Myths about the creation of the world

There was no earth yet. Land, sea and air were so mixed that the earth was not solid, the sea was liquid, and the air was transparent. And over this formless mass reigned a careless deity named Chaos, and no one knew what it looked like, since there was no light yet. Chaos shared the throne with his wife, the dark goddess of the night named Nyx, whose black robes and even blacker visage could not disperse the surrounding darkness.
Time passed, and the couple got tired of power and called their son Erebus (Darkness) to their aid. The first thing he did was overthrow his father and take his throne, and then, deciding that he needed a companion, he married his mother Nyx. Erebus and Nyx ruled together until their wonderful children Ether (Light) and Hemera (Day), united, overthrew them and usurped power over the world.
And then for the first time the illuminated Chaos revealed its entire unsightly essence. Ether and Hemera carefully examined the chaos that reigned everywhere and, seeing the possibilities inherent in it, decided to turn it into a beautiful thing. However, they well understood the enormity of the task set for themselves and felt that they could not cope alone, and therefore called on Eros (Love), their own child, for help. With their combined efforts they created Pontus (the sea) and Gaia (Earth, Ge, or Terra), as the earth was then called.
At the beginning of its existence, the Earth was not at all as beautiful as it has become now. There were no trees covered with thick foliage shaking their branches on the hills, no flowers growing in the valleys, no grass in the meadows, no birds flying in the air. The ground was bare; Silence and peace reigned everywhere. Eros was the first to notice this and, grabbing his life-giving arrows, launched them into the cold breast of the earth. And immediately its brown surface was covered with luxurious greenery, colorful birds fluttered out of the leaves of the trees, a wide variety of animals appeared in the dense meadows, and fast fish flashed in the clear waters of the streams. Life, joy and movement reigned everywhere.

Gaia, waking up from sleep, admired everything that Eros did to decorate her, and, deciding to complete and crown his works, she created Uranus (Sky).

Helpers of Jupiter

Jupiter had his own assistants, among whom was Victory, or Nike, ready at any moment to fulfill his slightest desire, and it is said that Jupiter loved her so much that he always kept her image at hand.
The standing-tongued goddess of glory, Fama, depicted with a trumpet in her hand, proclaimed whatever he wanted at his request, never questioning whether it was true or not.
Sometimes Fortuna, the goddess of fortune, was depicted next to Jupiter, who travels the world on a constantly rotating wheel, scattering her countless gifts with a careless hand and indifferently distributing her most merciful smiles. Another assistant of Zeus, Hebe (wife of Hercules), the goddess of youth, was always ready, at his command, to pour nectar into the cups of the gods, which they drank, making toasts in each other’s name.
But one day this beautiful goddess stumbled and fell and was deprived of her post. The father of the gods had to look for a replacement for her.
He took the form of an eagle and flew over the earth. But before he could fly far, he saw a young man of amazing beauty on a nearby hill. Zeus immediately rushed down, grabbed the young man with his strong claws and carried him to Olympus, and here the kidnapped Ganymede, the son of the king of Troy, was instructed in detail about the duties that he had to perform in the future.

Birth of Minerva

Although the gods were immortal, they suffered from physical pain in the same way as mere mortals. One day, Jupiter had a terrible headache, and, hoping that the gods could tell him how to get rid of the pain, he gathered all the ancient Greek gods on Olympus. But joint efforts to alleviate the suffering of Jupiter did not lead to anything, even the advice of Apollo, the god of medicine, turned out to be useless. Not wanting, or perhaps no longer able to endure this hellish pain, Jupiter asked one of his sons, Vulcan, to cut his head with an ax. The obedient god obeyed with alacrity, but before he had time to strike with the ax, Minerva appeared from the head of Jupiter - in her full height, dressed in sparkling armor, with a sharp spear, singing a triumphant song of victory.
The gods gathered on Olympus trembled in fear of this unexpected guest, and at the same time a strong whirlwind swept over the sea and over the land, announcing the appearance of the great goddess.
The goddess, who joined the inhabitants of Olympus, was destined to become the patroness of peace, defensive wars and women's handicrafts, the embodiment of wisdom and drive away the gloomy deity called Stupidity, which had previously ruled the world. Minerva, having banished her unattractive predecessor, quickly grabbed the scepter and immediately began to rule in her place.

