This lecture is organised by Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet), in collaboration with Dept. of History and Classical Studies, Dept. of Theology and Dept. of the Study of Religion.

Abstract

Religious identities imagined as collective and publicly affirmed were a late-comer in the ancient Mediterranean world, slowly developing in Hellenistic and Roman empires. Before, people engaged in different cults and easily shifted piety from one local god to the other when they were moving. Only in rare situations self-definitions were invoked with regard to religious beliefs or belongings. Family or political belonging could be expressed by referring to religious symbols, but only very specific religious roles produced anything like religious identities. The talk will explore changes in the use of specifically religious identities and the driving forces behind such changes. Building on concepts of ‘lived ancient religion’ and religious spatiality, particular attention will be paid to processes related to urbanisation and urban growth as the most important dynamic factors. Such factors include urban aspirations that triggered migration, identification and ethnogenesis, but also the density and diversity of living quarters, and the political interests of administrating and dominating urban space. A closer inspection of these combined factors will highlight their role in the development of intermittent and multiple religious identities as forms of urbanity that combined rather than mutually excluded choice and control.