试析希腊化宗教中的东方传统

Oriental Tradition in Hellenistic Religion

希腊化宗教是希腊因素与东方因素融合的结果,其中东方因素更为突出,主要表现为统治者崇拜和东方神灵的盛行。由于马其顿亚历山大征服后政治环境的变化以及奥林匹亚宗教的衰落,希腊人需要新的精神寄托,于是以自愿归附或自然同化等方式接受了东方的宗教传统。因此,严格地说,这一时期的宗教不是"希腊化",而是"东方化"。在宗教领域,东方人使他们的征服者变成了被征服者。

The Hellenistic religion represents the syncretism of Greek and Oriental religion, with the latter as more prominent, typifying ruler-worship and the popularity of Oriental gods cult. Owing to the changing political environment and the decline of Olympian religion, the Greeks came to place greater hopes on the Oriental religion. They accepted the Oriental religion by voluntary conversion and natural assimilation. To be exact, the Hellenistic religion was not ＂Hellenized＂ but ＂Orientalized.＂ In the field of religion, the Orientals succeeded in tuming their conquerors into captives.