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UWO Classics 1000 - Romans > WEEK TWO: Roman Religion > Flashcards

WEEK TWO: Roman Religion Flashcards

religion, laws, punishments, military

1
Q

Various Types of Roman Religion / Spirits

Deities

A
  • sky gods; war gods
  • ‘Greek Gods’ turned into ‘Roman Gods’

ex. Aphrodite ‘turned into’ Venus

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2
Q

Various Types of Roman Religion / Spirits

Animistic Spirits: Numina

A
  • Believed rivers, forests, roads, mountains , towns, had spirits.
  • Divine spirits or forces believed to inhabit natural objects and places.
  • Early Roman religion focused on honoring these spirits for protection and blessings.
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3
Q

Various Types of Roman Religion / Spirits

Family Ancestors and Spirits

A
  • Family watched over them and animals too
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4
Q

Various Types of Roman Religion / Spirits

Personal Magic

A
  • Participated in voodoo, magic, and held amulets
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5
Q

Various Types of Roman Religion / Spirits

Romans were pious and pragmatic towards relgion

A

Constantly adapting, adopting, and discarding multiple various gods for different things

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6
Q

Carmentalia

A
  • A Roman festival honoring Carmentis, goddess of childbirth and prophecy.
  • Celebrated in January, primarily by women.
  • During Carmentalia, it was forbidden to wear animal skins or leather.
  • This honored Carmentis as a protector of life, emphasizing respect for living beings.
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7
Q

Seamun

A
  • Likely associated with fertility, war, and seafaring).
  • Roman general Scipio Africanus brought the goddess Seamun’s relics from Spain after winning the Second Punic War.
  • To honor her, Seamun was included in the Roman religious calendar.
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8
Q

Lupercalia

A
  • festival celebrated in february
  • Celebration of the wolf; young men dress up in wolf skins and playfully lash pretty girls – if the girls were struck they would be deemed to grow up beautiful
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9
Q

Deities – 4 Priestly Colleges

A
  1. Pontiffs
  2. Augurs
  3. Flamens
  4. 15 men (Quindecimviri)
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10
Q

Pontiffs

“Pontifex maximus”

A
  • kind of priest
  • oversaw the calendar + organzie relgious activity
  • Also, if you wanted to have a male child, you would go to a pontiff where they would tell you what you should do to get a male child; eat salt etc..
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11
Q
A
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12
Q

Flamens

A
  • Priests dedicated to specific gods.
  • The Flamen Dialis served Jupiter, the most important role.
  • Had strict rules and rituals to follow.
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13
Q

Augurs

1/2 types of interpreters

A
  • Priests who interpreted omens and signs from the gods.
  • Used natural phenomena, like bird flight patterns, to predict the future and guide decisions.
  • Inagurate

**romans wouldnt do anything until the augurs said this is good for us
(ex. before they went to war)

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14
Q

The 15 Men

2/2 types of interpreters

A
  • A group of 15 priests responsible for interpreting the Sibylline Books.
  • The books were originally offered by a Sibyl (elderly woman) to a Roman king but were initially rejected.
  • The Sibylline Books contained prophecies written in cryptic language, which the 15 men deciphered.
  • When unusual events occurred, like lightning strikes or abnormal births (e.g., a two-headed goat), the public consulted the 15 men to interpret the signs and provide guidance.
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15
Q

Vestal Virgins

Vesta = Goddess of Hearth and Home

A
  • Responsible for keeping the sacred fire of Vesta burning in the Temple of Vesta.
  • Chosen as young girls, they took a vow of chastity for 30 years.
  • From ages 10-20, they studied sacred rites, from 20-30 they assisted in religious duties, after 30 they could leave
  • If you were caught not being a virign they would tie you up and starve you to deathr
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16
Q

Cults

A

Groups that formed a relationship with a specific deity, person, or supernatural entity.

  • Cults honored achievements or supernatural power, seeking favor or blessings.
  • Each cult had unique ceremonies, rituals, and celebrations.

Examples:
- Town cults: Each town worshipped its own god.
- Imperial cults: Honored emperors as guardian spirits.
- Agricultural cults: Celebrated to thank fields for fertility and ensure future harvests.

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17
Q

Family Religion

A

Lares: Ancestors who protected the family.

Lararium: A household shrine with statues to honor the Lares, where offerings were made for protection.

Genius: A personal spirit assigned at birth, believed to grant abilities, traits, and talents.

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18
Q

Personal Magic

A

Amulets: Used to protect babies from harm or evil.

Horoscopes: Fully believed in astrology to guide lives and events.

Curse Tablets: Written curses thrown into designated places to make them come true, like a wishing well but for harm to others.

Ghosts: Strong belief in ghosts and their presence.

