This work investigates the conceptual framework and practical application of miasma—or pollution—within the religious and social structures of ancient Greece. Robert B. Parker, a distinguished scholar of classical religion, examines how the Greeks perceived ritual impurity and the subsequent necessity for purification. By synthesizing evidence from tragedy, historical accounts, and political oratory, the author argues that miasma functioned as a fundamental mechanism for maintaining social and divine order. The text establishes a comprehensive taxonomy of pollution, ranging from everyday ritual requirements to the existential concerns of archaic religious movements.

Experts and classicists widely recognize this work as the foundational English-language study on the subject of Greek miasma. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous and exhaustive analysis of primary source material.