Religious Roots of Europe: The Study of Ancient Religion

This course is the first module in the Religious Roots of Europe programme and introduces you to the development of religion in the Roman Empire in its relation to society in the period during which Judaism, Christianity and Islam emerged. It also introduces you to the methods and theories that are used in the study of ancient religion. This is important since the knowledge and skills you acquire during the course will constitute the foundations for subsequent discussions in other modules of the program.

The ancient religious world was fundamentally polytheistic and pluralistic, though there were also limits to what was acceptable. In this context, Judaism went through a decisive formative phase (the Mishna, the Talmud). Developing from Judaism, Christianity was shaped by the same religious world; it took over and continued essential aspects of this world but also defined itself in contrast to Judaism and ‘paganism‘. Islam later took shape in a self-conscious relationship to the type of religion that had been developed by Jews and Christians in the ancient world.

To understand the emergence of these three monotheistic religions, it is necessary to know something about the soil from which they grew: the religion and society of the ancient Mediterranean world during the age of the Roman Empire.

Course syllabus

The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

Teaching in this module combines tutorials and digital learning with a compact seminar in Rome, which includes field visits. The varied format supports a reflective and analytical approach to the study of ancient religion, encouraging close engagement with both primary sources and scholarly literature.

The course provides a foundation for understanding religious life in the Roman Empire, with a focus on theoretical and methodological perspectives. Through such perspectives, students explore how religion shaped society and identity.

The assessment is based on a written paper, submitted after the compact seminar. The assignment invites students to apply course insights to a focused question, demonstrating their ability to interpret, compare, and critically evaluate religious developments in antiquity.

The course is a component of the Master's programme Religious Roots of Europe (120 credits). It can also be studied as a freestanding course. 

Prerequisites

To be admitted to the course, the student must have a first cycle degree specialising in theology, religious studies, classical philology, classical archaeology or history.

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 33,750
First payment: SEK 33,750

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.