5. Religion Flashcards
What does Pagan mean?
Any non-Christian or Islamic belief, it is a derogatory term. Means ‘country dweller’
Is Paganism a single religion?
No, it refers to all pre-Christian beliefs.
What does Polytheist mean?
A belief in multiple gods at once.
What does Monotheistic mean?
A belief in one single deity
Another term for Pagan?
Traditional believer
What does the term ‘credere’ mean?
To believe. (The source of the term ‘creed’ which tends to underline the meanings of beliefs.)
What was the general belief of the Roman empire?
Roman religion or Roman pagan.
What did the Romans believe?
They believed in the existence of multiple divine beings that were invisible to mortals (generally).
What does the alpine term ‘religo’ relate to?
the relationship between the divine and humanity. Explains the divine, the fear of the divine ect..
What is odd about the Roman religion?
They had no written law or code, only Mos Maiorum.
Which religion was the Romans closest to?
Greek
What is the issue with our sources?
They have heavy Etruscan and Greek influences and have gone through a Chinese whisper effect.
What does Georges Dumezil argue?
There are 3 basic principles reflected in greek and roman deities; War, Law and Production.
Who make up the Roman Capitoline Triad?
Jupiter, Juno and Minerva
Who from the Flamen, replaced the Capitoline Triad?
Jupiter, Mars and Quirinus
What was different in the Roman religion to the Greek religion?
They deified personifications of concepts, such as Fortuna
What was the most popular religious practise?
Group worship
What was the most vital part of religious rituals?
Sacrifice
Why was sacrifice important?
To attain favour with the gods - it was contractual.
What animals got sacrificed?
The best or prized animals, such as oxen as they were the most expensive.
What did they do with the entrails of the sacrificed animals?
Reviewed for omens and messages from the gods.
What did the Pontifices oversee?
7 Vestal Virgins, 12o flamines minores; & the septemviri
What priestly college observed and interpret divine signs?
Augure
What priestly college was tasked with interpreting the Sibylline books?
Quindecimviri sacris faciundis
What priestly college oversaw the feast of Jupiter, ritual meals and imperial festivals?
Septemviri epulonum
When were Septemviri epulonum established?
196 BC
What did the fetial priests oversee?
War
Who were the main priests?
Flamines or Flamen
Who was a Flamen Dialis in the 1st century BC?
Julius Caesar
What did Cicero say about political priests?
everyone who held a position of political power in the government, were also priests of the highest order
What were the Vestal virgins?
priestesses to the goddess of the hearth and home, Vesta. The most important priests in Rome.
How were the Vestal Virgins Recruited?
By the ritual of ‘kidnapping’ between the ages of 6 and 10, chosen from a lottery. However traditionally they were from wealthy families.
How long would the Vestal Virgins serve?
At least 30 years
Where did the Vestal Virgins origin from?
From the wives of the old Roman kings
What were the roles of the Vestal Virgins?
The preparation of Mola Salsa.
Ritual cleaning of the Temple.
Tending the hearth of Rome
How was an unchaste Vestal found?
Natural disasters and abnormal events.
How was an unchaste Vestal punished?
Death - buried alive in a ‘civilised’ manner.
Who wrote of the unchaste Vestals?
Plutarch and Livy.
Which months did war festivals take place?
March and October
When did the agriculture festivals take place?
April and Spring
How’d they celebrate the war festivals?
Salii danced through the streets wearing archaic armor
What is Pomerium?
The sacred boundary of Rome
