Week 14 (11/30): Religions of the Empire

Lecture Outline

1. Roman state and private religion

A. Adoption of Greek gods

e.g. Zeus = Jupiter, Hera = Juno, Ares = Mars

Sibyl, Sibylline Books at Cumae

Apollo on the Palatine

importation of Greek gods, e.g., Asclepius; but cf. Bacchus (Dionysus)

B. Native Roman gods, e.g., Janus (god of entrances and exits) and spirits, e.g., Lar (Lares), Tiber

C. State cult: cp. Greek civic religion

• polytheistic
• rituals and their function: "Peace of the Gods;"
• functional, not emotional or ethical
  • e.g., Cicero on Jupiter "the Best and Greatest"
• state and community vs. individual
• greater state control; religious officials often political officials, e.g. Senators (Republic); Augustus (and following) as Pontifex Maximus
• greater emphasis on religious formalism
  • Elder Pliny on ritual (Nat. Hist. 28.10)

    (manipulation of system: e.g., Publius Claudius)

2. Imperial Ruler Cult (and Roma)

3. Mystery Religions

Isis #1, #2, #3

Manicheanism (Mani): Dualism of Darkness and Light, evil and good

The "Invincible Sun" (Sol Invictus); associated with Apollo

Mithra

4. Judaism (empire 1-2C; Roman Mediterranean)

Roman province of Judaea

Jewish diaspora (e.g., Alexandria, Cyrene, Sardis, Thessalonica, Athens)

Jews and Rome

taxation

expulsions: Tiberius, Claudius

Revolts: 66-70 (Nero): destruction of Temple and Judaea as religious center

2C: 115-117: Cyrene and Levant

132-5: Jerusalem (Simon Bar Kochba) turned into a Roman colony

5. Christianity

A. Jesus' real teachings and later accounts (Gospels)

B. controversy over whether open solely to Jews or also Gentiles (non-Jews)

Paul: open to non-Jews

Paul's travels, #2

C. numbers in empire (1-5%)

D. not monolithic

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UpdatedWednesday, 30-Nov-2005 13:20:09 CST

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