Orpheus, Zalmoxis, and Dionysus and the “Aristocratic Revolution” in Thrace (8th–6th Centuries B.C.)

Authors:

Pages: 217-225

Abstract:

The issue of the various religious cults professed by Thracian tribes has been discussed repeatedly in modern historiography. Basically, the question about their religious doctrines, which tribes have professed these doctrines and how these cults have spread and grown in the first millennium BC has been clarified. One problem that has escaped the authors’ attention to an extent is the use of religious cults in some Thracian tribes as a code of selfidentification and delimitation of their ethno-political substrates. In parallel to this process a new religious-power dominant was strengthened primarily in the concepts of Thracian aristocracy. They began to establish a closed aristocratic society by seeking to emphasize its uniqueness and much higher status than that of the peasants who were members of the community. According to the aristocratic nobles, participation in those religious communities took them as close to god as possible and they virtually merged with it. This is an idea which in its development will transform the figure of the supreme ruler into a mediator between the supreme deity, the aristocrats and the people. The formation of this concept would transform the ruler’s figure almost into a demigod while the ruler was still alive and perhaps into a reincarnated god after his death.

Keywords:

Thracians, aristocracy, religious, Orpheus, Zalmoxis, Dionysus

Download

NA / Austria / Belgium / Bulgaria / China / Cote D'Ivoire / Cyprus / Czech Republic / Europe / France / Germany / Greece / Hungary / Ireland / Israel / Italy / Netherlands / Portugal / Reunion / Russian Federation / Serbia / Sweden / Turkey / Ukraine / United Kingdom / United States