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19
Q

Religious Formalism

conforming to strict rules based off these superstitions

A

Early bridges in Rome were built for religious purposes, not for traffic or transportation.

Example: Bridges were constructed to allow people to fulfill prophecies or complete religious tasks, ensuring the gods were pleased.

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20
Q

Syncretism

A

The blending of Roman religious practices with those of other cultures, allowing Romans to adopt and tolerate diverse religious traditions while integrating them into their own.

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21
Q

Pragmatism

A

The Romans tolerated and adopted foreign religious practices if they believed it would benefit the success and stability of the Roman Empire.

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22
Q

5 foreign religions

Magna Mater (cybele)

A

Known as the Great Mother, goddess of fertility and nature.

Romans consulted the 15 men during the Second Punic War against Hannibal.

Told to bring the Great Mother for success in war.

Sent to Asia Minor, brought back an asteroid symbolizing the goddess.

Worship included rituals like a bull sacrifice where blood spilled on participants.

Belief in her divine favor helped Romans during the war.

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23
Q

5 foreign religions

Mithras

A

God of light, associated with a snake and bull.

Popular among Roman soldiers, adopted from Persian Zoroastrianism.

Romans syncretized Mithras with their own beliefs.

Christians viewed Mithras worship as a challenge to Jesus, leading to its suppression.

Followers of Zoroastrianism were called “the person that shakes with the right hand.”

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24
Q

5 foreign religions

Isis

A

Egyptian goddess

Sometimes the romans banned this religion
Like the goddess of love

Cleopatra modeled herself after isis

Appileaus : talked about how he was transported to a higher place (isis) when had an ecstatic epxperience

