Gods, Goddesses and The Roman Religion

Many of you might have taken an interest in Latin because of an earlier interest in mythology. Let's take some time to explore some details about Roman religion, including their mythology.

Roman Religion Overview

Roman religion was polytheistic (poly = many, the = gods), and so was quite inclusive. It included the worship of one's ancestral and familial deities, the official polytheistic state religion (Greek: poly = many; theoi = gods - polytheistic = the worship of many gods), and the adopted practices of foreign cults. Tradition tells us that Roman religious practices reach back to the earliest kings of Rome, in particular Numa Pompilius. Temples (templa) were often built within a city to honor patron gods (dei) or goddesses (deae). Priests (sacerdotes) cared for the temples as worshippers made prayers (preces), oaths (iura) and sacrifices (sacrificia) to the deities. In Pompeii, the major temples were dedicated to the Roman gods Jupiter and Apollo, as well as to the Egyptian goddess Isis.

The Roman State Religion

Roman state religion was heavily influenced by the Greeks. The Olympian deities were adopted by the Romans and were given Latin names. Read more about the Roman deities below by clicking on each Latin name. Can you determine the declension of each name listed?

The image shows an illustration of the goddess Vesta.

Temple Attendants

In Rome the high priest and overseer of the state religion was called the Pontifex Maximus. During Decimus's story, the emperor would hold the title of Pontifex Maximus. Upon his death, the emperor was deified (worshipped as a god). One of the most important temples in Rome was dedicated to the goddess Vesta (see image to the right). Six priestesses, called Vestal Virgins, served the temple for 30 or more years while protecting Vesta's sacred flame. During that time, they were not allowed to be married. The penalty for violating their sacred office was being buried alive.

The ancient Roman calendar contained many religious festival days, called dies fasti. Some sacred festival days included ludi (public games) which were celebrated with gladiatorial competitions, chariot races and theatrical performances.

The Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

The Romans held strong beliefs about the relationship between humans, nature and the gods. Some of these believes were based on the major events that occurred around them: natural disasters and wonderous acts of nature (think: rainbows!). One of the most famous natural disasters in history was the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, pictured below. This eruption led to massive destruction in the ancient world.

Mount Vesusius (Mons Vesuvius) is a volcano located near the bay of Naples in central Italy. Throughout history, Vesuvius has erupted many times. The most famous eruption occurred during the reign of Emperor Titus in 79 CE which destroyed Pompeii and other nearby Roman cities like Herculaneum.

Vesuvius continues to be active in modern times, even erupting as recently as 1944. This image depicts Vesuvius as it appears in modern times. The area around Vesuvius is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world today. However, no recent eruption has compared to the destructive force of Vesuvius in 79 CE. Pliny the Younger, a Roman historian living in the region at the time, and other contemporary historians suggest that those living in and around Pompeii on August 24, 79 CE did not anticipate the destruction that would soon occur. Ancient Romans were accustomed to minor earthquakes in the region and simply did not recognize the tremors as warning signs.