#6: Ancient Religions - Rome
What does indigenous mean?
originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.
How much emphasis did the Romans put on religion?
The Romans thought of themselves as highly religious, and attributed their success as a world power to their collective piety in maintaining good relations with the gods. According to legendary history, most of Rome's religious institutions could be traced to its founders, particularly Numa Pompilius, the Sabine second king of Rome, who negotiated directly with the gods. What was mos maiorum?
This archaic religion was the foundation of the mos maiorum, "the way of the ancestors" or simply "tradition", viewed as central to Roman identity. The word religio itself is of Latin origin, albeit unattested before the 1st century BC, and has an original meaning of "strict or (excessively) scrupulous observance" of the mos maiorum.
What is the separation of church and state? Does it apply to Rome?
The priesthoods of public religion were held by members of the elite classes. There was no principle analogous to "separation of church and state" in ancient Rome. During the Roman Republic (509–27 BC), the same men who were elected public officials might also serve as augurs and priests. Priests married, raised families, and led politically active lives. Who decided that Rome should expand its boundaries? What was the source of this decision?
The augurs read the will of the gods and supervised the marking of boundaries as a reflection of universal order, thus sanctioning Roman expansionism as a matter of divine destiny.
How does the term do ut des apply to religion and Roman life?
Roman religion was thus practical and contractual, based on the principle of do ut des, "I give that you might give." Religion depended on knowledge and the correct practice of prayer, ritual, and sacrifice, not on faith or dogma. What was the goal of religion in ancient Rome?
Even the most skeptical among Rome's intellectual elite such as Cicero, who was an augur, saw religion as a source of social order.
Identify three parts of daily Roman life that was defined by religion.
For ordinary Romans, religion was a part of daily life. Each home had a household shrine at which prayers and libations to the family's domestic deities were offered. Neighborhood shrines and sacred places such as springs and groves dotted the city. The Roman calendar was structured around religious observances. Women, slaves, and children all participated in a range of religious activities. Who are the most famous female priests of Rome?
Some public rituals could be conducted only by women, and women formed what is perhaps Rome's most famous priesthood, the state-supported Vestal Virgins, who tended Rome's sacred hearth for centuries, until disbanded under Christian domination.
Identify the sources of Roman religion.
The Romans are known for the great number of deities they honored, a capacity that earned the mockery of early Christians. The presence of Greeks on the Italian peninsula from the beginning of the historical period influenced Roman culture, introducing some religious practices that became fundamental to Roman religion. The Romans looked for common ground between their major gods and those of the Greeks, adapting Greek myths and iconography for Latin literature and Roman art. Etruscan religion was also a major influence, particularly on the practice of augury, since Rome had once been ruled by Etruscan kings. How did Rome deal with conflicting gods as it conquered new areas?
As the Romans extended their dominance throughout the Mediterranean world, their policy in general was to absorb the deities and cults of other peoples rather than try to eradicate them, since they believed that preserving tradition promoted social stability. One way that Rome incorporated diverse peoples was by supporting their religious heritage, building temples to local deities that framed their theology within the hierarchy of Roman religion. Inscriptions throughout the Empire record the side-by-side worship of local and Roman deities, including dedications made by Romans to local gods. By the height of the Empire, numerous international deities were cultivated at Rome and had been carried to even the most remote provinces. How tolerant was Rome of other religious practices?
Because Romans had never been obligated to cultivate one god or one cult only, religious tolerance was not an issue in the sense that it is for competing monotheistic systems.
Match The Roman Gods
Identify the errors in the trailer below
Snow
Lots of trees
