Pantheon: A New History of Roman Religion

About this book

From one of the worlds leading authorities on the subject an innovative and comprehensive account of religion in the ancient Roman and Mediterranean world In this ambitious and authoritative book Jrg Rpke provides a comprehensive and strikingly original narrative history of ancient Roman and Mediterranean religion over more than a millenniumfrom the late Bronze Age through the Roman imperial period and up to late antiquity. While focused primarily on the city of Rome Pantheon fully integrates the many religious traditions found in the Mediterranean world including Judaism and Christianity. This generously illustrated book is also distinguished by its unique emphasis on lived religion a perspective that stresses how individuals experiences and practices transform religion into something different from its official form. The result is a radically new picture of both Roman religion and a crucial period in Western religionone that influenced Judaism Christianity Islam and even the modern idea of religion itself. Drawing on a vast range of literary and archaeological evidence Pantheon shows how Roman religion shaped and was shaped by its changing historical contexts from the ninth century BCE to the fourth century CE. Because religion was not a distinct sphere in the Roman world the book treats religion as inseparable from political social economic and cultural developments. The narrative emphasizes the diversity of Roman religion; offers a new view of central concepts such as temple altar and votive; reassesses the gendering of religious practices; and much more. Throughout Pantheon draws on the insights of modern religious studies but without modernizing ancient religion. With its unprecedented scope and innovative approach Pantheon is an unparalleled account of ancient Roman and Mediterranean religion.