Ancient Roman religion and beliefs mutated greatly and show how religious sentiment in societies can develop. Religion and the state’s and individual citizen’s relationship with the divine was a fundamental element of what it meant to be a Roman citizen.
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Ancient Roman religious beliefs changed greatly throughout the development of Roman civilisation. Early divinities were a mixture of local Latin-italic tradition on an Indo-European base. This meant that many divinities found in the early Roman pantheon had echos and similarities with those of other nations, extending as far as India.
Early beliefs such as those of family spirits housed in the house lararium and local divinities tied to given locations remained throughout Roman civilisation all the way through to the advent of Christianity. Other divinities were readily acquired and absorbed into common lore as part of Roman expansion. The goddess Juno for example was acquired from their neighbouring Etruscans, brought to Rome and given a new home there.
The role of the Roman priesthood
Ancient Roman Religion and Beliefs also involved rigorous public processions such as the one shown above of a sacrificial ceremony in front of the Pantheon temple. Over time a number of secret “mystery religions” also developed. These were often of Eastern provenance like the cult of Bacchus. In these cases there were secret rites and initiations and these cults were often considered “Orgiastic“.
Religious roles among the higher priesthood ‘flamens’ were considered as highly as those of magistrates. Julius Caesar himself or Augustus after him readily held such roles. Indeed in the earliest days of Archaic Rome, during the Roman kingdom the priesthood was directly involved with the making of laws. Later their role lessened as republican structures created a clear division between state roles and religion. Nevertheless important religious festivities were regularly adhered to and the seers and augurs regularly involved in important state decisions particularly at times of war and great peril. The Roman calendar and the festivities within it was managed by religious authorities.
The Capitoline Triad of Deities
The Capitoline triad of divinities was at times changed though the God Jupiter was always regarded as the first and foremost among them. Some other divinities with high relevance for the Roman state included Vesta, Mars, Minerva, Venus and Apollo.
The real issue of Christianity arose at much the same time that Emperors such as Emperor Nero opted to take on a more eastern culture of taking on personal divine status whilst still living and expecting to be honoured accordingly.
| More pictures of Ancient Rome | Read more about sacrifices in ancient Rome and Religion and Beliefs in the Roman Empire |