Ancient Alexandria: Crucible of Religious Innovation

Alexandria was one of the most important cities of the ancient Mediterranean world. Melding elements of Pharaonic Egypt and Alexander the Great’s world, it became a major center for the arts and sciences. It also became a crucible for religious innovation, which will be the focus of this seminar. Reading both ancient and modern sources, we will examine the ways Alexandria’s earliest leaders linked Egyptian and Hellenistic religious traditions, the role of Alexandria’s Jews in the shaping of Diaspora Judaism, the contributions its churches made to the development of Christianity, and how the proponents of these traditions interacted with one another. 3 hrs. sem.