Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Roman religion, beliefs and practices of the inhabitants of the Italian peninsula from ancient times until the ascendancy of Christianity in the 4th century ce, during a period known as Classical antiquity.
Ancient Rome - Culture and religion: Expansion brought Rome into contact with many diverse cultures. The most important of these was the Greek culture in the eastern Mediterranean with its highly refined literature and learning.
Roman religion - Beliefs, Practices, Institutions: The early Romans, like other Italians, worshiped not only purely functional and local forces but also certain high gods. Chief among them was the sky god Jupiter, whose cult, at first limited to the communities around the Alban Hills, later gained Rome as an adherent.
Early Beliefs & Influences. Early forms of the Roman religion were animistic in nature, believing that spirits inhabited everything around them, people included. The first citizens of Rome also believed they were watched over by the spirits of their ancestors.
In Ancient Rome, religion was a central part of their society. The people believed that correct worship could shape the destinies of individuals and the empire itself. As a result, Roman citizens worshipped a pantheon of gods and goddesses, each embodying specific natural forces and virtues.
Ancient Romans believed in offering praise and sacrifice to the gods to ensure a successful harvest and avert disasters. Religion was practiced in many different forms, including in temples and private homes. Most Romans also valued a reverence for the gods and a respect for their power.
The lasting impact of Roman gods and goddesses on values and ethics is evident even in contemporary discussions of morality. These deities provided a framework for understanding human behavior, illustrating the complexities of love, justice, and virtue.
The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Rome. The Roman Empire was primarily a polytheistic civilization, which meant that people recognized and worshiped multiple gods and goddess. The main god and goddesses in Roman culture were Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.
Religion in ancient Rome consisted of varying imperial and provincial religious practices, which were followed both by the people of Rome as well as those who were brought under its rule.
The Religio Romana (literally, the "Roman Religion") constituted the major religion of the city in antiquity.The first gods held sacred by the Romans were Jupiter, the highest, and Mars, the god of war, and father of Rome's twin founders, Romulus and Remus, according to tradition. The goddess Vesta became an important part of the Roman Pantheon at an early stage of the Roman Monarchy.