The Gods of Ancient Rome
Sep 18, 2004
Another book review has been submitted by forum member Ursus. Gods of Ancient Rome by Robert Turcan
There comes a point when any serious Romanophile has to study Roman religion outside of an elementary school mythology class. The Romans, after all, were a deeply pious people. Religion was not separated from everyday life, it was a constant in everyday life. Every communal activity had a religious aspect and every religious activity was aimed at some level of community. To reduce Roman religion to a mere carbon copy of Greek religion, as is often opined, or to treat Roman mythology as the childish delusions of a primitive people, is to ignore the religious genius of our cultural ancestors. Regardless of whether one or not sympathizes with Roman paganism, one should at least appreciate its place in religious history and its reflection of Roman mentality….
