‘War, Wind, and Water: Maritime Religion in Herodotus’

Herodotus is vitally important evidence for our understanding of early Greek maritime religion. Yet he has rarely been used to research this topic. This seminar explores Herodotus’s religious views and especially his multifaceted treatment of maritime-related religious practices. It focusses on how he wrote about winds and storms at sea, and how this compares to general Greek and Persian views about these risky phenomena. Through these examples the seminar explores the religions practices that the Greeks and Persians undertook when faced with destructive weather at the sea.