Hermes

Gods and heroes of the ancient world

Arlene Allan

'Hermes, messenger of the gods, guide for the dead, deity of the marketplace, all-round trickster, and protector of thieves, is hard to pin down. If there is one quality that defines him, though, it is his gentleness, his lightness of touch. Arlene Allan herself covers a lot of ground lightly, offering a svelte introduction to the ancient cults of Hermes, his role in myth, and his reception from antiquity to the present. I thoroughly recommend this book.'
- Barbara Graziosi, Durham University, UK

Hermes redresses the gap in modern English scholarship on this fascinating and complex god, presenting its readers with an introduction to Hermes' social, religious and political importance through discussions of his myths, iconography and worship. It also brings together in one place an integrated survey of his reception and interpretation in contemporaneous neighbouring cultures in antiquity as well as discussion of his reception in the post-classical periods up to the present day. This volume is an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to explore the many facets of Hermes' myth, worship and reception.

Arlene Allan is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Classics at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Her research and teaching interests include ancient Greek socio-religious history, Athenian drama, and the interface between Graeco-Roman religion and early Christianity. She is co-author, with Ian C. Storey, of A Guide to Ancient Greek Drama (2005, revised second edition 2014) and sole author of several articles and book chapters in these subject areas.

This book can be purchased at www.Routledge.com.
If you buy multiple books at the same time, you can receive an interesting discount.