"The Romans thought of themselves as highly religious, and attributed their success as a world power to their collective piety (pietas) in maintaining good relations with the gods."
Many rituals and observances were associated with Roman mythology, from animal sacrifices to prayers and offerings.
Introduction to Roman mythology: A general overview of the beliefs and practices of the ancient Romans.
The Gods and Goddesses: An introduction to the major deities in the Roman pantheon, their domains, and myths.
Roman Festivals: Overview of the major festivals and celebrations in ancient Rome, such as Saturnalia, Lupercalia, and the Festival of Jupiter.
Roman Calendar: Overview of the Roman calendar, including months, days, and the importance of particular dates.
Roman Temples: An overview of the structure and purpose of temples and other religious buildings in ancient Rome.
Sacrifices and Offerings: An overview of the types of sacrifices and offerings that were made to the gods in ancient Rome.
Divination: Overview of the various methods of divination used in ancient Rome, such as augury, haruspicy, and astrology.
Priesthoods: An introduction to the various types of priests and priestesses in ancient Rome, including their roles and responsibilities.
Funerary Practices: Overview of the rituals and practices surrounding death and burial in ancient Rome.
Magic and Mystery Cults: An introduction to the mysterious and secretive cults that existed in ancient Rome, such as the cult of Isis, the cult of Mithras, and the Bacchic cult.
Astrology: Overview of the importance of astrology in ancient Rome, including the calendar, festivals, and the practice of divination.
Ethos of Piety: Overview of the importance of piety in ancient Rome, including the social and moral aspects of religious practice.
Sacred Images: An introduction to the statues, paintings, and other depictions of gods and heroes in ancient Rome.
Games and Spectacles: Overview of the various games, sports, and competitions that were held in ancient Rome, both for entertainment and religious purposes.
Syncretism and Adaptation: Overview of how Roman mythology and religious practices were influenced by other cultures and religions, such as Greek and Etruscan beliefs.
The Role of Women: An introduction to the roles and responsibilities of women in ancient Roman religious life, including the Vestal Virgins.
The Afterlife: Overview of the Roman beliefs about the afterlife and the underworld, including the role of the gods and the punishment of the damned.
Holidays and Observances: Overview of the various holidays and observances in ancient Rome, including their origins, significance, and modern adaptations.
Sacrificial Rituals: These were some of the most important rituals in Roman mythology, where offerings of animals or sometimes even humans were made to the gods to appease them.
Divination Rituals: Divination rituals were performed to seek guidance or insight from the gods. Various methods were used for divination, such as reading the entrails of a sacrificed animal, interpreting omens or reading the stars.
Prayer Rituals: These were rituals where people would pray to the gods to ask for blessings, forgiveness or help in their day-to-day lives.
Festival Observances: Festivals were held to honor or celebrate specific gods, and often involved feasting, dancing, and other forms of entertainment.
Initiation Rituals: These were rituals performed to induct new members into specific religious orders or cults.
Purification Rituals: Purification rituals were performed to cleanse oneself of sins or impurities, typically involving a ritual bath or other cleansing practices.
Processions: Sometimes, worshippers would form a procession and parade through the streets or around a temple, carrying effigies or images of the gods.
Games: Various games, such as chariot races, gladiator battles, and mock naval battles, were held in honor of specific gods.
Placation Rituals: These were conducted to placate the gods and ask for mercy and forgiveness for wrongdoing.
Funerary Rituals: These rituals were performed to honor the dead and ensure their safe passage into the afterlife.
Totemic Worship: Totemic worship involved the belief in animal spirits that were linked to a specific clan or tribe. Worshipers would sometimes make offerings or sacrifices to these totems to ensure safety and prosperity.
Religious Offerings: Religious offerings were made to the gods in the hope of gaining their favor or receiving their blessings. These offerings could be in the form of food, wine, flowers, or other objects.
Oath And Vow Rituals: These rituals were performed when making a solemn promise or commitment, often invoking the gods as witnesses to the vow.
Temple Worship: Temple worship involved visiting a temple or shrine to offer prayers or offerings to the gods.
Hero Cults: Hero cults honored and worshipped legendary figures or heroes who were believed to have special powers and abilities.
"The presence of Greeks on the Italian peninsula from the beginning of the historical period influenced Roman culture, introducing some religious practices that became fundamental, such as the cultus of Apollo."
"The Romans looked for common ground between their major gods and those of the Greeks (interpretatio graeca), adapting Greek myths and iconography for Latin literature and Roman art."
"Etruscan religion was also a major influence, particularly on the practice of augury, used by the state to seek the will of the gods."
"According to legends, most of Rome's religious institutions could be traced to its founders, particularly Numa Pompilius, the Sabine second king of Rome, who negotiated directly with the gods."
"Religion was the foundation of the mos maiorum, 'the way of the ancestors' or simply 'tradition', viewed as central to Roman identity."
"Roman religion was practical and contractual, based on the principle of do ut des, 'I give that you might give'."
"Religion depended on knowledge and the correct practice of prayer, rite, and sacrifice, not on faith or dogma."
"Even the most skeptical among Rome's intellectual elite such as Cicero, who was an augur, saw religion as a source of social order."
"Christianity was eventually the most successful of these cults and in 380 became the official state religion."
"For ordinary Romans, religion was a part of daily life."
"Each home had a household shrine at which prayers and libations to the family's domestic deities were offered."
"Neighborhood shrines and sacred places such as springs and groves dotted the city."
"The Roman calendar was structured around religious observances."
"Women formed what is perhaps Rome's most famous priesthood, the state-supported Vestals, who tended Rome's sacred hearth for centuries."
"...until disbanded under Christian domination."
"Women, slaves, and children all participated in a range of religious activities."
"Some public rituals could be conducted only by women."
"Numa Pompilius, the Sabine second king of Rome, who negotiated directly with the gods."
"Religion was seen as a source of social order."