Over the centuries, the ancient Romans worshipped many gods and goddesses. Some gods had Roman origins, while others were borrowed and adapted from foreign cultures. People worshipped in public ceremonies as well as in their own homes. Let's look more closely at some of their religious practices.

Roman State Gods The Romans worshipped twelve main gods, whom they called the Olympians. These Roman gods were similar to the twelve Olympian gods worshipped by the Greeks, except that they had Latin names. Three of these Roman gods were especially important in Roman religion and were considered the official gods of the Roman state: Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Jupiter was the "King" of the gods and the father of the divine family. Besides ruling over the other gods, he was also the god of the sky and the patron god of Rome. Juno was Jupiter’s wife and sister. She was the goddess of fertility and childbirth, and the protector of the Roman state. Minerva was the daughter of Jupiter and the goddess of learning, handicrafts, trade guilds, the arts, and war. Together, Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva were worshipped in a temple on the Capitoline hill in Rome, the most sacred religious precinct in the city. This temple to the "Capitoline Triad" was the largest and most lavishly decorated temple in Rome.

Official Religion The protectors of Rome were the state gods: Jupiter (god of the sky, father of the divine family, and patron of Rome) Juno (Jupiter's wife) Minerva (goddess of handicrafts, learning, and the arts) Mars (god of war)

At first these gods and goddesses weren't represented with human bodies. But under the influence of the Greeks, the state gods took on human form. The Romans also adopted some of the Greek stories about their gods and how they related to each other, but the Roman deities always kept their Latin names. Special ceremonies and sacrifices were performed to satisfy the gods. Special ceremonies and sacrifices were performed to satisfy the gods. These ceremonies were performed at an altar which was set up in the open area in front of Roman temples. The temple was considered the house of the god, and a cult statue was kept there. The priests performed the rituals in a certain way -- this was critical to insure the well-being of the state. The priests carried out their religious duties part-time -- they were usually important people who served other roles in society as well.

Lararia for the House of Menander in Pompeii Worship at Home Every house had a shrine, called a lararium, where the family worshipped daily. The gods and spirits that protected the home were honored at the shrine, along with the family ancestors (a lar is an ancestor's spirit.) These ceremonies usually involved pouring libations (liquids such as milk, oil, or wine) on a sacrificial fire placed on the altar. Lararia for the House of Menander in Pompeii

Foreign Gods Traditional Roman religion grew out of the needs of a simple agricultural society as Rome grew and its society became more complex, people began to move toward religious beliefs that appealed to their individual spiritual needs. These needs were sometimes met by Eastern religious cults, which offered redemption for people through connection with divine powers. These foreign religions also offered a kind of equality among believers - slaves could be members as easily as the nobility. Two popular Eastern cults in Imperial Rome were the Cult of Isis and Christianity.