Greco-Roman Backgrounds

to the New Testament

The study of the New Testament in its formative social environment is crucial for unraveling the historical context that informs the critical enterprise of exegesis.  EMORY’S course on Greco-Roman Backgrounds (RLNT 745) aims at assisting students in understanding and navigating the ancient Mediterranean context.  Since this project itself is ambitious, the course emphasizes breadth rather than depth, providing students with the tools to do further in-depth research in the area.

Topics of Interest in the study of the Greco-Roman world:

1. ‣Key Dates and Figures in Greco-Roman history
   

2. ‣Ancient Historiography
   

3. ‣Theory and Practice of Politeia
   

4. ‣Practice of Governance (Roman Imperial Period)
   

5. ‣Identity Formation (including slavery, class, family, and sexuality and gender)
   

6. ‣Social Interaction (including meals, occupations, guilds and associations, illness, death and dying)
   

7. ‣Urban Environment and Communal Living (including public entertainment, religious festivals, and the ancient economy)
   

8. ‣Communication and Travel (including letter writing, army life, and trade)
   

9. ‣Piety (Jewish and non-Jewish)
   

10. ‣Piety (early Christian)
    

11. ‣Education and Philosophy
    

12. ‣Moral Leadership

RELATED LINKS

1. •Syllabus for RLNT 745 (Fall 2006)
   

2. •Direct link to podcasts on topics in the Greco-Roman world
   

3. •Jewish Backgrounds to the New Testament
   

4. •EMORY’S Michael C. Carlos Museum
   

5. •Graduate Division of Religion web page
   

6. •Pitts Library Resources for Biblical Studies