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Religion in Ancient Rome

The Romans believed that there were spirits all around them; rocks had spirits, streams had spirits and even doors. They were worshipped under the guidance and approval of the father, similar to the state religion which was under the control of pontifex maximus. Tiny statues of dead ancestors were kept in the cupboard as another form of worship. Families would prey for protection and well being, religion to family life determined aspects of marriage, trade and political approval and disproval.
             Religion and politics in Rome worked very closely together making it almost impossible to be involved highly with one and not the other. This tight relationship made religion and its practices therefore more significant. Below the head of State religion known as the Pontifex Maximus were his four religious colleges which were in fact selected amongst distinguished politicians. Chosen at a young age from Patrician families were the Vestal Virgins. There were six of them and their foremost duty was to guard the sacred fire in the temple Vesta. However, the strangeness of having six virgins protect a flame is not even recognizable to the enormously harsh punishment if they were to commit a "crime". If the flame was let go out, they would be whipped. And, they had to remain virgins; their punishment for breaking their vowel of chastity was to be walled up alive underground. But the honor and privilege surrounding the vestal virgins was massive. A situation demonstrating the importance and power of religion is that if any criminal condemned to death saw a vestal virgin they were automatically pardoned. Some other religious offices demonstrating involvement with politics were the college of fifteen Augurs. They had a tricky job of interpreting the manifold omens of public life and no doubt private life amongst the patricians.
             Being closely connected to government meant that in Ancient Rome, religion played a large part of the decision making in the Army.


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