Rhodian Associations and Religious Experience

Abstract

Abstract This chapter moves away from the overwhelmingly civic focus of the previous sections and examines the lively world of Rhodian associations. Although these are often named after gods, their religious activities are little known. Building on their naming conventions, the chapter compares the religious tastes and cultic affiliations of these groups against the backdrop of Rhodian religion, as established in the rest of the book. Religious spaces and festivals allow an insight into the intersection between public and private religious experience, leading us to question the usefulness of this distinction. Finally, the chapter looks at the religious models these associations might offer for other spheres of Rhodian life, in particular the navy, and to what extent these spaces offered access to new religious experiences (such as initiation).