In many societies, ancient and modern, religion has performed a major role in their development, and the Roman Empire was no different. From the beginning Roman religion was polytheistic. From an initial array of gods and spirits, Rome added to this collection to include both Greek gods as well as a number of foreign cults. As the empire expanded, the Romans refrained from imposing their own religious beliefs upon those they conquered; however, this inclusion must not be misinterpreted as tolerance - this can be seen with their early reaction to the Jewish and Christian population. Eventually, all of their gods would be washed away, gradually replaced by Christianity, and in the eyes of some, this change brought about the decline of the western empire.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original definition at https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Religion/.
Join the Conversation
- Why do you think the Romans adopted gods from other cultures?
- Do you think Roman leaders used religion more for faith or for control?
- Was Christianity more of a help or a threat to the Roman Empire?
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