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Religio Romana

Introduction

From its earliest days as a small town through the rule of Emperor Julian II and the mighty Roman Empire, the mighty religion of Rome stood for the best in man, for Roman ideals and values. Religio Romana is the modern renewal of this proud and honourable tradition. Religio Romana is "dedicated to the study and preservation of the ancient Roman culture and religion." It is a reflection of the tolerance, purity, and honour that maked the true Roman religion.

From the earliest times, each Roman noble family's pater familias, male head of the household, served as the family High Priest. Each morning he lead the family in devotional prayers, libations, and hymns at a household altar to the Lars Familiaris, the protective family spirits, ancestors.

The principle shrine was located in the peristyle (garden), bit other shrines could be located in the atrium or in any room of the house or villa. The most important of all the spirits was Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and home. Vesta's shrine was located by the hearth.

Meanwhile, the state priests to the individual official state gods, performed specific rites in the grand temples of Rome on behave of the population of Rome, Italy, and the Empire. The exception was the goddess Vesta and her sacred Vestal Virgins whose duty was to tend the sacred fire in the Temple of Vesta.

Roman religion was under the governance of the College of Pontiffs, which was lead by the Pontifex Maximus. The Flamens supervised the service of the various gods, while the augurs were entrusted with the taking of the auspices, which interrupted the desires of the gods.

Apollo as a young boy.

Jupiter Optimus Maximus et Soter, or Jupiter "The Supereme, The Great and Our Saviour," is the most revered of the gods and the patron god of the City of Rome. Jupirer is also known commonly as Jove. It is most appropriate to worship Jupiter on hilltops.

Saturn is the father of Jupiter, and is the old Sun God and the god of the seed and of crops. You may also be interested in reading about the most important Holy Day in Roman Religion, Saturnalia, which is named after Saturn.

Apollo (left) is the god of healing and prophicy, and became known in the Imperial period as the Sun God.

Venus is the god of love.

Mars is the god of farming and of war. Farmers often served as infintry, especially in the Republican period.

Minerva is the goddess of craftsmen and their guilds

Diana is the goddess of the moon.

Hercules is a god of business.

Mercury is a god of business and the messenger of the gods.

There are, of course, others.

Pagan Religions

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