- Title Pages
- Acknowledgments
- Note to the Reader
- Abbreviations
- [UNTITLED]
- Introduction: Religion, Law and Knowledge in Classical Rome
- Introduction to Part I: Historiography and Method
- 1 On Comparison<sup>†</sup>
- 2 Polis-<i>Religion and its Alternatives in the Roman Provinces</i><sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part II: Religious Institutions and Religious Authority
- 3 From Republic to Principate:<sup>†</sup> Priesthood, Religion and Ideology*
- 4 <i>A Feature of Roman Religion</i><sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part II: Ritual and Myth
- 5 <i>The</i> Ludi Saeculares <i>and the</i> Carmen Saeculare<sup>†</sup>
- 6 Cults, Myths, and Politics at the Beginning of the Empire<sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part IV: Theology
- 7 The Theological Efforts of the Roman Upper Classes in the First Century BC<sup>†</sup>
- 8 Hierarchy and Structure in Roman Polytheism: Roman Methods of Conceiving Action<sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part V: Roman and Alien
- 9 Religious Toleration in Republican Rome<sup>†</sup>
- 10 A Religion for the Empire<sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part VI: Space and Time
- 11 Loca Sancta<sup>†</sup>
- 12 A Complex of Times: No More Sheep on Romulus’ Birthday<sup>†</sup><sup>1</sup>
- Introduction to Part VII: Continuity and Change, from Republic to Empire
- 13 Roman State Religion in the Mirror of Augustan and Late Republican Apologetics<sup>†</sup>
- 14 The Historical Development of Roman Religion: An Overview<sup>†</sup>
- Chronology
- Biographical Dictionary
- Glossary
- Guide to Further Reading
- Bibliography
- Index
A Religion for the Empire†
A Religion for the Empire†
- Chapter:
- (p.220) 10 A Religion for the Empire†
- Source:
- Roman Religion
- Author(s):
Clifford Ando
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
The tension between Rome and peripheral municipalities at the level of patriotism and philosophy in politics had analogs in religious thought and practice, and it is at this point of rupture that the explanatory power of polis-religion might best be tested. In devising such a test, this chapter consults ancient theorists of polis-religion to consider the challenges that confronted their theoretical and theological presuppositions as the social and political structures of the Graeco-Roman city-state evolved in the larger, ecumenical community of the early Empire. Romans at Rome had long developed sophisticated and self-conscious mechanisms both for importing and naturalising foreign cults, and for sanctioning and controlling the religious life of subject populations. In situating gods in time and place, this body of theory and law may have facilitated and explained the removal of cults and cult-objects to Rome.
Keywords: Rome, patriotism, philosophy, politics, polis-religion, cults, gods
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- Title Pages
- Acknowledgments
- Note to the Reader
- Abbreviations
- [UNTITLED]
- Introduction: Religion, Law and Knowledge in Classical Rome
- Introduction to Part I: Historiography and Method
- 1 On Comparison<sup>†</sup>
- 2 Polis-<i>Religion and its Alternatives in the Roman Provinces</i><sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part II: Religious Institutions and Religious Authority
- 3 From Republic to Principate:<sup>†</sup> Priesthood, Religion and Ideology*
- 4 <i>A Feature of Roman Religion</i><sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part II: Ritual and Myth
- 5 <i>The</i> Ludi Saeculares <i>and the</i> Carmen Saeculare<sup>†</sup>
- 6 Cults, Myths, and Politics at the Beginning of the Empire<sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part IV: Theology
- 7 The Theological Efforts of the Roman Upper Classes in the First Century BC<sup>†</sup>
- 8 Hierarchy and Structure in Roman Polytheism: Roman Methods of Conceiving Action<sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part V: Roman and Alien
- 9 Religious Toleration in Republican Rome<sup>†</sup>
- 10 A Religion for the Empire<sup>†</sup>
- Introduction to Part VI: Space and Time
- 11 Loca Sancta<sup>†</sup>
- 12 A Complex of Times: No More Sheep on Romulus’ Birthday<sup>†</sup><sup>1</sup>
- Introduction to Part VII: Continuity and Change, from Republic to Empire
- 13 Roman State Religion in the Mirror of Augustan and Late Republican Apologetics<sup>†</sup>
- 14 The Historical Development of Roman Religion: An Overview<sup>†</sup>
- Chronology
- Biographical Dictionary
- Glossary
- Guide to Further Reading
- Bibliography
- Index
