Ancient Rome -Religion

For the founding of Rome, who was Rhea Silvia?

A Vestal virgin and the daughter of Numitor who was once KIng of Alba Longa

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Why did Amulius, the one who killed King Numitor, kidnap her?

To ensure she cannot produce more sons to threaten his rule

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However, what happens to Rhea Silvia according to sources?

She was ***** by War God Mars when she fell aslepp on the river bank when receiving water. She becomes pregnant

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According to Ovid, what is significant about this pregnancy?

"in her guts the ROman's city founder",Romulus and his twin brother Remus

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Why and How was Silvia killed in accordance to the traditional manner of Vestal virgins?

She had sex, -She was buried alive- Put in a cave with a little food and some oil for candles and shut it.

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Why didn't someone else kill her?

So they won't have sacrament for killing a religious person but she died naturally,

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Who was King after Romulus and so the second king of Rome and when did he reign?

King Numa Pompilius (716-674 BC)

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Who was he ordained by?

Jupiter himself

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WHat kind of ruler was he based on religion?

He was religious and pious and the orginator of Rome's religious rites

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Who did he set up temples to?

Janus and Faunus

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What number King was Tarquin th First and what did he build?

-Fifth King, -Built Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill

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In Early Republic, what is the Early Republic paralleled by basd on diversity?

Is paralleled by the diversity of its priesthood

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What were the two major colleges of priesthood?

-Pontifices, -Augures

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Who was the head of the Pontifices and who was under their control?

-Pontifex maximus, -Vestal virgins under his general control

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What were the Pontifices concerned with?

In general terms, sacrifices to the Gods

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What were the Augures concerened with?

Ascertaining the will of the Gods, for instance by observing the flight of birds,

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Priesthoods of the Republic were often held by men who also held what?

Secular office, but the difference being that a priesthood was for life and consulship for a year

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What at this time was there a creation of and an example?

Cults, -Cenring on the Aventine hill outside the boundary of the city of Rome and involving the cult of Ceres, Liber and Liberia,

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What was there a steady importation of from places such as Italy?

New dieties,

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Mid Republic- Who did the Romans believe in from the Greeks and when was this taken in?

12 Olympians, -3rd century BC

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Were there other ROman Gos other than this and an example?

Yes they were added to the Roman Gods, -Worshipped Venus before the Greeks but myths attached were Greek rather than Latin

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Who is classed as the father of Zeus?

Jupiter

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Give two examples of older Roman dieties and what type of Gods are they?

Fornus (God of Annales) and Preapus, -All Gods of nature without Greek influence,

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Give 3 examples of ways Romans tell the future?

1) oracles like the Greeks, 2) movement of birds in the sky 3) Investigate entrails of animals

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What is the Paz Deorum and where was it found and when?

-Bronze model of a liver, FOund in Italy in 1877

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How does the Paz Deorum and religion link?

It is divided into 16 sections, for the 16 regions of heaven rule by one of the Gods,

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What were their celebrations of throughout the year?

Celebrations of various public and private festivals

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What formed a major part of religious activity? and what did it involve?

Sacrifice,

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Were animals often sacrificed?

Yes but it didn't have to- Humans may have been sacrificed earlier, and then bread was sacrifed so animals were half way,

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How is religion part of everyday political life?

Treaties have to go through the Gods, Senates have to ask the Gods, animals etc if its a good time

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At what time in particular was this especially done?

During warfare,

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What is 'Evocatio'?

Summoning out the enemy Gods before a seige

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How did they summon out the enemy Gods?

They offered bigger temples/games to win them over- They want to bribe the Gods over to the Roman's side

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What is Devotio?

Roman commanders must dedicate themselves to the Underworld and must then be killed by the enemy

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What is Auspices?

Tane by Roman commanders before the battle to see if the signs were favourable with cautionary tales of disaster for those who ignored them,

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What is pax decorum?

THe need to make the Gods happy

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What happens if they aren't happy?

Things will go wrong, particularly around the Roman city

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When was the cult of Bacchus formed and where?

It began spreading into Itay in the early 2nd century

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Who did they worship and the problem with this?

Bacchus - He was not one of the standard Gods,

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What do the senate do?

They are angered by this so due to corruption, ilegality and immoral behaviour it was suppressed

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What does pottery show about who was most atrracted to worhsipping religion and how would they do this?

-Women, -It involved getting drunk with lots of sexual activity,

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Where did this religious worship occur and why did this worry the Romans?

It occured inside. Romans epxected religious worhsip to occur outside the Temples,

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Why do the leaders se this cut as a massive problem so what do they do?

As the Gods will be upset, -They crack down on it (the Consuls) and destory the Cult,

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What was the outcome?

Violent- Priests killed and cult banned from th city and country of Italy altogether and gets rid of the idea of Priests being allowed in the city

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DOes this violent reaction become more common?

