Grace Thompson
Before the adoption of Catholicism, the Romans practised a polytheistic religion, influenced by the Greeks and Etruscans. They believed in various deities, with Jupiter and Mars being the most sacred. Their religion was focused on interpreting divine messages through natural occurrences and maintaining good relations with the gods, which they attributed to their success as a world power. The Romans had a strong belief in the afterlife and held elaborate funeral rituals for the dead. With the introduction of Christianity, some Romans were attracted to its emphasis on death and the afterlife, and it gradually gained a foothold in the empire. In 380 CE, Emperor Theodosius I made Nicene Christianity the official state religion, marking a significant shift away from the traditional polytheistic beliefs of the Romans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion in ancient Rome | Polytheistic |
| Roman beliefs about the afterlife | Varied, with an expectation of an afterlife |
| Roman gods | Jupiter, Mars, Vesta, Diana |
| Roman beliefs about gods | The gods were on their side, bringing them success |
| Roman religious practices | Interpreting divine messages through natural occurrences (omens) |
| Roman view of Christianity | A mystery religion |
| Date Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire | 380 CE |
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What You'll Learn
Religio Romana
The Religio Romana is an orthopraxic religion, focusing more on correct ritual actions and words than on specific beliefs. Adherents of this faith strive to gain the favour of divine forces and establish peace with the gods, known as Pax Deorum. This peace is achieved by performing rituals, making offerings, and demonstrating respect for the power of the deities. Superstition and uncontrolled mysticism are generally discouraged.
The Cultus Deorum, or the 'cult of the gods', is a key aspect of Religio Romana. It is a religion without a rigid set of beliefs but with a rich tradition of values and practices. Followers may choose to adopt Roman values while adapting them to modern social realities. The Cultus Deorum does not have an "inspired" text and is classified as orthopraxic, with adherents sharing common values, culture, and knowledge about the world and the gods.
The Romans believed that maintaining positive relationships with the gods and goddesses was essential for societal peace and harmony. Each individual had a responsibility to perform rituals and make offerings to the gods. Ancestor worship and domestic religion were also significant aspects of Religio Romana, with the hearth considered sacred and central to family life.
Followers of Religio Romana may also venerate gods from other cultures that were venerated within the Roman Empire, including Greek, Celtic, Germanic, Egyptian, and Near Eastern deities. This practice, known as Interpretatio Romana, involves identifying or conflating non-Roman gods with Roman deities. For example, the Germanic gods Tyr, Woden, and Thor may be associated with Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter, respectively.
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Polytheism
The ancient Romans considered themselves deeply religious, and their polytheistic religion, also known as cultus deorum, played a significant role in their daily lives. They honoured and worshipped multiple deities of the old Latin pantheon and others, adopting and adapting religious practices from various influences, such as the cultus of Apollo from the Greeks, and the practice of augury from the Etruscans.
Roman polytheism was practical and contractual, based on the principle of "do ut des," meaning "I give that you might give." It was not centred on faith or dogma but on the correct performance of rituals, prayers, and sacrifices. The Romans believed that their success as a world power was due to their collective piety in maintaining good relations with the gods. They sought to discover the will of the gods through augury and interpreted their victories in wars as a sign of divine favour.
Roman religion was deeply intertwined with their traditions and identity. They believed in the way of the ancestors, or mos maiorum, and attributed their success to their collective piety. Their religious practices included household shrines, neighbourhood shrines, sacred places, and a calendar structured around religious observances. Women, slaves, and children all participated in religious activities, with women holding important roles as priestesses in the cult of Vesta, tending to Rome's sacred hearth.
As the Roman Empire expanded, it absorbed the deities and cults of other cultures rather than eradicating them, believing that preserving tradition promoted social stability. This led to a syncretism of Greek and Roman deities, such as Ares-Mars and Athena-Minerva, and the integration of eastern mystery religions into Roman religious practices.
Roman polytheism eventually came into conflict with the rising influence of Christianity, which Romans considered a form of atheism or superstition. With the adoption of Christianity as the official state religion in 380, Roman polytheism was brought to an end. However, attempts have been made in modern times to revive Roman polytheist practices, adapting them to the present day while preserving their fundamental features.
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Belief in an afterlife
The ancient Romans believed in an afterlife and the immortality of the soul, though their belief system about life after death was complicated and varied. They believed that when one died, they were met by Mercury, the messenger god and son of Jupiter, who took them to the river Styx, which flowed nine times around the underworld. The soul then had to pay Charon, the ferryman, a fee to cross the river, where they were judged by Minos, Aenaeus, and Rhadamanthus.
After being judged, the soul was sent to one of three areas of the underworld, all ruled by Pluto, brother of Jupiter. Warriors and heroes were sent to the Fields of Elysium, ordinary citizens to the Plain of Asphodel, and those who had committed crimes against society were sent to Tartarus, where they were tortured by the Furies until their debt to society was repaid. The Romans did not believe in eternal damnation, however, and souls were eventually released from Tartarus.
