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Rating: 
Summary: Classic Study of the Mystery Religions
Review: First published in the 1920s, this work is still the standard on the various mystery religions so popular in Greece and Rome before the establishment of Christianity. (Interesting parallels between the mystery faiths and early Christianity are discussed, without either apology or venom, but with an avid interest.)While these mystery faiths were extremely popular, they were nonetheless secret societies. Many references to their rites and doctrines exist in surviving ancient sources; these references, however, are necessarily veiled. S. Angus does a beautiful job in arranging these fragments to present an intriguing mosaic. Another classic on ancient Mediterranean religion would be James George Frazer's The Golden Bough. For a more recent study, see Michael Grant, Myths of the Greeks and Romans, which includes a discussion of the mystery religions.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Study of the Mystery Religions
Review: First published in the 1920s, this work is still the standard on the various mystery religions so popular in Greece and Rome before the establishment of Christianity. (Interesting parallels between the mystery faiths and early Christianity are discussed, without either apology or venom, but with an avid interest.) While these mystery faiths were extremely popular, they were nonetheless secret societies. Many references to their rites and doctrines exist in surviving ancient sources; these references, however, are necessarily veiled. S. Angus does a beautiful job in arranging these fragments to present an intriguing mosaic. Another classic on ancient Mediterranean religion would be James George Frazer's The Golden Bough. For a more recent study, see Michael Grant, Myths of the Greeks and Romans, which includes a discussion of the mystery religions.
Rating: 
Summary: Hmmm...
Review: This book is interesting, but it is very dry. It was originally published in the 1920's, and that does show. There are untranslated quotations of Latin and Greek that the author uses to illustrate his points. This is great if you can read Latin and Greek, but if not then you should order a dictionary as well...
Rating:
Summary: "A Superb Survey of the Mystery-Religions"
Review: What will be found in the Anglican scholar Samuel Angus,' "The Mystery-Religions," is an informative overview of the principle cults which dominated the Mediterranean world from Alexander's conquests up to the early centuries of the Christian era. The crux of this work lies in Angus' erudite analysis of the various factors which facilitated the spread and subsequent decline of the Mystery-Religions, and likewise the factors that ultimately aided the spread and triumph of Christianity. He is clear in his presentation of key points and sincere with the information he provides. Angus' deep familiarity with both the ancient texts and the current modern scholarship of his times, on the whole, presents a well-researched work valuable for students and scholars alike. This work is an enduring masterpiece, which offers readers a complete and useful tool for understanding the multifaceted belief systems of the Mystery-Religions.
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