"GREEK RELIGION" IN STRABO

A classicising version of what is usually understood as Greek religion in Roman times may be found in Strabo's Geography. In his attempt to offer a favourable view of Greekness, which might help to consolidate the position of the Greeks within the Roman empire, Strabo focused on some religious features as markers of Hellenism, diametrically different to non-Greek religious practices: civic sacrifice, sanctuaries, and festivals, the three of them powerful political catalysts. This highly biased version of Greek religion was intended to provide Roman rulers with arguments to support a leading position of the Greeks within the empire, as it insisted on continuity, respect for the 'right order' and the political benefits that could result from the practice of this kind of religion, both for Greek elites and for Roman rulers. Consequently, information about "Greek religion" in Roman times in Strabo's Geography should be read against these premises.