Rituals and Festivals in Roman Religious Worship
The Romans participated in several rituals and festivals to worship their gods, such as the Planting Ritual and the Harvest Ritual, which entailed sacrificing Jupiter Dapalis and Ceres, respectively. The Vestal Virgins, considered the caretakers of the holy fire, and the Flamen Dialis, the Jupiterian priests, likewise observed stringent rituals and rules (Adhikari, 2022). Pax deorum, a belief held by the Romans, was that these ceremonies preserved harmony with the gods (Fordham University, 2023a). They felt their fortune was closely related to their devotion; thus, they anticipated these activities to ensure the wealth and flourishing of their city and empire.
Roman Authorities’ Perception of Early Christians
Due to their strange behaviors and unwavering faith, early Christians first attracted Roman authorities’ attention. Christians were questioned and, if they persevered in their religion, put to death, according to the letters between Pliny the Younger and Emperor Trajan. They were pardoned if they turned away from Christianity and began to serve Roman deities. This strategy was founded on the idea that Christians’ stubbornness justified punishment no matter what kind of Christians they were (Fordham University, 2023b). The government’s policy was to penalize individuals who were accused of being guilty after being proven wrong, rather than aggressively hunt out Christians.
Early Christian Views on Greek and Roman Religion
Greek and Roman polytheistic faiths were wrong in the eyes of early Christians. They had a single god and considered Jesus divine who preached love, mercy, and forgiveness (Acts 17:16-34 (NIV)). In contrast to the transactional and ceremonial aspects of Roman religious activities, the Christian religion strongly emphasized moral behavior and the promise of eternal life. Some Romans may have found these parts of Christianity, especially Jesus’ teachings on how to treat others with compassion and charity, to be a welcome and morally acceptable alternative to their ancient polytheistic beliefs.
References
Acts 17:16-34 (NIV). (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Web.
Adhikari, S. (2022). Top 10 ancient Roman gods. Ancient History Lists. Web.
Fordham University. (2023a). Internet history sourcebooks project: Ancient history. Web.
Fordham University. (2023b). Internet history sourcebooks project: Ancient history. Web.