Il pharmakos nelle fonti antiche e nella Storia delle religioni. Alcune valutazioni critiche

Abstract

What is meant by the Greek word pharmakos? Was it a purification ritual or a sacrifice? What are the origins of this ceremony? One or two individuals – in case of social, religious, political crisis, or a natural disaster – were expelled from the community (and sometimes ritually killed) because it was believed that this would bring about the purification of the human group. Some sources state that the pharmakos was sacrificed, but several scholars oppose such a thesis, arguing that the earliest sources for the ritual prove that the victim was beaten up, but not killed. A more plausible explanation would be that on certain occasions he was executed, while on others he was not. In this light, is there a space for a historical-religious problematization?

Keywords

• Pharmakos
• ritual
• sacrifice
• scapegoat
• ostracism
• devotion