early Roman Empire, when this original meaning started to change radically. As will be shown...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Belgrade - Faculty of Philosophy - Institute for Philosophy
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Belgrade Philosophical Annual |
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| Online Access: | https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0353-3891/2024/0353-38912402085D.pdf |
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| Summary: | This paper attempts to reexamine the notion of superstition in a concrete historical period: from the moment it first appeared in the early Hellenistic period (and named deisidemony, deisidaimonίa) till the Early Roman Empire, when this original meaning started to change radically. As will be shown below, the main characteristics of this unique concept of superstition were exaggerated fear and magical or ritual practices used to avert the supposed evil foreshown by a bad omen. The paper will particularly focus on the chapter On the Superstitious Man of Theophrastus' Characters, Plutarch's treaties On Superstition and Lucian's dialogue Lover of Lies. |
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| ISSN: | 0353-3891 2956-0357 |