Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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The objective of this research is to gain insight into why some deified persons in Classical and early Hellenistic Greece, more specifically in the 100-year period after the Peloponnesian war,...Show moreThe objective of this research is to gain insight into why some deified persons in Classical and early Hellenistic Greece, more specifically in the 100-year period after the Peloponnesian war, received divine cult while others received hero cult. For the purpose of this research, I will be analyzing case studies of deifications concerning divine as well as heroic cults in order to determine what the criteria are for a divine cult and successfully becoming a god. What I deem successful is that the deified person in question is not viewed “as if a god” or on “godlike status” but is viewed as an actual god. For the purpose of this, the research question 'why are some deifications of living mortals succesful, while others are not?’ has been formulated. To find an answer to this question, the following sub-questions have been drawn up: first, what are cults and what is deification? Second, what are the criteria for deified, living mortals to receive divine cult? Third, what are the criteria for the worshippers?Show less
This thesis studies the roles of supernatural beings in The Poetic Edda and The Saga of the Volsungs. In this thesis, I aim to find the differences and similarities between both texts, focussing on...Show moreThis thesis studies the roles of supernatural beings in The Poetic Edda and The Saga of the Volsungs. In this thesis, I aim to find the differences and similarities between both texts, focussing on gods and dragons specifically.Show less
