Gods and religion in Hellenistic poetry

This volume contains the papers of the 'Groningen Workshop on Hellenistic Poetry 9: Gods and Religion in Hellenistic Poetry' (Groningen 2008). During the workshop a first draft of the papers was commented on by an international group of specialists in the field of Hellenistic poetry. Following developments in recent research, where the study of ancient religion is flourishing, the articles in this volume explore the ways in which Hellenistic poets deal with issues relating to gods and religion. Some themes have been selected for special treatment. Thus some articles focus on the way in which Hellenistic poets inscribe the old gods in their poetry and give them a new role and meaning: they discuss, for instance, the role of Aphrodite, who is prominent in Hellenistic epigram, or the role of Zeus, who is portrayed as a model and example for the Ptolemies and thus adds an extra dimension to the first hymn of Callimachus.