Fall of Vulcan

Vulcan was once strongly attached to his mother (Juno), showed her his love in every possible way and even tried to console her when she suffered from Jupiter’s neglect. One day, deciding to punish Juno for another attack of jealousy, Jupiter chained her to a golden chain and hung her from the sky. But Vulcan, noticing this, pulled her back in, and was about to free her from the chains, when Jupiter returned and, angry that he had interfered in the affairs of his parents, cast him out of the sky.
The space between heaven and earth was so vast that Vulcan fell all day and all night until he finally found himself on Mount Mosihl, on the island of Lemnos.
Of course, for any mortal this fall would have meant certain death, and even Vulcan did not emerge from it unscathed. He broke his leg and from then on began to limp, remaining crippled for life.
And although Vulcan risked and suffered cruelly to save his mother, she made no attempt to find out whether he landed alive or was broken in the fall. Offended by her indifference and ingratitude, Vulcan swore that he would never return to Olympus, and settled alone in Mount Etna, where, together with the Cyclops, he established a huge forge to make many cunning, useful things from the metal that was found in abundance in the bowels of the earth.
Vulcan made himself two golden maids who supported him wherever he went.
Vulcan also created a golden throne with countless secret springs. When no one was sitting on it, it seemed like an ordinary chair, but as soon as someone sat down in it, the springs began to move, and the throne locked the person sitting on it. The unfortunate man could neither get up nor get rid of the embrace of this golden monster.
Having completed its creation, Vulcan sent it to his mother, who, delighted with its beauty and fine finishing, sat proudly on it and found herself captive. In vain did she try to get up, in vain did all the gods try to snatch her from the embrace of the throne. Their combined efforts and all their tricks turned out to be completely useless.
Finally, Mercury was sent to Vulcan, who most diplomatically asked him to honor Olympus with his high presence, but eloquence
The persuasiveness of Mercury could not force the god of fire to leave his smoky home. The messenger of the gods was forced to return back and report the failure of his mission. Then the gods consulted and decided to send Bacchus, hoping that his method of persuasion would be more successful.
Taking with him a flask of his best wine, Bacchus appeared before Vulcan and invited him to refresh himself. Vulcan, who was constantly thirsty from the heat, accepted the offered cup and drank until he was completely drunk. In this state, Bacchus brought him to Olympus, forced him to release the queen of heaven and ordered him to hug his father and ask for forgiveness.
And although Vulcan managed to regain the favor of the gods, he did not live on Olympus, but preferred to return to his forge and continue working.

Everyone is somehow accustomed to combining the mythology of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It seems that what else can be found among the Romans, who only knew how to give new names to foreign gods? Zeus - Jupiter, Hera - Juno, Ares - Mars, Aphrodite - Venus, just remember, and that's the end of it!

But this is just the tip of the iceberg, and you can try to dive deeper.

Who told?

It is extremely difficult to judge the most ancient period of Roman mythology, because scientists have to rely on much later sources.

However, the priestly books “Indigita-menti” are quite famous. Official records of the life of ancient Roman communities, records of ancient Greek authors in response to events in Hesperia (as they called ancient Italy), hymns of the colleges of the Arval brothers, etc. have been preserved.

The main sources are considered to be the first treaties of Rome with other cities and states, records of the college of pontiffs (priests), as well as records of the main events of each year, which later became known as the annals (Latin annus - year).

However, the main sources are considered to be Virgil's Aeneid, Livy's history books, Ovid's Fasti and the fourth book of Propertius.

Cosmogony and gods

For a long time it was believed that Roman mythology in its initial stages of development was reduced to animism. The worship of the souls of the dead was due to fear of their supernatural power, as was the worship of animate natural phenomena. The Romans never began or finished anything without securing the favor of the gods, without performing all the required rituals, without offering prayers and making the necessary sacrifices.

