Roman Festivals in the Greek East

Fritz Graf is Distinguished University Professor and Director of Epigraphy at Ohio State University. He has published widely on Greek mythology, local cults in ancient Asia Minor, eschatological texts from Greek graves, and ancient magic.

• Part I. Festivals in the Greek East Before Constantine: 1. Greek city festivals in the Imperial age; 2. Roman festivals in Eastern cities; Part II. Roman Festivals in the Greek East After Constantine: 3. Theodosius' reform of the legal calendar; 4. Contested festivals in the fourth century; 5. The Lupercalia from Augustus to Constantine Porphyrogennetos; 6. John Malalas and ritual aetiology; 7. The Brumalia; 8. Kalendae Ianuariae again, and again; 9. Christian liturgy and the Imperial festival tradition; Part III. Christianity and Private Ritual: 10. Christian incubation; 11. Magic in a Christian Empire; Epilogue. The persistence of festivals and the end of sacrifices.

'… this engaging book serves a wide range of historical interests. Graf has produced a detailed and heavily researched guidebook that breaks new ground on Roman festivals and their practice in the eastern empire during the Christian and pre-Christian eras, raising and answering important questions about the miscibility of Christian and pagan practices during this period.' W. Andrew Smith, Bryn Mawr Classical Review