Animal sacrifice was a central aspect of Greek and Roman religion and this volume offers a powerful set of essays exploring many aspects of it. The interpretation of animal sacrifice, now considered the most important ancient Greek and Roman religious ritual, has long been dominated by the views of Walter Burkert, the late J.-P. Vernant, and Marcel Detienne. This volume offers the first general critique of their views and in particular, applies these views to Roman religion. This book brings together an international team including many leading scholars, and provides a theoretical background for the study of animal sacrifice in an ancient context.