Bloomsbury Academic Connecting the Isiac Cults: Formal Modeling in the Hellenistic Mediterranean (Scientific Studies of Religion: Inquiry and Explanation)

Why did Egyptian cults, especially those dedicated to the goddess Isis and god Sarapis, spread so successfully across the ancient Mediterranean after the death of Alexander the Great? How are we limited by the established methodological apparatus of historiography and which innovative methods from other disciplines can overcome these limits? In this book, Glomb shows that while the interplay of different factors such as the economy, climate and politics created favorable conditions for the early spread of the Isiac cults, the use of innovative quantative methods can shed new light and help disentangle the complex interplay of individual factors. Using a combination of geospatial modeling, mathematical modeling and network analysis, Glomb determines that, at least in the regions of the Hellenistic Aegean and western Asia Minor, the political channels created by the Ptolemaic dynasty were a dominant force in the local spread of the Isiac cults. An important contribution to the historiography of the ancient Mediterranean, this book answers the specific question of “how it happened” as well as, “how can we answer it beyond the limits of the established methodological apparatus in historiography”. Review This book invites us to consult with Bonhoeffer on matters of faith and responsible living in church and all spheres of society. It reveals the amazing relevance and significance of Bonhoeffer for ecumenical Public Theology today. Clements is one of the most authentic messengers to invite us to such appointments. --Nico Koopman, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa About the Author Tomáš Glomb is Assistant Professor in the Department for the Study of Religions, and the Centre for the Digital Research of Religion at Masaryk University, the Czech Republic.