This unit examines various features of the religious practices of the ancient Greeks and Romans, from c.800 BC-AD 330. Topics include: magical practices; sacrificial systems; priesthoods; the role of women in religion; old versus new cults; private and public cults; religious architecture; the interplay between religion and politics; minority religious groups and mythology. The aim is to introduce the main themes of Greek and Roman religion, and to consider the religious priorities of the Greeks and Romans. Students will write assignments on both cultures with the emphasis on understanding what motivated the religious practices of the Greeks and Romans.