This book is dedicated to the history of pagan religions of indigenous European peoples from antiquity to the present day. Within the framework of this study, not only pagan beliefs and rituals, pantheons of deities and reconstructions of religious doctrines are presented, but also a comparative analysis is carried out to highlight the common features and characteristic features of pagan religions. Particularly interesting is also the authors’ concept of the relationship between the pagan religions of Europe and Christianity, where in the victory of the latter they find not only positive, but also negative sides. Contents: IntroductionChapter One PAGANICITY OLD AND NEW............... ..... 1 1Chapter twoGREEKS AND THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. 19GREEKS .................................................... ............27SACRIFICE AND SANCTIFICATION.........................32SANCTUARY AND THE GODDESS..................... ...........................38ORACLE ........................... ................................41TEMPLES AND IMAGES................... ...................................45LATER EVOLUTION................... ........................49Chapter ThreeROME AND THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN........53ETRUSCIANS............ ...............................................53TRANSITION TO ROME. ...........................................63ROMAN REPUBLIC. ........................................68URBAN RELIGION....... ....................................73ALIAN GODS........... ...................................83PONTIFICS AND AUGURS............ ...........................84CALENDAR ................... ....................................88books Sibyls...................................................90EXPANSION ROME.............................................91MYSTIC SECTS ...........................................96Philosophy ...... ...............................................97Chapter FourROMAN EMPIRE ................................... 103REVOLUTION OF AUGUST (30 BC -14 n. e.) . 103THE CULT OF THE EMPEROR............................................... 107SYNCRETIC RELIGIONS - CULT Isis............... 109 MITHRAISM.................................... ................... 1 12DUALISM AND CHRISTIANITY.................................... ........ 1 14POLITICAL INSTABILITY: THE THIRD BEK............ I 18DIOCLETIAN: RESTORATION OF STATE PAGANITY................... ................................ 122CONSTANTINE: THE FALL OF PAGANIA.................................... 126Pagans RESIST...................... ......... 133LEGACY.................................... ............... 1 40ISLAM................................. .......................... 146Chapter Five THE CELTS.................................... ................................ 149 RELIGIOUS PRACTICES ................... ..................... 154CELTIC DEITIES.................................... ............. 161THE HOLY YEAR OF THE CELTS .................................... . 1 68 THE CELTS ROMANIZE .................................... 171 Chapter Six THE LATE CELTS ........ ........................... 179 POPULAR PAGANITY ................... ..................... 193Chapter SevenGERMAN PEOPLES.................................... ....203EARLY GERMANIC RELIGION...................................206 PLACES OF WORSHIP AND SANCTUARS .................. ..........216THE HOLIDAY CALENDAR OF THE GERMANS..................221FRANKS AND SAXES......... ...................................228Vikings.............. ...........................................238Chapter Eight LATE GERMAN RELIGION ..... ............249LATER GERMANIC DEITIES...................257ORGANIZATION OF THE CULT...... ...................................266NORTHERN MARTIAL ARTS............ ..................276DUALISM AND FOLK PAGANITY..............................279Chapter NineBALTIC LANDS...................................293 ANCIENT PRUSSIA and the BALTIC COAST......... .302DEITIES OF THE BALTIC PANTHEON........................308SANCTUARS AND TEMPLES ........................................312FINNO-UGRIAN PAGANITY..... ..........................315Chapter TenRUSSIA AND THE BALKANS.................... ...............325BALKAN STATES.................................... 336BYZANTINE EMPIRE....................................340Chapter ElevenTHE RISE OF PAGANITY...... ...............345THE RENAISSANCE RESTORES PAGAN VALUES .. 350THE REFORMATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES......................... ..356THE PATH OF DECEPTION: THE GREAT “WITCH HUNT”..................358THE AGE OF REASON AND THE REVIVAL OF THE CLERGY..............364ROMANTIC PAGANITY.. ...............................373NEOPAGANISM.................. ............................379REVIVAL OF GERMAN DEITIES.................. ....382TODAY ...........................................385Bibliography....... ...................................387Index of basic concepts ........... .......411 Subject index .............................. 414 Name index........ ...........................423Mythological index.................... .....431