The Religion of Numa And Other Essays on the Religion of Ancient Rome

by Jesse Benedict Carter

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: History

143 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 8, 2006

Reviews

[Monty Milne]

Carter shares the standard view that the Romans were great lawyers but mediocre philosophers and bad theologians. He devotes some space to a discussion of Varro’s attempts to fashion a kind of synthesis of Roman religion with aspects of popular Stoicism. This sounds right to me (think of the film Gladiator, when Russell Crowe exemplifies many Stoic virtues, and also prays reverently to the little wooden figurines representing his ancestors). But by Varro’s time Roman religion was effectively dead.

Carter says Etruscan religion left surprisingly little influence on the Romans. I suspect this absence of influence may be more apparent than real, because although we know little enough now about Etruscan religion, in Carter’s day the subject was wrapped in even darker mystery. Certainly the Etruscans seem to have been very keen on the pseudo-science of haruspicy, which was enthusiastically embraced by the Romans. Trying to understand the mysteries of the universe by poking around in a sacrificial liver seems one of the more pointless and foolish activities humans have engaged in. We may never really understand how and why this strange practice originated. It is one of many curious aspects of Roman religion, and this study, though a bit short and inevitably dated, nevertheless has many interesting things to say on a fascinating subject.

[Ségolène]

Insightful and entertaining, this book is an exception among historical tales. The author was clearly passionate about the religious beliefs in Ancient Rome and manages to infuse this knowledge and excitement in the reader.

[NOEL O'CALLAGHAN]

Pre-Christian religions in Rome

The historic and sometimes hard to visualise types of deity adored by the citizens of Rome was extremely interesting and eye opening.

[Margot]

an old and now partially obsolete book but still great for the road it paved, and still dismantles the myth that Roman religion is synonymous with or truly synchretic with the Greek oriental gods.