quently behind the
times as to the evolution of doctrines, and drawing on literary tradition,
from epicureans and skeptics, they fought especially the beliefs of the
ancient Grecian and Italian religions that had been abolished or were dying
out, while they neglected the living beliefs of the contemporary world.

Some of these polemicists nevertheless directed their attacks against the
divinities of the Orient and their Latin votaries. Either they derived
their information from converts or they had been pagans themselves during
their youth. This was the case with Firmicus Maternus who has written a bad
treatise on astrology and finally fought the _Error of the Profane
Religions_. However, the question always arises as to how much they can
have known of the esoteric doctrines and the ritual ceremonies, the secret
of which was jealously guarded. They boast so loudly of their power to
disclose these abominations, that they incur the suspicion that the
discretion of the initiates baffled their curiosity. In addition they were
too ready to believe all the calumnies that were circulated against the
pagan mysteries, {16} calumnies directed against occult sects of all times
and against the Christians themselves.

In short, the literary tradition is not very rich and frequently little
worthy of belief. While it is comparatively considerable for the Egyptian
religions because they were received by the Greek world as early as the
period of the Ptolemies, and because letters and science were always
cultivated at Alexandria, it is even less important for Phrygia, although
Cybele was Hellenized and Latinized very early, and excepting the tract by
Lucian on the goddess of Hierapolis it is almost nothing for the Syrian,
Cappadocian and Persian religions.

The insufficiency of the data supplied by writers increases the value of
information furnished by epigraphic and archeological documents, whose
number is steadily growing. The inscriptions possess a certainty and
precision that is frequently absent in the phrases of the writers. They
enable one to draw important conclusions as to the dates of propagation and
disappearance of the various religions, their extent, the quality and
social rank of their votaries, the sacred hierarchy and sacerdotal
personnel, the constitution of the religious communities, the offerings
made to the gods, and the ceremonies performed in their honor; in short,
conclusions as to the secular and profane history