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RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS OF EARLY ROME
Greeks and Etruscan Influence
 Etruscans ruled northern Italy from the planes of Etruria 900BC to 500BC
 Beginning of the 8th century and continuing over the next three centuries,
Etruria, Latium and Campania witnessed a series of political, social and
cultural innovations that would lead to the formation of the first central Italian
city-states.
 Greeks first came into contact with people of Italy in 900 BC.
 By 775 Greeks had established a settlement on the Island of Pitecusa in the
Bay of Naples.
 This would establish trade and access to metals.
 South-eastern and northern coasts of Sicily were filled with Greek city-states
which would be later known as the ‘Great Greece.’
 The first Greek gods had had entered the Roman pantheon in the early part of
the fifth century BC.
 With the entry of Aesculapius, the Greek god of medicine, in 293BC a new
wave of importations began, until by the end of the third century the
amalgamation of Greek and Roman religion was complete.
Role of Religion Within Roman Society
 The State and Religion
The state was essentially a religious institution, embracing and
incorporating all older and smaller social and religious communities.
 Values of Early Roman Society
The Romans acted within a framework of commonly held values and
moral assumptions. They developed a set of values including, virtue,
piety, faith, gravity and consistency, dignitas and auctoritas.

Social: The Priesthoods and Priestly Colleges
During the Republic, public priests organised public rituals and under the
King as the chief priest appointed priests to act as the King’s assistants.
The four priestly colleges include, pontiff, augurs, fietals, duovirs, and
sodalitates.

Politics/Military
Primary sources reveal the significance of religion within the military and
political aspects of Roman society. The Romans would worship and ask
for protection as they were to embark in their battles and to seal treaties
with foreign countries. Omens were also used to determine if war should
occur and the what the fate of the gods were in particular political
situations such as appointing a king.

Roman Calendar
Each day of the Roman calendar has a mark of religious significance
illustrating the influence of religion within the everyday life of a Roman.
As a primary source, the calendar has been reconstructed and based on
the Calendar at Anzio in 1915, where only five months are considered
within this section.
Private and Public Gods
 Both the state and individuals were subordinate to spirits and gods who
occupied hierarchical position of superiority.
 A religion of home, farm and pasture was concern with present rather
than past or future needs.
 When the religion of the home became the religion of the state, it make
concrete a single community and gave the state an internal strength and
cohesion that ensured for centuries.
 Jupiter – god of the giver of light, the unseen force in lightening, storm and
rain
 Mars - protector of the farmer of crops and herds and later as god of war
and defender of the Roman state.
Worship and Honouring the Gods
 Prayer and Sacrifices
A Roman sacrifice was made in the conviction that it was good for the
spirits and the worshipper that the offerings increased the spirits’ power
to perform their spiritual functions for the giver’s benefit.
 Ceremonies and Festivals
Numerous primary sources reveal the various festivities, which were held
throughout the year in order to honour the gods. Some include the
Fordicidia and Terminalia, which took place in spring, the Liberalia, for
Liber (the god of wine). The festivals would include sacrifices followed by
performances and chariot races.
Boatwright, M.T., D.J. Gargola, N. Lenski, and R.J.A. Talbert. (2011). The Romans:
From Village to Empire. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
Heichelheim, F., Yeo, C., & Ward, A. (2003). A history of the Roman people (Fourth
Edition ed.). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.