Asebeia

Asebeia (Ancient Greek: ἀσέβεια) was a criminal charge in ancient Greece for the "desecration and mockery of divine objects", for "irreverence towards the state gods" and disrespect towards parents and dead ancestors.^[1] In English, the word is typically translated as 'impiety' or 'ungodliness'.^[2] Most evidence for it comes from ancient Athens.

The antonym of asebeia is eusebeia (εὐσέβεια), which can be translated as "piety". As piety was the generally desired and expected form of behaviour and mindset, being called and regarded impious (ἀσεβής) was already a form of punishment.^[3]^[4]

^ Thür, Gerhard (Graz), “Asebeia”, in: Brill's New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Consulted online on 10 July 2020; First published online: 2006
^ ἀσέβεια. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
^ Aurian Delli Pizzi, « Impiety in Epigraphic Evidence », Kernos [Online, 24 | 2011, Online since 01 February 2014, connection on 11 July 2020.]
^ Delli Pizzi, Aurian (2011). "Impiety in Epigraphic Evidence". Kernos (24): 59–76. doi:10.4000/kernos.1934.

[1] Thür, Gerhard (Graz), “Asebeia”, in: Brill's New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Consulted online on 10 July 2020; First published online: 2006

[2] ἀσέβεια. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.

[3] Aurian Delli Pizzi, « Impiety in Epigraphic Evidence », Kernos [Online, 24 | 2011, Online since 01 February 2014, connection on 11 July 2020.]

[4] Delli Pizzi, Aurian (2011). "Impiety in Epigraphic Evidence". Kernos (24): 59–76. doi:10.4000/kernos.1934.

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