This book offers a radical survey of over a 1000 years of religious life, from the foundation of Rome to its rise to world empire & Xian conversion. It sets religion in its full cultural context, between the primitive hamlet of the 8th century BCE & the cosmopolitan, multicultural society of the 1st centuries of the Xian era. A companion volume, Religions of Rome, Vol 2: A Sourcebook, sets out a wide range of documents, illustrating the religious life in the Roman world.Acknowledgements Preface Conventions & abbreviations Maps 1 Early Rome 2 Imperial triumph & religious change 3 Religion in the late Republic 4 The place of religion: Rome in the early Empire 5 The boundaries of Roman religion 6 The religions of imperial Rome 7 Roman religion & Roman Empire 8 Roman religion & Christian emperors: 4th & 5th centuries Bibliography Details of maps & illustrations Index
Religions of Rome Series
This series delves into the rich tapestry of religious life across ancient Rome, spanning over a millennium of history. It meticulously examines how beliefs and practices evolved from the city's humble beginnings to its ascendance as a world power and eventual Christian conversion. Each volume situates religion within its broader cultural and societal context, tracing its journey from primitive origins to a vast, multicultural empire. This comprehensive exploration offers deep insights into how faith shaped one of history's most influential civilizations.
Recommended Reading Order
This book, the 2nd of two volumes making up Religions of Rome, presents a range of documents illustrating religious life in the Roman world from the early Republic to the late Empire (visual evidence & texts in translation). More than just a sourcebook, it explores some of the major themes & problems of Roman religion such as sacrifice, the religious calendar, divination & prediction. Each document has an introduction, explanatory notes & bibliography, & is used as the starting point for discussion.Acknowledgements Preface Conventions & abbreviations 1 Earliest Rome 2 The deities of Rome 3 The calendar 4 Religious places 5 Festivals & ceremonies 6 Sacrifices 7 Divination & diviners 8 Priests & priestesses 9 Individuals & gods: life and death 10 Rome outside Rome 11 Threats to the Roman order 12 Religious groups 13 Perspectives Glossary Deities & their epithets Bibliography 1. Literary texts 2. Secondary literature Details of illustrations Index of texts cited General index