Roman Religion Paganism – State Religion

2. Roman Religion Paganism – State Religion • “Pagan” – country dweller • adapt Greek Gods to meet urban needs • Gods are modified to exhibit Roman values • housed in Pantheon • evolves into emperor worship Cults Astrology / Magic • Babylonian origins • popular among masses of gullible Romans • Female • Isis [Egypt] – nurturing • priests & priestesses • Cybele – [Asia Minor] • frenzied - self-castration • Mysteries • Eleusinian Mysteries – • overcome fear of death • Mithraism – Zoroastrian • very popular, especially among soldiers • Christianity [Judaism] • monotheism precludes emperor worship • persecuted as threat to state, scapegoats • underground movement – catacombs • periods of tolerance and growth

3. Roman Philosophy Materialistic & Practical – deals with Roman realities How does one live well in a decadent society? • All imported from Athens

4. Epicureanism – founded by Epicurus (341-270 BC), based on Democritos Roman adherents: Lucretius (96-55BC), Horace (65-8BC) • Soul perishes with body • Death is both extinction and liberation • Pleasure, not virtue or justice, is the ultimate good • Intellectual pleasure over sensual • Moderation over hedonism • Religion and belief in afterlife only cause fear • Followed by a cultivated minority

5. Stoicism – founded by Zeno (335-263 BC), based on Herakleitos • Roman adherents: Seneca (3 BC – AD 65), Epictetus (AD 60-110), Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) • Senses over metaphysics • Everything real is solid matter (including the soul) • Cosmic determinism – everything determined by Logos • Must seek harmony with nature • Virtue is the sole good in an individual’s life • Virtue is a matter of will power • An individuals actions determine good or bad outcomes • Austere and sober – avoid all passions

6. Neo-Platonism – taken from the Academy in Athens • Ideas are true reality / Ideas are unknowable • Goal is to approach these Ideas as closely as possible • True Reality comes after death • A good life leads to salvation • most religious Roman Philosophy • lays philosophical foundation for Christianity

7. Roman written/verbal arts LANGUAGE: • Latin is a major unifying force Contradiction: • Both languages used in administering the Empire PRESERVATION: • Rome becomes the guardian of the Greek/Hellenistic legacy

8. ORATORY: • Mandatory in such a political society • Cicero Seneca • HISTORY: • Destiny chronicled & Propaganda • Cicero Livy Tacitus • LITERATURE: • Virgil [70-19 BC] – commissioned by Caesar Augustus • To write Aeneadfor imperial propaganda • Aeneas is the literary model of Roman virtues • Catullus [84-54 BC] – lyric poetry • Horace [65-8 BC] – odes espousing Epicureanism • Martial [AD 40-104] – epigrams: satirical & sardonic criticisms

9. EDUCATION: • Parental responsibility – highly valued • Pragmatic – State, not individual oriented • Development of the “Academic Curriculum” • LAW: • justice Based on reality, not Abstraction • Main purpose – keep tax revenues flowing Implied: • Constitutional Rights Consent of the Governed