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Goddesses
A History of Love and War
Brief Description
A groundbreaking history of the ancient goddesses of love and war The figure of a goddess who represents both love and war can be found in cultures across the ancient world. These societies were all polytheistic and all worshipped such deities as Venus, Freya, and the...
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A groundbreaking history of the ancient goddesses of love and war
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Description
A groundbreaking history of the ancient goddesses of love and war
The figure of a goddess who represents both love and war can be found in cultures across the ancient world. These societies were all polytheistic and all worshipped such deities as Venus, Freya, and the Morrigan. What was it about this model of divine femininity that ancient people in Europe and the Near East found so attractive?
In this vivid account, Ronald Hutton traces the history of eight key goddesses in ancient societies. Looking at the Sumerian Inanna, ancient Greek Aphrodite, and Egyptian Hathor, amongst others, Hutton compares the characters of these female deities and examines how and why such a figure reoccurred so often. Ranging from Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine to western Europe, this fascinating story provides a deeper understanding of two of the most powerful and intractable human impulses: love and war.
Goddesses by Ronald Hutton is a compelling exploration of this ancient phenomenon.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300290721
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 27 October 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Illustration: 18 b-w illus. + 1 map
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 152.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 300g
Pages: 320
About the Author
Ronald Hutton is professor of history at Bristol University and a leading authority on the British Isles in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, on ancient and medieval paganism and magic, and on the global context of witchcraft beliefs. He is the author of twenty books.
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