Key aspects of the TRADITIONAL roman religion.
The Roman religion performed a major role in the daily lives of the Romans. The key aspects of the religion were their gods, rituals, scripture and morality. The religion was known as polytheistic which meant that that the Romans believed in or worshipped more the one god, this could be seen through the Capitoline Gods and the twelve Olympian gods which was a Greek influence, due to the Greek colonies on the lower peninsular. The twelve Olympian gods, lived on Mt Olympus, the Romans believed that they were both immortal and ageless. The Olympian Gods belonged to one family of gods, which included six gods and six goddess, that had married through the family. The Capitoline Gods where seen as the three main gods of the Roman religion. They where three supreme deities who were worshipped in elaborate temples on Rome’s Capitoline Hill. The gods included Jupiter the god of the sky and the king of the gods, Juno sister and wife to Jupiter and the queen of the gods and the goddess of women and marriage and Minerva daughter of Jupiter and Juno, the goddess of wisdom, crafts and war. These gods and the beliefs behind them were heavily influenced by the Etruscans. These three gods are very similar to the Greek Olympian gods Zeus, Hera and Athena.
Early forms of the Roman Religion was animistic in nature, they believed that spirits inhabited everything around them which also included people. The Romans also heavily believed that they were being watched over by their ancestors. The Capitoline Triad were added to these spirits and worshipped upon the Capitoline Hill.
Due to Greek colonies in the lower peninsular, the Romans adopted many Greek gods as their own, with the Greek influence, the Roman gods became more anthropomorphic. With this change the Roman gods had human characteristics of love, hate and jealousy. According to the Donald L. Wasson, an ancient, medieval historian, “In Rome individual expression of belief was unimportant, strict adherence to a rigid set of rituals was far more significant, thereby avoiding the hazards of religious zeal.” (Website, 2013). Cities would adopt their own patron deities and performed their own rituals in worship of the deity. Temples honouring gods were built throughout the entire empire, The Romans believed that the temples were the home of the gods and worship of the gods occurred outside the temple.
The Romans were also very superstitious and believed in omens. Augures would read the entrails of animals and read the flight of birds to interpret the omens or the will of the gods “These rituals were performed to bring a Roman Victory in battle, and no declaration of war or a major event undertaken with out approval of the gods” (Donald L. Wasson. Website. 2013). The importance of rituals was seen throughout the ancient Roman religion, as they could not partake in a war unless the gods approved and a ritual had to be competed before, the Romans could go to war.
The Roman religion lacked key characteristics, these included the lack of a scripture or moral code, lack of optimism of the after life and no desire to convert foreign people to their religion. The religion had no form of scripture to speak, this meant that they had no set beliefs that people had to subscribe to. The religions was about doing the right thing, sacrificing and honouring the gods properly. Rather than believing in the right thing, the religion contained no moral code. The Romans didn't look to their religion to tell them how to behave towards each other, they were more conceded about treating the gods the right way. The people would want to win favour from the gods, and looked to the twelve tables to guide them on ethical beliefs. Cicero, a philosophiser, politician, lawyer and consul of Ancient Rome describes the way that the Romans would attempt to worship the gods as selfish and disrespectful “Did anyone ever give thanks to the gods because he was a good man? No, because he was rich, respected, safe and sound. The reason men call Jupiter ‘Best and Greatest is not because he makes us just, temperate and wise, but safe, secure, rich and abundantly wealthy” (Cicero. On the nature of the gods. 3.87)
The way that the Romans viewed the afterlife was at times very grim. The Roman view on the afterlife was very similar to the Greeks. The souls went to the underworld to join the shades below ruled by Pluto. Pluto was the Roman god of the underworld and the judge of the dead same as the Greek god of the dead Hades. Graeco-Roman myth states that those who lived wicked lives, would live in endless torment. While the heroic lives lived a glorious after life in Elysian fields. Majority resides in the gloomy shade, pale shadows or their former selves. According to James Renshaw, the Romans believed that the “point of this view to present life which mattered” (James Renshaw. 2012). This quote hints that the Romans would have believed that the present life matters more then the eternal gloomy afterlife. This belief in the afterlife also helped people live this life as effectively as possible.
