Introduction : religion and its characteristic expression -- Egypt : historical survey -- Egypt : the gods and the world they made -- Egypt : the king and royal power -- Egypt : the world of the dead -- Egypt : the human world -- Mesopotamia : historical survey -- Mesopotamia : the gods and the world they made -- Mesopotamia : the world of kings and heroes -- Mesopotamia : the world of the dead -- Mesopotamia : the human world -- Syria-Palestine : historical survey -- Syria-Palestine : the gods and the world they made -- Syria-Palestine : kings and prophets -- Syria-Palestine : suffering and death -- Syria-Palestine : the human world -- Conclusion : change and continuity in the Hellenistic Age.