Mediterranean World

Early Polytheism

The earliest civilizations interacting around the Mediterranean World were Egyptians and the Phoenicians in the area of Syria-Palestine. By 2000 BCE, the Egyptians and Phoenicians were trading with each other and the Minoans of Crete. The religions of the time were largely polytheistic, where the hierarchy of the gods in the pantheon was reflected and replicated in the political structure of the ruling country; the religious communities of the time were entirely continuous with the political communities. There was no state without its religion; even speaking of religion as an institution separate from the political structure is to misunderstand religion during the period. The priests of the state religion served as members of the administration, and the head of the state was the ritual leader as well. This double status also allowed the leader to ritually enact his power, for when the sacrifices were performed the community could literally see the leader's connection with the divine.

Some syncretism occurred between the religious communities, mostly through conquest or trade. Due to the prevalence of polytheism during the period, this syncretism rarely posed a problem for the community and could present as a shared representation of similar gods or be understood as a legitimate hierarchy that presided over a different area. This highlights the importance of place to religion during this time; gods were connected to the place of their community's origin.

Henotheism became evident in Egypt in 13th century BCE. Akenhaten is generally considered the first to promote henotheistic practices, as he raised the god Aten to a status above the other gods. Sometimes classified as monotheistic, Aten's religious practices recognized the existence of multiple gods while declaring only one as worthy of worship. Often other gods were considered hostile, because the effect of henotheistic practices was generally to unite the particular god with a specific community.

The Blending of the World

In 336 BCE, Philip II, King of Macedon, was assassinated. At the time of his assassination, his army had begun the invasion of Persia, and his son and successor, Alexander the Great, continued the conquests of his father to great effect. At its height, Alexander's empire stretched from Macedon (modern-day Greece), around the Mediterranean coast through Egypt, and through the Middle East to India. One of the key power centers during this time was the newly founded city of Alexandria on the Nile Delta, a site of much religious and political importance prior to Alexander's reign.

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