Roman religion

Question 1

What kind of religion was it?

Answer 1

• Community religion (not private)
• Not a religion of faith (don’t have to believe in the gods)
• There are divine forces that affect individual/community; can’t explain them
• Do best to find what they are like and get on their right side/right relationship
• Localized - no network across country; priests do whatever they do

Question 2

Were there rules in the religion?

Answer 2

• Follow traditional procedures
• No holy book/teaching/morality (determine by social norms)
• Doesn’t need regular observance

Question 3

Describe their festivals

Answer 3

• Gods/goddesses have festivals; priests celebrate them

- Doesn’t matter how many turn up as long as it happens

Question 4

Describe role of priests

Answer 4

• Festivals
• Leading figures in public life
• Carry out rituals

Question 5

View of afterlife

Answer 5

• Future doesn’t offer better prospect if you are good

- Miserable underworld; very odd/unique for a divine figure/hero to join the gods

Question 6

What to do if you wanted a better life with better prospects?

Answer 6

Mystery cults

• Isis - Egyptian, appealing to women
• Mithrates - Persian/Iranian, exclusively male
• Learn more about principal figure Isis and Mithras, their nature - closer relationship with the divinity, the higher grade you have
• Do not do sacrifices

Question 7

Why was Judaism/Christianity odd to them?

Answer 7

• Come across Jews in Pompey’s time (60 BC)
• Judaism and Christianity are odd because they are exclusive religions
• They can forgive Jews because they follow precepts of ancestors
• Less forgiving of Christians

Question 8

Roman gods: types

Answer 8

Anthropomorphic
Intermediate gods
Divinities of little things
Numina/numen
Abstracts

Question 9

What were anthropomorphic gods?

Answer 9

Forms of humans

Ceres (agriculture), Vesta (fire), Apollo (prophecy, medicine), Mars (War)

Question 10

What were intermediate?

Answer 10

• built family shrine for them (Lares, Penates)

Question 11

What were divinities of little things?

Answer 11

• Indigitamentum (know little about them)

Question 12

What were numina/numen

Answer 12

Shadows, lumina of places (every village, mountain, river has nymph)

• For example, Tiber has a male with long hair
• Rome has patron god Jupiter, named Optimus Maximus (best, greatest) - temple at Capitoline hill in Rome

Question 13

Abstracts

Answer 13

Pax, concordia (concord)

Fortunate - good fortune (got to shrine at Praeneste)

Question 14

What would they do to gods of other cities?

Answer 14

• Admire gods of toughest enemies

- Evocatio - calling out; ask those gods to be their gods

Question 15

Pax Deorum

Answer 15

Purpose of religion; peace/right relationship with Gods

Question 16

How to achieve Pax Deorum?

Answer 16

Ius divinum: correct rituals

Prayer, sacrifice, divination

Question 17

Prayer

Answer 17

bring needs of community/individual

Formal (legal document) - address appropriate god, reasonable request, justify request

Question 18

Sacrifice

Answer 18

• Sacrifice animals after praying (liveliest parts are heart, kidneys, and liver. Extract those bits and burn them on the altar)
• Bargain
  Bring animals to altar calmly/solemnly
• Sacrifices happen at an altar outside the temple

Question 19

Divination

Answer 19

interpret signs sent (earthquake)

• Can’t have meetings unless augurs (groups of priests) check out first that omens (auspices) are good; observe views at Capitoline hill
• If things are in terrible shape, consult the Sibylline books
• Pontifices (important priests) regulate calendar
• Senate is ultimate religious authority; only body that can’t stop meeting on religious grounds.