Soteriology and Mystic Aspects in the Cult of Cybele and Attis

170 Pages·1985·21.429 MB·English

by  Giulia Sfameni Gasparro

SOTERIOLOGY AND MYSTIC ASPECTS
IN THE
CULT OF CYBELE AND A ITIS
ETUDES PRELIMINAIRES
AUX RELIGIONS ORIENTALES
DANS L'EMPIRE ROMAIN
PUBLIEES PAR
M. J. VERMASEREN
TOME CENT-TROISIEME
GIULIA SFA MEN I GASPARRO
SOTERIOLOGY AND MYSTIC ASPECTS
IN THE
CULT OF CYBELE AND A TTIS
LEIDEN
E. 1. BRILL
1985

Bust of Attis. Roman terracotta lamp from Agrigento (Archaeological Museum, Inv. no. 7545).
Unpublished. Courtesy of Prof. E. De Miro, Superintendent of the Museum.
GIULIA SFAMENI GASPARRO
SOTERIOLOGY AND MYSTIC ASPECTS
IN THE
CULT OF CYBELE AND ATTIS
WITH A FRONTISPIECE
LEIDEN
E. J. BRILL
1985
Published with the help of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche
and of the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione della Repubblica Italiana
ISBN 90 04 07283 7
Copyright 1985 by E. J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
translated in any form, by print, photop rint, microfilm, microfiche
or any other means without written permission from the publisher
PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS BY E. J. BRILL
FOR MY MOTHER

CONTENTS
Abbreviations.......................................................................... IX
Preface .................................................................................. XIII
Introduction ........................................................................... .
I. The mystic cult of Cybele in Classical Greece............................. 9
II. Mysteries in the hellenized cult of Cybele .................................. 20
III. Mystic aspects in the "phrygian" mythical-ritual cycle ................. 26
a) Attis the "mystic god" and the mythical theme of the androgyne 26
b) Attis' vegetal connections.................................................. 43
c) The mystic cult of Cybele and Attis in the Greek world ............. 49
d) The mystic cult of Cybele and Attis in the Roman Empire ......... 56
IV. The problem of the phrygian Mysteries..................................... 64
V. Soteriological prospects in the cult of Cybele ............................. 84
VI. Mystic and soteriological aspects of the taurobolium ................... 107
Conclusion.............................................................................. 119
Select Bibliography................................................................... 126
Addendum.............................................................................. 134
Index..................................................................................... 137