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ROMAN GODS AND RELIGION

ROMAN GODS AND RELIGION. Traditional Religion. Lares : Household spirits Penates: Storeroom protectors Genius of the Paterfamilias Manes: Spirits of the Dead Vesta : the Goddess protector of the hearth, home and family Venus: The mother of Aeneas, and thus all Romans

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ROMAN GODS AND RELIGION

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  1. ROMAN GODS AND RELIGION

  2. Traditional Religion • Lares: Household spirits • Penates: Storeroom protectors • Genius of the Paterfamilias • Manes: Spirits of the Dead • Vesta: the Goddess protector of the hearth, home and family • Venus: The mother of Aeneas, and thus all Romans • Jupiter: the Chief God of Heaven, leader of all gods

  3. Lares

  4. Vesta

  5. Jupiter

  6. Imported Gods of Greece The twelve Gods of Olympus: • Jupiter = Zeus • Neptune = Poseidon • Pluto (Hades) • Hermes • Apollo • Vulcan = Hephaistos

  7. The twelve gods of Olympus • Juno = Hera • Vesta = Hestia • Venus = Aphrodite • Ceres = Demeter • Minerva = Athena • Diana = Artemis

  8. Other Graeco-Roman Gods • Bacchus = Dionysos • Bona Dea • Proserpina = Persephone • Aesculapius = Asklepios • Cupid = Eros • Pan • Priapus • Eileithyia

  9. Graeco-Roman Religion • By the time we have significant literature from the Romans, the fusion between Greek and Roman gods is almost complete • Thus the elaborate and ancient myths of Greek gods become the myths of the Roman pantheon too • Although form is important for the Greeks too, the Romans are obsessed with it (superstitio) • They are also preoccupied with knowing the will of the gods and the future through oracles, augurs, Etruscan haruspices and astrologers. • The entanglement of state and religion is almost as ancient as Rome (Numa: its second king), and this is why the cult of the emperor seemed only natural when he became the embodiment of the state in the imperial era.

  10. Influences from the East • Traditional Graeco-Roman religion was much about form, ritual and community life • Thus it only had limited appeal to the emotional and spiritual needs of people in insecure times • Oriental cults with a promise of a better afterlife, and greater appeal to the emotions and fears of the believers became increasingly popular • Cybele, Isis, Mithras.

  11. Judaism and Christianity • Finally, Judaism and its off-shoot Christianity began to have an influence, but while Judaism was not open to outsiders, Christianity was. • Its egalitarian message of hope for a better afterlife, the acceptance of everyone regardless of rank, sex, wealth or status, and its soothing message of love and peace in a violent world quickly found large appeal. • Eventually the fanaticism of its believers won the day and from the 4th c. AD, Christianity will displace all previous religions and dominate the empire and its offspring.

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