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25
# 5 foreign relgions Bacchus
roman version of dionysus (wine/party) forbid this god bc worshipers began conspiring against roman gov't photos of woman being whipped from Pompeii - *in order to purify someone you abuse them.
26
# 5 foreign relgions Yahweh
jewish god **romans were fascinated with jewish religion
27
# Family and Social Status Funerals
* Whole family would pay honour to recently departed by bringing out the entire family * All of your “guardians” that you make offerings to will protect the person that died.
28
Three Roman Names | first name; last name; upper class gets 3rd name = "distinguishing name"
First name (praenomen): Personal or given name. Last name (nomen): Family or clan name. Third name (cognomen: Distinguishing name or branch of the family. Ex: Gaius Julius Caesar—Julius was the family name, and Caesar was the distinguishing branch. | *A third name indicated a wealthy/influential family with a long history
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Paterfamilias
* oldest man in the family * romans believed that father was the most important in the fam
30
# PATRON & CLIENT Patron | **important to know
A wealthy, influential figure who helps less fortunate individuals (clients) in the community, like a father figure.
31
# PATRON & CLIENT CLIENT
A person seeking help from a patron, often for issues like rent or personal problems.
32
# PATRON & CLIENT Why was this developed?
In Roman society, there was no safety net, so the patron-client system developed to provide assistance. * Public Aspect: Clients would line up outside a patron’s house to request help. Having many clients was a sign of prestige, showing the patron’s influence and ability to get things done.
33
# STORY OF CICERO Marcus Tullius Cicero: | Intelligent and thoughtful Roman statesman and philosopher. ## Footnote This was an underlined name!
* A man's great-grandfather owned a bakery, which was considered a low-status profession for the Roman upper class. * The great-grandfather sold the bakery and aimed to move into higher social ranks. * He was invited to a prestigious dinner party. * Cicero, after shaking the man's hand, remarked, "I got some flour on my hand," subtly reminding him of his low-class origins and signaling that others at the party knew of his humble beginnings.
34
# ROMAN LAW 4 Periods of Roman Law
1. Primitive 2. **Formative** 3. Classical 4. Vulgarizing
35
# Roman Law Formative Period
Focus on developing procedures for civil disputes. Civil Procedure: Handles disagreements between citizens. Formula System: Based on essence of dispute and previous case rulings. EX: Someone slips on your sidewalk, and you may be liable if maintenance wasn't provided. **Exceptions: If the person entered through an unsafe path (e.g., lawn) rather than the walkway, you aren't liable.** | -- This is like Scarpelli's class on insurance policies.
36
# Formative Period Roman Constitution
At the end of each year, court cases and outcomes were cataloged. People could appeal cases by providing new arguments or clarifications. Example: A mailman who wasn’t invited but entered to deliver mail could still be considered in certain cases. Constant Change: The legal system evolved by adding appeals and responding to societal changes.
37
# Roman Law Vulgarizing
Roman society begins to break down, leading to a decline in the quality of legal institutions. Lack of universities and proper training for using legal systems.
38
Justinian Digest
Emperor Justinian ordered the compilation of legal documents, writings, and theories into 20 volumes. These documents served as a foundation for modern legal systems and society development.
39
Roles of upper-class judges, plaintiff & defendant, disagreement on judge, the jury, legal experts strategies
Upper-class judges: Competent members of the upper class would serve as judges for free. Plaintiff & defendant: Both could choose a judge if they agreed on one. Disagreement on judge: If they couldn’t agree, they had to select the last judge on the list. Jury's role: The jury would decide if the defendant went to the scene with the intent to harm (guilty or not guilty). Legal Experts: Didn't charge money to defend people to gain prestige and attract more clients.
40
Terms for free help
Gratis: For free. Pro bono: For the good of someone else, for the sake of someone else.
41
# Law & The Roman Government Civil Law
This is the punishment that should happen if 2 citizens sue eachother Ex. Someone rapes someone, theres penatlties
42
# Law & The Roman Government Statuatory Law
Laws specifying penalties for certain actions (e.g., rape for sex with someone under 18).
43
# Law & The Roman Government Criminal Procedure
Praetors required citizens to prosecute criminals.
44
# Law & The Roman Government Permanent Courts
Specific judges for specific cases (e.g., poisoning, forgery, treason, rape, adultery).
45
# Law & The Roman Government Crime as a political issue | name of fairness politician?
Roman government focused on major crimes, not petty offenses. Lower/middle-class complaints often ignored. Politician addressed these issues for fairness = his name was **tiberius/gaius gracchus**
46
# Law & The Roman Government Delatores
Informers who reported crimes or misconduct, often for rewards, in ancient Rome. * helped maintain gov't control, and preserved social order
47
Law access, Punishments, and Death Penalty offences | potentially death penalty types important for exam
Roman law access: Only available to Roman citizens. Serving 20 years in the army was a way to gain this status. Punishments: Focused on retribution, often public and brutal, to maintain social order and show that no one was above the law. Death penalty offenses: Treason, disrupting social order, sleeping with a vestal virgin.
48
Retributive Justice
Romans would publically ridicule someone / kill them, bc they believed in an "eye for an eye" * showed nobody is above the law
49
# Conquest of Italy Warfare & Civil Order
* Only Roman citizens who owned land had to serve in the military. * Mandatory service, lasting 1 year. Tribunes could veto the draft. * Resulted in Rome being a military state. * New, inexperienced troops every year led to inefficiencies in army
50
# Conquest of Italy Samnite Wars
First Samnite War: 3 years, fought only against Samnites. Second Samnite War: 25 years, Samnites + Etruscans, inconclusive. Third Samnite War: Samnites, Etruscans, Gauls, Umbrians, Sabines, and Lucanians against Romans; lasted 53 years, Rome eventually won. | rome was rich, so they just kept replacing soldiers = inevitible win
51
Impact after Samnite Wars
Rome gained control over Central Italy. Brought into contact with southern italy, which had the greeks = culture merge Roman imperium extended, forcing non-citizens to follow orders without gaining citizenship. | they gained "imperial"
52
War of Pyrrhus
* Tarentum asked Rome for help in a conflict. * Rome agreed, becoming Tarentum's patron. Rome's Strategy: couldn't crush opponents directly, but kept sending fresh soldiers, outlasting Pyrrhus' army over time. eventually won, and overtook all of italy
53
How did rome hold onto its empire?/ How did they try to increase the size of their city?
* Offered the city to anyone who wanted to join * Everytime rome conquered a new region they gave them a special treaty
54
# Degrees of Citizenship Roman Citizenship
* Rome could decide to give certain people/ whole cities rome citizenship which was HUGE * This was very rare, and highly prized
55
# Degrees of Citizenship Allies
No rights, no property tax, BUT HAD TO SUPPLY AUXILERY TROOPS WHEN ROME WENT TO WAR
56
# Degrees of Citizenship Rest of Italians (provincials)
* No civil rights * were not roman citizens * had to give up a portion of their land * had to pay taxes, and support their troops
57
Why Provincials Stayed Loyal
* Rome offered the chance to become a citizen after years of service or contribution. * Rome rewarded leading citizens with citizenship, encouraging loyalty. * The promise of eventual citizenship kept provincials hopeful, like a company offering an end-of-year bonus. * Rome selectively gave privileges to key people, creating loyalty within the community.
58
Examples from the Republican Era
Temple of Hercules Victor: Unusual circular shape. Temple of Vesta: Semi-circular. Shrine to Venus Cloacina: Goddess in charge of the sewers. **Temple of Janus: Doors open during war, closed only once in Roman history.**
59
The Roman Arch
* Free-standing arch, not just for structure but for celebration. * Used for victory parades, similar to the Arc de Triomphe. * Very important symbol of Roman triumphs. -- HIGHEST MILITARY HONOUR
60
End of the republican period is marked by...
The discovery of CONCRETE!

UWO Classics 1000 - Romans (6 decks)

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