Roman Religion

1. Roman Religion

2. Roman Gods and Goddesses • Most Roman gods and goddesses closely resembled the Greeks. Adaptations of other gods, came from the people they conquered. • In imperial times, it became the custom to worship emperors as gods as well. • The romans believed their gods and goddesses watched over every aspect of life. • Although, the first century BC, many of the ruling classes had begun to lose faith in them.

4. Gods of the house and fields These were some of the earliest gods and those closest to the life of ordinary Romans. They included: • Laresand Penates. The Larfamiliaris was the god of the household. There was a shrine in the house where it was saluted daily, and it was called up at family events such as weddings and funerals. There were two Penates, the gods of the larder, who ensured the supply of food and drink. • Vesta, god of the hearth (fireplace) and the ploughed field. Vesta was also worshipped as a state god, and six women — the Vestal Virgins — kept her sacred flame alive in Rome.

5. Terminus, god of the boundary stones between properties. On one day each year, people in neighbouring fields would meet for a ceremony at the boundary of their fields. • Janus, a two-headed god. Able to look both backwards and forwards, Janus was originally a god of the light and sun but became he guardian of doorways, where people entered and left.

6. Gods of the state The three main gods were Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. A temple to these three was erected on the Capitoline Hill. • Jupiter was the god of the heavens and, like the Greek god Zeus, his power was expressed in thunder. A statue of Jupiter was located in the middle of three rooms in the temple. • One side room was devoted to Juno, his wife, who was the queen of heavenly light and especially that of the new moon. She was an ancient god, with a temple to her dating back to 735 BC. She was the goddess of fertility, childbirth and marriage.

8. Foreign influences As Rome expanded, there became interest in new religions. However, the senate felt this would upset the stability of Rome and frequently banned some of them. Some of these new gods and religions are described below: • Bacchus, the god of wine, was based on the Greek god Dionysus. His festival in March (early spring) was known for its alcohol-induced excesses. It was banned for a number of years. • Isis was an Egyptian god who appealed particularly to Roman women, freed men and slaves. She was the protector of sailors and fishermen, and her festival was held in early March at the start of the sailing season.

9. Mithraism was based on Mithras, a god who was portrayed in Persian clothing, killing the bull of cosmic darkness. It was believed that worshipping Mithras would let you overcome the control fate had over you. Mithraism was particularly strong among soldiers. • Christianity came from Palestine, where Pilate, the Roman governor around 30 AD, ordered that Jesus be crucified. Christians believed Jesus had then risen from the dead. The religion appealed to the slaves and poorer classes of Rome. It was often attacked and its followers persecuted, with Nero blaming the Christians for a great fire in Rome in AD 64. However, over time it became the official religion of the empire.

10. Making sacrifices • Animals were sacrificed at an altar in front of the temple. Only priests could conduct the ceremony. If any detail of the ritual went wrong, the Romans thought the gods would not accept the sacrifice. Priests were therefore important, with the chief priest given the title Pontifex Maximus. From the time of Augustus this position was held by the emperor. • Citizens brought beasts to the temple as offerings. The animals most frequently used were oxen, sheep, pigs, goats and doves. The priest washed his hands, called for silence and sprinkled salt, flour or wine on the animal’s head. When he gave the signal, attendants carried out the sacrifice. Parts of the animal’s carcass were thrown onto the altar fire for the god to consume.

12. Questions • Name two Gods of the house and fields and explain their role and how Romans worship them. • Who were the three main gods of the Roman state? Describe what dedications these gods had. • What other foreign countries influenced Roman religion? Give an example for each. • Explain the sacrificial ceremony.

13. 5. Create a summary page of each of the following Gods. You must include their Name, their Greek name, what they are the god of and an archaeological dedication e.g a temple, relief etc. • Jupiter • Juno • Minerva • Mars • Apollo • Venus • Neptune • Diana • Ceres • Mercury • Faunus • Bacchus • Hades • Prosperpine