The Varied Forms of Cult Centralization in the Ancient Near East

This article examines the concept of cult centralization, typically reserved for describing the religious reforms of the Judahite kings Hezekiah and Josiah. I argue that this terminology need not be reserved for these two monarchs, but, rather, that cult centralization manifests in multiple ways throughout the ancient Near East. Through three case studies, I suggest the ways in which cult centralization manifests, concluding that its method of implementation is intimately connected to its long‐term success.