Cosmos in the Ancient World

How did the ancient Greeks and Romans conceptualise order? This book answers that question by analysing the formative concept of kosmos (''order'' ''arrangement'' ''ornament'') in ancient literature philosophy science art and religion. This concept encouraged the Greeks and Romans to develop theories to explain core aspects of human life including nature beauty society politics the individual and what lies beyond human experience. Hence Greek kosmos and its Latin correlate mundus are subjects of profound reflection by a wide range of important ancient figures including philosophers (Parmenides Empedocles the Pythagoreans Democritus Plato Aristotle the Stoics Lucretius Cicero Seneca Plotinus) poets and playwrights (Sophocles Euripides Aristophanes Plautus Marcus Argentarius Nonnus) intellectuals (Gorgias Protagoras Varro) and religious exegetes (Philo the Gospel Writers Paul). By revealing kosmos in its many ancient manifestations this book asks us to rethink our own sense of ''order'' and to reflect on our place within a broader cosmic history.