Roman Religion
Birth of Roman pantheon after the Greek influence The Roman Empire is historically known as the most powerful and expansive empire ever seen in the ancient world. It conquered and subjugated the many cultures and nations found in Europe and around the Mediterranean Sea. The incorporation of the many traditions and beliefs held by these cultures made the Roman Empire a multicultural one. Through all this change, Roman religion stands out as one of the main factors that held the empire together throughout its history. Religion provided a structure of comfort and familiarity to the Roman people as influences from conquered cultures swept through the empire. However, despite the incorporation of these varying cultures into Roman society, the main concept of the religion remained the same for centuries. It was not until the introduction of Christianity that the Roman religion faced an adverse one that would eventually conquer it. From meager means, to the grand religion of a powerful empire, to its great collapse due to the emergence of Christianity, the pagan religion of Rome was a source of power that holds a long and eventful history. Rome’s religion began from simple means, most of which was altered centuries before Roman lore was written down. The religion’s written history begins with the native cults of the Italian Peninsula and Greek religious practices that took hold of the early religion. In the beginning, the native rituals were the main religious practices in Rome. These rituals consisted of worshipping spirits and idols that were to protect the farming community. Romans, during their humble beginnings, did not give names, faces, or particular powers to these idols. Overall, these faceless deities were there only to protect the community, nothing more. However, as time progressed, influence from Greece and the Greek colonies in the south of the Italian peninsula and in Sicily began to spread its way towards Rome. Eventually, this