Käte Hamburger Kolleg

Focus Group "Secret"

10 Oct. 2011, 04:15 p.m. – 05:45 p.m.

Meret Strothmann:

Public secrets. The initiation of the emperor in the mystery cults.

This paper is a contribution to the thesis of the definition of "secrecy as a zone of contact". The roman emperor was initiated as a new member of the mystery cults by secret rituals, which play a central role ind the these ancient cults. This paper will give some ideas how to connect secret with the general meaning of religion.