1. The Early Roman Religion (Chapter 4)
By: Clarissa Papenfuse (pg )

2. Intro. gods/goddesses approving head priests and magistrates
religio- refers to the
relationship between
men and the spirits (religion)

3. The Nature Spirits numina- nature spirits
fields, springs, rivers, trees, the wind, and the heavens
bad harvest, a flood, the death of a child, or defeat in battle
prayers, offerings, and sacrifices
many different gods & goddesses
Numa created special orders of priests/priestesses

4. The Nature Spirits (Continued)
pontifices- religious advisor to the Roman leaders
flamens- priests/priestesses attached to one god/goddess
Vestal Virgins- guarders of the public hearth
augurs- watch the birds for approval from the god/ess
haruspexes- examined animal entrails

5. The Vestal Virgins 7-30 years
Vesta- goddess of the hearth
paterfamilias prayed and offered to her
eldest daughter’s job
Numa created them
2-4-6 girls
7-30 years
kept/prevented fire & prepared sacrifices
most didn’t marry

6. The Greek Pantheon pantheon- family of gods/goddesses Zeus to Jupiter
Poseidon to Neptune
Apollo to Apollo
Hades to Pluto
Hera to Juno
Demeter to Ceres

7. The Greek Pantheon (Continued)
Hestia to Vesta
Athena to Minerva
Ares to Mars
Artemis to Diana
Aphrodite to Venus
Hephaestus to Vulcan

8. The Temples first one honors Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva
tall, rectangular, high base, steps, pillars, and gabled roof
portico- a deep columned porch
cella- a windowless rectangular room
statue representing the god/goddess
treasures in underground chambers
traders with sacrifices

9. The Temples (Continued)
Vesta’s temple was
circular with the
hearth replacing
the cella entering east

10. Beginnings of Drama
ludi Romani- a religious festival held in Rome annually during September in honor of Jupiter “roman games”.
plays near temples
Livius Andronicus- a Greek brought to Rome as a prisoner of war. He translated plays and is considered the originator of Latin Literature

11. Beginnings of Drama (Continued)
Plautus- wrote many lively comedies and inspired A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

12. Household Spirits
lares- The spirits of dead ancestors that guarded the family luck
penates- Spirits that protected the storehouse and were worshiped to ensure a plentiful supply of food
genius- A special guardian deity that bound one generation to the next
lararium- Household shrine that looks like a small cupboard in the main room

13. The Roman Way of Death
the family of a newly deceased Roman made a sacrifice to the lares to purify the house
Paterfamilias would spit out nine black beans indicating magic words to persuade any lingering bad spirits to leave
the body was burned
ashes of the dead were placed in a clay urn
got a slab of stone or a small house

14. The Roman Way of Death (Continued)
manes- the souls of a family’s deceased loved ones
death masks of the deceased
selfie
Parentalia- an annual festival held each February in which family members visited graves of relatives

15. Thanks To:
Art, Suzanne S. "Chapter 4- The Early Roman Religion." The Story of Ancient Rome. 2nd ed. N.c.: Wayside, Iii-189. Print.

16. The End!!!