Roman Syncretism: How the Empire Adopted Foreign Gods
The Romans embraced foreign deities through syncretism, beginning with the fusion of Jupiter and Zeus. They held the belief that the divine influenced every aspect of life and utilized evocatio to summon enemy gods, such as Juno Regina in 396 BC. In various provinces, local deities were combined, resulting in figures like Sulis Minerva, Mars Nodens, Jupiter Taranis, Jupiter Dolichenus, Apollo Grannus, and Cernunnos alongside Mercury. Notable foreign gods included Cybele from Pergamon during the Second Punic War, Epona from the Celts celebrated on December 18, Isis from Egypt despite Senate resistance in 53 BC, Mithras, and Sol Invictus, the latter promoted by Aurelian with a feast on December 25. Christianity was rejected for its demand for exclusive worship, while Judaism faced tensions under Caligula and Claudius but was tolerated more.
Key facts
- Romans syncretized foreign gods with their own deities.
- Evocatio ritual invited enemy gods to Rome, e.g., Juno Regina from Veii in 396 BC.
- Sulis Minerva was a syncretized goddess in Roman Bath.
- Mars Nodens had a temple in Gloucester with dream interpretation.
- Cybele was brought from Pergamon during the Second Punic War.
- Isis worship in Rome began in the 1st century BC; Senate ordered shrine destruction in 53 BC.
- Mithras was a Persian sun god worshiped in mystery cults from 1st to 4th century AD.
- Sol Invictus became the chief god under Aurelian; his feast on December 25 was later used for Christmas.
- Christianity was persecuted for refusing to worship Roman gods and the imperial cult.
- Pliny the Younger's letters to Trajan (c. AD 112) detail tests for Christians.
- Judaism was tolerated as an ethnic faith; Caligula ordered his statue in the Jerusalem temple in AD 40.
- Claudius refused a golden statue of himself in AD 41 to avoid offending Jews.
Entities
Institutions
- Neues Museum
- Louvre
- Uffizi Gallery
- National Archaeological Museum, Naples
- Vatican Museums
- British Museum
- Musée Lapidaire d'Avignon
- The Collector
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Veii
- Bath
- Roman Britain
- Gloucester
- Chester
- Doliche
- Gaul
- Reims
- Pergamon
- Asia
- Egypt
- Jerusalem
- Bithynia-Pontus
- Alexandria
- Syria
- Mount Ida
- Palatine
- Capitol
- Villa Medici
- San Callisto