Yes with more unknown religions,

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When did Caesar become Dictato for life?

44BC

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What title did Caesar gain in 63BC and what was this power?

Head of Pontifix Maximum- Head of group of priests

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By 47, what had Caesar been elected to?

To all other priestly colleges including that of augurs

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What was his status integrated into based on religion?

Temples and festivals

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Give an example of the divine honours Caesar had?

Temple erected to Caesar's clementia: Julian Luperci (priests) so a temple to him in all but name,

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When was Caesar given Tribuncian sacrosanctity and what was it?

45, -It meant he couldnt be killed without the GOds being against you- Protected by the Gods

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For Augustus, what was he appointed as in 48BC, when he was 14?

Pontifex, a priest

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From 41-40, what was Augustus appointed as and what does this mean?

Augur- Right to interpret messages of God,

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What role did he gain in 37BC?

An interpreter of the Sibylline books

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What can the people do based on praying after 27BC?

People can pray for his spirit to the Gods, like he was a God

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What did he claim in his autobiography about this?

He claimed he didn't allow people to worship him while he was alive- A

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What did he allow people to do instead?

He allowed peope to worship his spirit and the spirit of Rome

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Give an example of emphasising to worship his spirit and th espirit of ROme?

Statue's/ Temples dedicated to the spirit of August and Rome

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When was he appointed Septemior epulonum and what is this role?

16BC -Priests who arrange public festivals,

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WHat dd he retain which mean he was protected by the Gods?

Tribunician sacrosanctity

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When did Augustus become Rome's Chief Pontiff and the name of this title and what this title entailed?

-12BC, -Pontifex Maximus, -Formal position a 'head of the national church

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What title did Augustus gain in 2BC which meant what?

'Father of the 'Fatherland' or Peter Patriae so official deification had to await his death

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Although he wasn't a God in Rome, was he elsewhere and an example?

Yes- Egypt. He was divine as the Pharoahs

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In Egypt, what was undertaken in 3BC?

AN oath of total devotion and loyalty to Augustus- It was taken by all inhabitants in the region, including Roman citizens,

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In a way he is not just aKing but also what?

A Pope as well- He is in control of everything

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Under this religious guise, how many temples does he rebuild and how many does he build?

He rebuilds 82 temples and 14 new temples

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What happened on Augustus' death?

Divus Augustus- He is turned into a God,He was crowned as Jupiter alongside Roman, his mistress,

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Did others try and follow Augustus' religiou policy?

Yes his other Julio-Claudian successors tried to follow him, although neither Tiberius, nor Gaius nor Nero were posthumously deifed

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For Julio-Claudians, what happened at the time which was a major event?

33AD- Death of Jesus Christ- Deatb of a Jewish rebel

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What other Julio-Claudian declared himself a God?

Caligula and had people worship him,

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How did he refer to himself and how did others refer to him?

HE referred to himself as a God and he was referred to as Julius

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However, was worshipping an Emperor when alive normal for the West?

No it was usually only the East who worshipped living emperors and the west worhsipped dead emperors,

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Who cracked down on tightening religion?

Claudius

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What honours did he remove?

Divine honours

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What did he expel from Rome?

Astrologers and eastern mystics

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Who did he crack down on?

Druids

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When a temple was to be built in his name in Alexandria, what was his response?

He said no

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What tempe did he remove from the city and why?

Temple of Isis-Returning to standard state Gods

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Under Nero, when was the Great Fire and who was blamed?

64Ad, -Christians,

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How many districts were destroyed and how many damaged?

It destroys 4/14 districts and damaged another 7

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Why was the fire so destructive?

-Wooden houses and narrow streets, -Went on for 6 days

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What wsa this the first indication of based on Christians?

First indication Romans weren't going to put up with Christians,

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The Antonines- Who was the first governor to encounter Christianity/

Pliny the YOunger

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How did the ROmans see Christians and why?

Villians- They were accused of getting up to weirdrites in churches such as cannibalism, drinkin the saviour's blood, eating his body and were incestuous,

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How were people tested for Christian beliefs?

They were told to eat the animals sacrified to the pagan God- Not doing so is a crime

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Who was hadrian's boyfriend?

Antinous

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How did he die?

He died in an accident on the Nile, although there are arguments suggesting he may have killed himself,

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What does Hadrian turn Antinous into?

He is turned into a GOd

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What is named after him?

A city in Egypt

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What is created for him?

Shrines and statues

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How many were made?

There are more statues of Antinous than any other moral from the ancient world- Over 250 surviving,

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Was he popular?

Yes the people seem to have really taken to him

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Who made Hadrian into a God after his death?

Antoninus Pius

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Was Antoninus Pius deifed after his death?

Yes- Temple built to him in he Roman Forum- dedicated to his wife initallly and then also to him,

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For the Third century crisis under Severus, what did he outlaw about Christianity?