The Romans also believed that those who were not properly buried would be denied entrance to the underworld and would spend eternity in a purgatory-like state. As such, they buried their loved ones with a variety of artifacts, including a coin to pay Charon, as well as food, cosmetics, and jewelry. Sarcophagi were usually decorated with images of the deceased.
Roman beliefs about the afterlife were influenced by the Greeks and the Etruscans. The Greeks, for example, shared the Roman belief that the dead could be present and angry, seeking vengeance for ill luck or a guilty conscience. On other occasions, the Romans, like the Greeks, spoke of the dead as if they were completely absent from the world of the living. However, Roman religion lacked the Greek taste for seeing their deities in human form and endowing them with mythology. Instead, they attributed their success as a world power to their collective piety in maintaining good relations with the gods.
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Influence of Greek religion
The influence of Greek religion on Roman religious practices was significant, with some sources even describing Roman religion as a derivative of Greek religion. The presence of Greeks on the Italian peninsula from the beginning of the historical period influenced Roman culture and religious practices.
One notable influence was the introduction of the cultus of Apollo, which became fundamental to Roman religion. The Romans also sought to identify common ground between their major gods and those of the Greeks, adapting Greek myths and iconography for Latin literature and Roman art. This process, known as interpretatio graeca, resulted in the Hellenization of Latin literature and culture, promoting the idea that the two cultures shared a heritage.
Greek influence is also evident in the development of Roman mystery cults, which were derived from Greek originals. These cults operated through a hierarchy of initiation, using secret rites of passage that often included dance, music, intoxicants, and theatrical effects to evoke a sense of religious awe and revelation.
The Greeks' sophisticated and abstract conceptions of divinity and its relation to humanity also influenced Roman thought. While the Romans initially lacked the Greek tendency to personify their deities in human form or endow them with mythology, Greek influence led to the development of Roman pantheistic hierarchies that were part literary, part philosophical, and often Greek in origin.
It is important to note that the degree of Greek influence on Roman religion is a subject of debate. While Greek ideas and practices undoubtedly played a significant role in shaping Roman religion, the Romans also had their own distinct religious culture and traditions. Some Romans eagerly embraced Greek influences, while others actively resisted them to preserve their unique "Romanness."
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Influence of Etruscan religion
The influence of Etruscan religion on Roman religion was significant, especially in the realm of spiritual beliefs and ritual practices. The Etruscans believed their religion was revealed to them by seers like Tages and Vegoia, and they emphasised intimate contact with divinity. This belief system was adopted by the Romans, who also embraced key elements of Etruscan religious practices, such as divination and soothsaying. Etruscan religion also influenced the Romans' concept of the afterlife, which included a belief in a transmigrational world beyond the grave, akin to the Greek Hades.
The Etruscan religious scriptures, known as the Etrusca Disciplina, were consulted by priests or cepen. This collection of texts included theories and rules of divination, predictions of future events through animal entrails, and rituals for establishing new towns and dividing territories. While these scriptures have been lost, they were referenced by Roman writers like Cicero and Seneca, who acknowledged the influence of Etruscan religion on Roman practices.
The Etruscans also introduced the Romans to the interpretation of signs in celestial phenomena and the creation of calendars, a practice also adopted by the Romans. Additionally, the Etruscans influenced the Roman concept of augury, used by the state to seek the will of the gods. Etruscan gods, such as Aita (Hades) and Pacha (Bacchus), were assimilated into Roman religion, often with equivalent Roman or Greek names.
While Greek influence on Roman religion was also significant, particularly in the adoption of gods and the interpretation of myths and iconography, the Etruscans played a crucial role in shaping early Roman religious practices and beliefs. The Romans acknowledged their debt to Etruscan religion, despite their efforts to suppress cultural influences. The influence of Etruscan religion on Roman society extended beyond spirituality, impacting their civic life and engineering advancements as well.
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Frequently asked questions
The main religion in ancient Rome was Religio Romana, which translates to "Roman Religion". The Romans were polytheistic and honoured many deities.
The Roman Religion was largely concerned with interpreting divine messages through natural occurrences (omens). The Romans attributed their success as a world power to their collective piety in maintaining good relations with the gods.
The presence of Greeks on the Italian peninsula from the beginning of the historical period influenced Roman culture and religion. The Romans adapted Greek myths and iconography for Latin literature and Roman art. Over time, the Roman religion came to include several gods and goddesses, such as Juno, Vesta, and Diana.
Before the adoption of Catholicism, the Roman Empire had no single state religion. Various religions and cults coexisted within the Empire, including Judaism, Mithraism, and Christianity. In 380 CE, Emperor Theodosius I made Nicene Christianity the official state religion, marking a shift away from the traditional polytheistic beliefs of the Romans.
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