Sources

The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th edition

Citation Formats

General Reference

Divinity Atlas. "The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th edition." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-oxford-classical-dictionary-4th-edition.

APA Style

Divinity Atlas. (n.d.). The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th edition. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-oxford-classical-dictionary-4th-edition

BibTeX

@misc{divinityatlas-the-oxford-classical-dictionary-4th-edit,
  author = {Divinity Atlas},
  title = {The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th edition},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-oxford-classical-dictionary-4th-edition},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

This is a one volume reference now in its fourth edition, each edition incorporating archaeological and textual scholarship published since the last one rather than simply reprinting earlier entries, which is itself a form of demonstrated track record: a reference that had stopped being useful would not have been worth revising four times. It spans the Bronze Age through late antiquity, covering religion, mythology, history and institutions in concise entries carrying their own bibliography. It is a strong source for established facts about Greco-Roman religion, myth and history. As a reference dictionary its entries summarize rather than argue a position in depth, so a live scholarly controversy about a specific figure or cult may need a dedicated specialist study alongside it.

Facts

Assessment

Reliability Tier

A standard one volume scholarly reference on the ancient Greek and Roman world from a university press, with concise, bibliographed entries covering religion, mythology and history from the Bronze Age through late antiquity.

Notes

Standard one-volume scholarly reference on the ancient Greek and Roman world, covering religion, mythology, history, literature, biography, institutions and material culture from the Bronze Age through late antiquity. Use for established facts about Greco-Roman religion, myth and history; entries are concise scholarly summaries with bibliography.

Citation

Author

Simon Hornblower, Antony Spawforth and Esther Eidinow (eds.)

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Publication Year

2012

URL

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-classical-dictionary-9780199545568

Source Type

reference

Claims Backed By This Source (2,034 claims)

This source backs 2,034 claims across the atlas. As facts: 1,654 well-attested, 1 partially Attested, 36 scholarly debate, 1 open question. As cited relationships: 105 holds, 12 connected. Plus 225 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.

Disposition By Topic

Deities, 971 claims: 834 well-attested, 12 scholarly debate, 33 holds, 1 connected, 91 general references.
Articles, 284 claims: 259 well-attested, 1 partially Attested, 1 holds, 9 connected, 14 general references.
Figures, 202 claims: 161 well-attested, 14 holds, 27 general references.
Historical Figures, 158 claims: 113 well-attested, 22 scholarly debate, 1 open question, 2 holds, 20 general references.
Sacred Sites, 70 claims: 50 well-attested, 11 holds, 9 general references.
Virtues, 43 claims: 25 well-attested, 12 holds, 2 connected, 4 general references.
Elements, 42 claims: 37 well-attested, 5 general references.
Other Writings, 39 claims: 30 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 2 holds, 6 general references.
Rituals, 29 claims: 21 well-attested, 8 general references.
Doctrines, 26 claims: 15 well-attested, 5 holds, 6 general references.
Myths & Sacred Narratives, 25 claims: 15 well-attested, 5 holds, 5 general references.
Calendars, 22 claims: 17 well-attested, 1 holds, 4 general references.
Hymns & Liturgical Texts, 19 claims: 17 well-attested, 2 general references.
Subcategories, 16 claims: 12 well-attested, 4 general references.
Empires & Polities, 15 claims: 10 well-attested, 3 holds, 2 general references.
Practices, 9 claims: 8 well-attested, 1 general references.
Mythical Creatures, 8 claims: 4 well-attested, 4 general references.
Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
Religious Events, 7 claims: 2 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 3 holds, 1 general references.
Religious Roles & Titles, 7 claims: 2 well-attested, 3 holds, 2 general references.
Bodies of Water, 6 claims: 1 well-attested, 4 holds, 1 general references.
Open Questions, 6 claims: 5 well-attested, 1 general references.
Religious Legal Instruments, 6 claims: 2 well-attested, 2 holds, 2 general references.
Religious Offices, 5 claims: 4 well-attested, 1 general references.
Animals & Totems, 3 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Categories, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
Holidays & Festivals, 2 claims: 2 general references.
Sacred Architecture, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.
Organizations, 1 claims: 1 holds.
Plants, 1 claims: 1 holds.