Growing Popularity of cults
With the growing popularity of the introduced cults, it could be seen that the cults had a better recognition of the idea of immortality and the afterlife. This idea evidently appealed to many Romans who joined these mystery cults.
The cult of Isis allowed the Romans an opportunity to believe in the afterlife. This comes from the myth of her revival of Osiris her consort after he was killed by Seth another Egyptian god. This concept allowed the Romans a belief in resurrection and a life after death. Because she was able to revive Osiris it was suggested that she was able to bring humans back to life after death. This belief heavily appealed to the Romans, as their religion didn't offer this belief. The followers of the cult of Isis believed that they would be given a happy afterlife after death.
The Diana cult influenced the Romans belief in immortality. Diana was able to respect her beloved consort Virbius. According to Ovid, “Virbius must be a lint hero who was the hunter devotee of the goddess.” (C.M.C Green. 2007). According to the myth Virbius had an affair with another women which offended Diana who was the virgin goddess, she killed him and brought him back to life. Virbius committed a sexual crime against Diana and was killed as a result, he violated his vows of chastity which had aroused Diana’s jealousy. Because of the love between him and Diana, Diana resurrected him with the help of Asclepius and with the help of certain herbs, he was resurrected and returned to the forest. However, Virbius offended his deity through his sexuality and with his death and transformation he was premaritally returned to the forest with Diana. Servius, the 6th Etruscan king describes Virbius as ‘having no beginning or end’. The myth states that Virbius would have a terrible fate for his mistake of having eternal life without eternal youth. Meaning that he would never die but would continue to age as a punishment from Diana. According the myth Virbius stated that Diana had ‘Added age and left me with an unrecognisable face’ (C.M.C Green. 2007). This myth gives the Romans a belief that there is such thing as immortality and a promising afterlife by worshipping the cult of Diana. This myth also attracted people to the cult as well as the myth about Isis and Osiris and her powers of immortality and resurrection. These myths allowed the Romans to experience different beliefs which lead to the cults to become very popular throughout the Roman Empire.
The cult of Isis allowed the Romans an opportunity to believe in the afterlife. This comes from the myth of her revival of Osiris her consort after he was killed by Seth another Egyptian god. This concept allowed the Romans a belief in resurrection and a life after death. Because she was able to revive Osiris it was suggested that she was able to bring humans back to life after death. This belief heavily appealed to the Romans, as their religion didn't offer this belief. The followers of the cult of Isis believed that they would be given a happy afterlife after death.
The Diana cult influenced the Romans belief in immortality. Diana was able to respect her beloved consort Virbius. According to Ovid, “Virbius must be a lint hero who was the hunter devotee of the goddess.” (C.M.C Green. 2007). According to the myth Virbius had an affair with another women which offended Diana who was the virgin goddess, she killed him and brought him back to life. Virbius committed a sexual crime against Diana and was killed as a result, he violated his vows of chastity which had aroused Diana’s jealousy. Because of the love between him and Diana, Diana resurrected him with the help of Asclepius and with the help of certain herbs, he was resurrected and returned to the forest. However, Virbius offended his deity through his sexuality and with his death and transformation he was premaritally returned to the forest with Diana. Servius, the 6th Etruscan king describes Virbius as ‘having no beginning or end’. The myth states that Virbius would have a terrible fate for his mistake of having eternal life without eternal youth. Meaning that he would never die but would continue to age as a punishment from Diana. According the myth Virbius stated that Diana had ‘Added age and left me with an unrecognisable face’ (C.M.C Green. 2007). This myth gives the Romans a belief that there is such thing as immortality and a promising afterlife by worshipping the cult of Diana. This myth also attracted people to the cult as well as the myth about Isis and Osiris and her powers of immortality and resurrection. These myths allowed the Romans to experience different beliefs which lead to the cults to become very popular throughout the Roman Empire.