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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 7912872" data-attributes="member: 4937">Truthfully, we know very very little, and much less than what is commonly assumed. Most of the documents we have are copies from nearly 1000 years after the events took place, and most of what we think we know is from events recorded long after the classical era. While I don't agree with you completely that current religions are "all over the place" in what they believe, I will say that it is difficult to extrapolate from the rites of modern Christianity how it was practiced in say 1400. And yes, there were certainly wide variations in belief, piety, rites, and practices, most of which are probably forever lost to us just because we have so little documentation. The situation is further complicated by the fact that most ancient cult practice would have been mystery cults, which different levels of secrets known only to the initiated and/or the priesthood.So I can only write about what we know, which is little, and what I know, which is even less.  But I think that the analysis I'm offering is fair and defensible.</blockquote>