It was believed that the Romans distinguished only favorable or unfavorable non-personified forces - numina (numina), and there were a great many of them: the deity of sowing and growth, flowering and marriage, harvest and conception, walking and returning, etc., and their names were formed from the name of the action being performed.

Moreover, it was also believed that even the few personal gods that arose later did not have an anthropomorphic embodiment, but only symbols: for example, Jupiter is a stone, Mars is a spear, Vesta is fire.

In the primitive communal period, the cult of ancestors, honored in every clan, was of great importance: the Penates, the patrons of the hearth and clan, and the Lares, the patrons of the home, family and the entire community as a whole.

However, although the ancient cosmogony of the Romans still remains a mystery, researchers gradually began to find evidence that Roman mythology itself went through approximately the same stages of development as other peoples during the primitive communal period.

The most ancient triad of deities was identified: Jupiter (who supplanted the original creator of the world, Janus) is the embodiment of religiosity and priesthood, Mars is the military hypostasis, Quirin is the economic hypostasis.

Janus and Vesta guarded the doors and the family hearth, the Lares protected the field and the house, Palaeus the pastures, Saturn the crops, Ceres the growth of cereals, Pomona the tree fruits, and Cone and Opa the harvest.

In addition, according to the conclusions of scientists, the Romans believed that people as a family trace their origins to sacred trees, oaks, and therefore groves were dedicated to each numina deity, where rituals were performed and sacrifices were made, and the trees themselves played a very important role in life states. For example, sacrifices were made to the oak tree on the Capitoline Hill, and the withering of any fig tree, the tree under which, according to legend, the she-wolf fed the future founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, was perceived as an extremely formidable and unfavorable sign.

Since the cult of animals was very developed, the interpretation of their behavior and the study of the sacrifices made, or, more simply, fortune-telling, so widespread in Ancient Rome, became of great importance.

Justified...by the state

What is the uniqueness of Roman mythology in comparison with other mythological traditions?

If you think about it, it becomes obvious: most of the ancient myths about the gods did not survive; they were gradually but steadily replaced by myths about heroes.

The very structure of Roman society, in which individual communities sought to unite into large urban conglomerates, in which politics played an increasingly greater role with each century, and the state became an intermediary between the citizen and the gods - this is the originality of Ancient Rome.

Myths telling about heroes are a reflection of the deep mutual penetration of history and myth in the minds of the Romans. A person’s life is filled with the divine presence, every moment of it a person is responsible for his actions.

And if they are performed for the benefit of the community, then the gods are pleased with you.

Such are the myths about the Sabine women, Numa Pompilius, Lucretia, Scaevola, Coriolanus and many others.

Of course, it cannot be denied that Roman culture constantly absorbed the culture of the peoples around it. Yes, the Romans renamed and adopted almost the entire Greek pantheon, made many borrowings from the Etruscans and other peoples, but there was a very simple reason for this. Rome was a military state, which, through conquests, constantly expanded its territories and assimilated the culture of the conquered peoples.

Roman heroic myth explained the past, justified the present, and guided the future. Despite some initial primitiveness, he made a person’s life filled with meaning: service to the fatherland.

And what is the end?

The Roman religion, open and constantly changing under external influences, simply could not develop a single concept about the end of the world.

Like any military state, Rome was doomed to gradual decline and destruction or to inevitable transformation. Roman mythology, having gone through various stages of development - from the adoption of the Greek pantheon to the formation of the cult of the emperor, eventually became... a kind of basis for the victory of Christianity as a religion.

The myth of the Roman left-hander

In 509 BC. e. The Etruscan king Lare Porsenna declared war on Rome. A huge army invaded the country and was getting closer and closer to the capital. A little more - and Rome would have been taken by storm.

Then one of the young Roman patricians, Gaius Mucius Cordus, decided to infiltrate the Etruscan camp and kill their king. Guy knew the Etruscan language and, dressed in the clothes of enemies, easily entered the camp, but he could not understand which of those sitting at the main tent was King Porsenna. He could not ask, for fear of giving himself away.

Then the young man decided that the most elegantly dressed person was the enemy ruler. He attacked him and stabbed him with a dagger. But alas! It turned out to be just one of the king’s courtiers, the greatest lover of outfits and decorations.

