Key features of Roman Religion
Early belief systems which are distinctively roman are connected to the land where people mainly worshipped agricultural figures, such as Robigo, a goddess who everted plant rust, that is Rome expanded and became more urban, Robigo was put out to pasture. Another early roman principle deity was mars who was originally associated with vegetation but changed into a war god when Rome began to fight major military battles.
As the Romans became more global their success in foreign wars forced dramatic changes including an influx of new ideas in deity’s. First among these were the Greek gods who became very much part of Roman society. Greek and Roman deities grew dramatically in number to include Jupiter and Zeus, Juno …show more content…
Today, many people are raised on biblical stories which preach lessons about life, ancient Romans were bought up on tales of sacrifice to the state, a strong emphasis on patriotism and stories about their forebears denying themselves in the process of defending the Republic.
This patriotic religion promoted virtues like honour, bravery and duty, together with the reverence for ancestors and tradition. But beginning about 130 BC this credo of self sacrifice on behalf of the state began to ring hollow after several power hungry generals (such as Marius, Sulla and Caesar) sought to use Roman government and military power for their own good rather than Rome 's. An interesting fact was that Ancient Rome decided to use Egyptian material culture as a tool for propaganda. Once again using it for themselves not for the state.
Many early emperors tried to unify Rome under a single system of worship by merging the state and religion in a belief system which we would call today, “emperor worship”. In effect when a single person controlled everybody 's destiny, who is to say “he is not a god” and of course god should be
Early belief systems which are distinctively roman are connected to the land where people mainly worshipped agricultural figures, such as Robigo, a goddess who everted plant rust, that is Rome expanded and became more urban, Robigo was put out to pasture. Another early roman principle deity was mars who was originally associated with vegetation but changed into a war god when Rome began to fight major military battles.
As the Romans became more global their success in foreign wars forced dramatic changes including an influx of new ideas in deity’s. First among these were the Greek gods who became very much part of Roman society. Greek and Roman deities grew dramatically in number to include Jupiter and Zeus, Juno …show more content…
Today, many people are raised on biblical stories which preach lessons about life, ancient Romans were bought up on tales of sacrifice to the state, a strong emphasis on patriotism and stories about their forebears denying themselves in the process of defending the Republic.
This patriotic religion promoted virtues like honour, bravery and duty, together with the reverence for ancestors and tradition. But beginning about 130 BC this credo of self sacrifice on behalf of the state began to ring hollow after several power hungry generals (such as Marius, Sulla and Caesar) sought to use Roman government and military power for their own good rather than Rome 's. An interesting fact was that Ancient Rome decided to use Egyptian material culture as a tool for propaganda. Once again using it for themselves not for the state.
Many early emperors tried to unify Rome under a single system of worship by merging the state and religion in a belief system which we would call today, “emperor worship”. In effect when a single person controlled everybody 's destiny, who is to say “he is not a god” and of course god should be