Moshe Blidstein: Does an oath require a divinity? from classical to late antiquity

Common custom in antiquity required that an oath be sworn by a deity or its symbol, and a number of ancient authors say so explicitly. In practice, however, oaths by entities which are not clearly divine are frequently found in ancient texts, whether Christian, Jewish or pagan. The paper will therefore attempt to clarify what type of divine power was required for an oath invocation, and how this power related to other divine powers in late ancient society.The question of which oaths were considered legitimate and powerful was of practical relevance, as oaths were used in courts of law and in other disputes, and it is indeed raised in legal sources. Despite the prohibition of oaths in the Gospel of Matthew, oaths were also used among Christians - especially after the fourth century - and this question was therefore relevant to them as well. Furthermore, since the issue of the identity and character of divinity was at the heart of many ancient and late ancient inter- and intra-religious disputes, shifts in oath invocation customs can cast light on the changing religious landscape in antiquity. As a widespread cultic act among all ancient communities, oaths provide an index of religious change, as well as a unique perspective on popular religious thought and practice.