Animal Sacrifice in the Roman Empire (31 BCE-395 CE)

Animal Sacrifice in the Roman Empire takes its place as the most important study yet of animal sacrifice, its practices and politics, through the centuries and vicissitudes of the Roman empire. The book provides lucid and theoretically-informed explanations of sacrifice in the cultural lives of Greek and Roman cities as well as the best interpretation yet of the Edict of the emperor Decius, which many Christians took as deliberate persecution. The book should be required reading for any course in Roman history, the rise of Christianity, or the world of ancient Judaism. * David Frankfurter, Boston University * In this convincing and well-written book, James Rives details how animal sacrifice maintained its essential role in ancient Roman society for centuries and how, as that role evolved, the ritual became a flashpoint in the competition between pagan and Christian authorities. * Celia Schultz, University of Michigan * The book is well written and impeccably researched. Those interested in ancient Roman religion or history will find it illuminating. * Choice * This book is wide-ranging and dense, touching on topics from Homeric heroes to nineteenth-century scholarship. Rives's arguments are stimulating throughout.... Specialists in Roman religion and imperial history will find it invaluable. * Phoenix * A formidably rich and inspiring discussion, which makes a major contribution to the study of Roman religion, and offers an orientation point well beyond the confines of the specific problem it addresses. * Greece & Rome * [Rives] has produced an excellent contribution to the study of Roman religion. This is a compelling account which charts the dynamic interactions of ritual, communication and power during the first four centuries a.d. * Journal of Roman Studies * This book is a welcome contribution to the history of the ancient Mediterranean. ...Rives' Animal Sacrifice in the Roman Empire successfully intertwines theory and historical evidence; the book reaches across disciplines and should serve as a model for future scholarship on the ancient Mediterranean. * Victoria C. Moses, Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal *