religious beliefs

Question 1

Romans believed that all things were controlled by

Answer 1

numina (spirits and deities)

Question 2

What did Romans do to ensure that numina used power for good?

Answer 2

offerings of food and wine, animal sacrifice

Question 3

How did Romans communicate their wishes to the numina?

Answer 3

make promises, prayers known as vota

Question 4

Did all levels of society practice vota?

Answer 4

yep. often there wer even public ceremonial prayers with expensive sacrifices

Question 5

what were some of the things Romans asked for?

Answer 5

successful business deal, safe voyage, birth of a child, good weather for good crops.

Question 6

Vesta?

Answer 6

spirit of the hearth

Question 7

Lares and penates?

Answer 7

spirits of the household

Question 8

What kinds of presents did Romans offer?

Answer 8

dedicated inscriptions, plaques with thankful inscriptions

Question 9

why were organs like the liver inspected?

Answer 9

to interpret whether the person was in favor with the gods or not….omina

Question 10

augures?

Answer 10

a type of divination..predictions made based on the flight of birds.

Question 11

The Romans promoted the worship of which god?

Answer 11

Jupiter and his family of gods (Apollo, Diana, Mars, Venus, Ceres, Juno, Minerva)

Question 12

The emperor always held what religious position?

Answer 12

chief priest, Pontifex Maximus

Question 13

why was there always a piper player at the emperor’s rituals.

Answer 13

to drown out noise, which was considered bad luck.

Question 14

In what 2 ways did the Roman state use religion to foster Romanization?

Answer 14

1. they tolerated the beliefs of other cultures as long as it didn’t threaten their rule. 2. the cultures were encouraged to worship the genius of the emperor.

Question 15

What is the “genius” of the emperor?

Answer 15

genius - the protecting spirit of the emperor.

Question 16

what goddess is the genius spirit linked to?

Answer 16

Roma

Question 17

How were these emperor worships practiced?

Answer 17

alters erected in honor of the emperor, 2. deification of the emperor after death, 3 temples built to deify a deceased emperor.

Question 18

Were these religious romanization tactics successful?

Answer 18

yes. it made roman rule feel more acceptable which reduced uprisings and encouraged people to work hard to promote their careers.

Question 19

What was another popular form of religion, besides this state religion?

Answer 19

astrology - events were controlled by the position of the stars/planets.

Question 20

the position of the stars at a person’s time of birth is called?

Answer 20

horoscope

Question 21

when roman religious sites are excavated, sometimes small sheets of lead are found inscribed with?

Answer 21

defixiones - curses. meant to punish an enemy.

Question 22

what was the method for putting a curse on someone?

Answer 22

1. name the offender, 2. detail the crime, 3. dedicate the offender to a god (who was called on to punish this offender), 4. roll the completed tablet and fasten to a tomb with nails or throw into a spring/well.

Question 23

Many curse tablets were found in what spring?

Answer 23

Aquae Sulis (about 90 tablets)

Question 24

what 2 things did romans do to intensify the curse?

Answer 24

write it backwards or meaningless words were added, like abracadabra

Question 25

what were 2 symbols often drawn on these tablets to indicate death?

Answer 25

1. urn and 2. torch

Question 26

omina?

Answer 26

belief that gods would give warnings of impending death or danger as a means to help romans avoid the upcoming obstacle.