Imperial or Local? Religion and Identity in Achaemenid Antolia

Abstract

As part of their successful ruling strategy, the Achaemenid kings employed a flexible system of governance wherein the ruling authorities both implemented common mechanisms of state control on an empire-wide scale and, at the same time, co-opted persistent localisms in service to imperial interests. Albeit subtly articulated, tangible imperial impact is particularly evident in the realm of religion. Here, the region of Anatolia represents an interesting case of in-between: local traditions of cult practice and kingship continued throughout the Persian period along with limited instances of imperial intervention in these matters. As fitting within this context, local elites both maintained traditional practices of their homelands and enacted certain behaviors that signaled their inclusion within the overarching imperial system. Offering an adjacent (and in many ways comparable) perspective to the cultural and geographic context of the Levant, this talk investigates the extent to which the Empire had an effect locally in Anatolia and considers whether the question "Imperial or Local?" provides a valid framework for understanding religion and identity formation within the region.