The Romans didn't enforce their religion onto the cultures that they had conquered, simply due to the fact that they had no scripture or moral code and no belief of a extravagant after life like many religions. The Roman religion had specific roles and responsibilities for each deity. (See Appendix 1.) However, these beliefs didn’t always satisfy their spiritual needs. The Romans adopted cults and religions that were worshipped throughout the Empire. These cults included the cult of Isis and Diana.
Early forms of the Roman Religion was animistic in nature, they believed that spirits inhabited everything around them which also included people. The Romans also heavily believed that they were being watched over by their ancestors. The Capitoline Triad were added to these spirits and worshipped upon the Capitoline Hill.
Due to Greek colonies in the lower peninsular, the Romans adopted many Greek gods as their own, with the Greek influence, the Roman gods became more anthropomorphic. With this change the Roman gods had human characteristics of love, hate and jealousy. According to the Donald L. Wasson, an ancient, medieval historian, “In Rome individual expression of belief was unimportant, strict adherence to a rigid set of rituals was far more significant, thereby avoiding the hazards of religious zeal.” (Website, 2013). Cities would adopt their own patron deities and performed their own rituals in worship of the deity. Temples honouring gods were built throughout the entire empire, The Romans believed that the temples were the home of the gods and worship of the gods occurred outside the temple.
The Romans were also very superstitious and believed in omens. Augures would read the entrails of animals and read the flight of birds to interpret the omens or the will of the gods “These rituals were performed to bring a Roman Victory in battle, and no declaration of war or a major event undertaken with out approval of the gods” (Donald L. Wasson. Website. 2013). The importance of rituals was seen throughout the ancient Roman religion, as they could not partake in a war unless the gods approved and a ritual had to be competed before, the Romans could go to war.
The Roman religion lacked key characteristics, these included the lack of a scripture or moral code, lack of optimism of the after life and no desire to convert foreign people to their religion. The religion had no form of scripture to speak, this meant that they had no set beliefs that people had to subscribe to. The religions was about doing the right thing, sacrificing and honouring the gods properly. Rather than believing in the right thing, the religion contained no moral code. The Romans didn't look to their religion to tell them how to behave towards each other, they were more conceded about treating the gods the right way. The people would want to win favour from the gods, and looked to the twelve tables to guide them on ethical beliefs. Cicero, a philosophiser, politician, lawyer and consul of Ancient Rome describes the way that the Romans would attempt to worship the gods as selfish and disrespectful “Did anyone ever give thanks to the gods because he was a good man? No, because he was rich, respected, safe and sound. The reason men call Jupiter ‘Best and Greatest is not because he makes us just, temperate and wise, but safe, secure, rich and abundantly wealthy” (Cicero. On the nature of the gods. 3.87)
The way that the Romans viewed the afterlife was at times very grim. The Roman view on the afterlife was very similar to the Greeks. The souls went to the underworld to join the shades below ruled by Pluto. Pluto was the Roman god of the underworld and the judge of the dead same as the Greek god of the dead Hades. Graeco-Roman myth states that those who lived wicked lives, would live in endless torment. While the heroic lives lived a glorious after life in Elysian fields. Majority resides in the gloomy shade, pale shadows or their former selves. According to James Renshaw, the Romans believed that the “point of this view to present life which mattered” (James Renshaw. 2012). This quote hints that the Romans would have believed that the present life matters more then the eternal gloomy afterlife. This belief in the afterlife also helped people live this life as effectively as possible.
The Romans didn't enforce their religion onto the cultures that they had conquered, simply due to the fact that they had no scripture or moral code and no belief of a extravagant after life like many religions. The Roman religion had specific roles and responsibilities for each deity. (See Appendix 1.) However, these beliefs didn’t always satisfy their spiritual needs. The Romans adopted cults and religions that were worshipped throughout the Empire. These cults included the cult of Isis and Diana.