One of the most powerful states in the world was strikingly different from the surrounding barbarian lands. His culture, mentality, beliefs fit into the only system that helped to dominate the world. Ancient Rome, whose religion will be of most interest to us in this article, contributed to the formation of the modern face of the planet.
How it all began
First, we should mention the beliefs of the tribes that inhabited the lands that later became part of the boundaries of the Eternal City. Like most of their neighbors, they worshiped spirits, forces of nature. It was then that the latter turned into proud gods, who condescendingly looked down on the earthly inhabitants. Special guardians of houses (penates), families (lars) were tribal patrons of farmers who worshiped mother earth.
With the development of Rome, his cult, his pantheon, those gods who gave life to the city, became the main thing. Mars and his sons Romulus and Remus, fed by a she-wolf, are to whom Ancient Rome owes its appearance. Religion proclaimed the supremacy of the ruler Romulus, asserted for him the right to decide the fate of ordinary citizens, legitimized his exclusive position.
Beautiful antiquity
However, the roots of the city's belief system on the seven hills extend beyond the Apennine peninsula. Indeed, according to legend, the foundations of the state here were laid by the legendary Aeneas, a Trojan who left his native Ilion after the end of the ten-year war. Therefore, the Greek influence is clearly seen in the culture of Rome. The Olympian gods from sunny Hellas began to be identified with the locals. That is why the religion of ancient Greece and Rome is studied as a whole.
In the main place of Rome - on the Capitoline Hill were not only the most important government institutions. In the sixth century BC, a magnificent temple of Jupiter, the supreme god, a powerful thunderer, was erected here. A little later, the abode of Vesta, the goddess of fire and the patroness of the Roman people, immediately appears. In addition, the Dioscuri were held in high regard by the patricians, and the cult of Liber flourished among the plebeians. The religion of Ancient Rome also called for the worship of gods who personified the virtues: peace (Pax), fidelity (Fides), courage (Virtus), consent (Concordia).
But even the belief system was ordered. Ancient Rome, whose religion is interesting to study even today, divided the gods into three groups: chthonic, or earthly, heavenly and underground. The souls of the ancestors, who were respected during life, themselves became deities after death. Villains and sinners became evil entities - lemurs, larvae.
A special class of society were the priests who performed all the official rites in the Roman Empire. They areguessed and predicted, interpreted signs, determined the future, were advisers to the ruler in important matters. There was even a Supreme Priestly College headed by the Great Pontiff, who was elected for life. Has this found its reflection in Christianity? Isn't that where the tradition of electing the Pope by the most holy council of cardinals came from?
Ancient Rome, whose religion changed with the expansion of borders, worshiped the Egyptian gods Osiris and Isis, Persian Mithra, Dorian Cybele. Well, then Christianity took the dominant place.