Conversion to Christianity on pain of death

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What is one reason why the public like him based on who he made into a God?

He made Commonus into a God who bought many of their public events

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When was the Emperor Decius ruling and what did he blame everythign wrong in the Empire on?

-250s, -The fault of Christians- They were ruining the peace of the Romans

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What did Decius issue?

A state wide persecution

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What did those accused of Christianity have t do?

They had to attend ceremonies to the Gods and sacrifices and eat the meat

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What happened if they passed?

He awarded them a certificated if they had saying 'I am not a Christian' to cary around at all times,

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For the Christian Empire, what event occured from 303-311AD and who enforced it?

-Great (Diocletianic) Persecution, -Primarily enforced by Diocletian and Galerius

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In 300Ad, what test continued for Christians?

Forcing those accused to eat the eat of a sacrified animal to the Pagan god

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In 303Ad what calls for the suppression of Christians?

Oracle of Didyma

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In addition, what is published in 303Ad?

The first publication of Diocletian's edict against the Christians,

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What was dstroyed?

Scriptures and places of worship

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What happeend to those refusing to eat the meat?

Tortured and executed

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How did the persecution change in 304?

It widened to all Christians not just bishps and other leaders

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Where were Christian persecutions worst?

In the East,

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Although under Constantius, was this Christian persecution enforced?

yes the whole empire had to, but he showed some sympathy,

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How many overall were killed?

3,500 an more suffered torture and imprisonment

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In the Fourth tetrarchy, what was introduced by Galerius in 311?

Edict of Tolerance

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What does the Edict of TOlerance do?

He has failed to eradicate Christianity and so accepts innocent people are being killed so stops the prsecutions

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What happens for the first time in 313 by Licinius?

Edict of Toleration is given from Constantine and Licinius legitimises Christian worhsip for the first time,

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Although, who continues to persecute Christians?

Maximinius

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For Constantine and christianity, what did he believe based on the idea the Emperor and church were now linked?

He was responsible to God and had a duty to protect the doctrine and uphold it

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What did he believe it was his duty to do? (3)

1) Root out heresies, 2) ensure church unity 3) Enforce doctrine,

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In 316 who did he act as a judge of and what was it about?

-Donatist heresy, -During the great persecution, there wer Christians who pretended they weren't and burnt their scriptires. However, Donatists in North Africa believe they shouldnt be allowed in church

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Was their belief undertaken?

No- This wasn't believed by Catholics so was a separate heresy

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In 325, what council was summoned and why?

Council of Nicaea, -To deliberate on Arian heresy

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What is Arian heresy?

Two interpretations of Christian scripture- Catholic doctrine believes the father, son and holy ghost are the same beign whereas Arian believe God is one being and the son and holy ghost are separate beings

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What did Con try to do based on this conflict?

He tried to stop the fighting and prevent Arian from carrying on and get people back to Catholicism

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What law was introduced about Jews, Christians and salvs?

Laws against Jews owning Slaves and conversion to Judaism on punishment of death,

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What was restricted too?

Congregations for Jewish services

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Jews are the first religion Christians deal with why?

To ensure they can become dominant

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After Constantine dies, how does he split the Roman empire between his sons and how was religion separated?

Constatine II- Britain, Spain, Gaul- Catholic, -Constans- Italy, Africa-Catholic -Constantius II-Greece, East-Arian

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Is Constantius a arian believer?

No he moves from Catholic beliefs from his father to Arian

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Who was the first Emperor since Constantine to declarehimself Pagan not Christian?

Julian the Apostate and Jovian

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What did he restrict?

Christian readings,

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What did he believe the best way to end heresies and schisms was?

To revert with paganism

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What did he believe Paganism offered?

He believed it was an open and inclusive form of religion

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Although, what did he base this paganism on and an example?

Baed it on christianity, with new pagan bishops in charge of cities,

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Did people live this idea of a pagan church?

No

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How did he die and what was the conspiracy around this?

363Ad against the Persians- Christian writers say it was God's punishment he was killed by the Persians,

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WHen did Theodosius become soel ruler?

383

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What religion was he and what was his tolerance for others?

-Catholic, -Intolerant of other religions and persecuted heretics

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When were the Theodosian decrees?

391

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What two things were banned based on Paganism

-Pagan festivals banned -Blood sacrifice banned

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What did he order to be abandoned an looted?

Sancturaries and temples

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What did he ban based on worship?

He banned worshipping statues

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What was destroyed in 392?

Museum of Alexadria

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What group was disbanded which was there since the beginning of rome?

The Vestal virgins- the eternal flame of Vesta extinguished

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What was remvoed from the Senate House in ROme?

Altar of victory

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In 393 what was cancelled?

Olmypic games

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Why di Ambrose, bishop of Milan, excommunicate him?

When Theodosius ordered the massacre of 1000 inhabitants,

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Ancient Rome -Religion

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