Gaius Mucius was immediately captured, but refused to answer questions. Then they began to threaten him with torture. Seeing a tripod with a blazing fire, the young man himself approached it, put his right hand in the flame and silently, without making a sound, looked at Porsenna until his hand was charred.

Amazed by the courage and incredible stamina of the patrician, Porsenna exclaimed: “If all the Romans are so persistent, then it is impossible to defeat them.” He released Mucius, who from then on began to bear the nickname Scaevola (Left-handed), and decided to begin negotiations on a truce.

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Introduction

1. The history of ancient Roman mythology

2. Pantheon of Roman gods

3. Myths of Ancient Rome “Romulus and Remus. Founding of Rome"

4. “Seven Kings of Ancient Rome”

List of sources used

INTRODUCTION

The worldview of the ancient Romans was based on the idea that the gods destined Rome to rule the world. This contributed to the emergence of the cult of Rome itself and the formation of the so-called “Roman myth,” reflecting the legendary Roman history. Researchers divide the plots of the “Roman myth” into three groups. The first is associated with the founding of the Roman state by the legendary hero Aeneas, the second with the emergence of Rome itself and the so-called “time of kings.”

The third group of subjects of the “Roman myth” is associated with the establishment and early stage of the existence of the Roman Republic. These tales tell of heroes sacrificing themselves for the glory and prosperity of Rome. The Romans regarded such self-sacrifice not only as a manifestation of patriotism, but also as the fulfillment of the will of the gods, who destined Rome for a dominant position in the world.

1. HISTORY OF ANCIENT ROMAN MYTHOLOGY

There are several opinions about the stages of development of Roman mythology. Some historians take as a basis the books of the priests “Indigitamenta”, which tell us about impersonal harmful or beneficial forces - numina (numina), characteristic of individual objects, living beings, actions. Initially, the gods were represented in the form of symbols: - stone, Mars - spear, Vesta - fire.

A characteristic feature of the early stage of development of mythology was the uncertainty of the gender of deities (Pales), which was reflected in the presence of male and female hypostases in some of them (Faun - Faun, Pomon - Pomona), in referring to the gods as “god or goddess”. According to some historians, myths in Ancient Rome appeared only under the influence of Etruscan and Greek mythology. The Greeks brought their gods and the myths associated with them to Rome, and taught the Romans to build temples. Modern researchers are debating this theory, since the compilers of the “Indigitamenta” were priests, not the people. Over time, Greek and Etruscan influences began to receive less and less attention, focusing on the originality of Roman culture.

The formation of the ancient Roman religion developed in parallel with the process of unification of communities on which the emergence of Rome was based. The gods of individual communities merged with each other. As clan ties were replaced by neighbors and clans by surnames, the main role began to be played by cults of surnames grouped around Vesta, Lares and Penates. Along with them, there were cults of neighboring communities - curiae, cults of the entire Roman civil community, which, however, were not fenced off from each other. All of them were under the control of the college of pontiffs, which pushed aside the flamenian priests. It was believed that what was done for the benefit of the community also served the benefit of individual citizens, and vice versa.

The development of Roman mythology was influenced by the following factors:

· The democratization of society made it possible for plebeians to become priests. This did not allow the caste to develop. The highest authority became the civil community itself, which led to the absence of religious dogma. Citizens are required to honor the gods, as they were a major part of their community. But, at the same time, they could think, speak and write anything about them, even denying their existence

· The victorious Roman aggression, which cost the people considerable sacrifices, is justified by the myth of Rome as a city founded by the destinies of the gods, who destined it for power over the world, of the Roman people as chosen by the gods

· Exposure to more advanced cultures and religions

The borrowing of Greek gods began no later than the end of the 6th - beginning of the 5th century. BC. with the introduction of the cult of Apollo, then the Romans began to get acquainted with Greek myths and mysteries dedicated to Dionysus, with Greek religious and philosophical movements. Interpreting myths, statesmen began to claim divine origin (the first was Scipio Africanus), the special protection of the deity (Sulla and Caesar - the patronage of Venus, Anthony - Hercules and Dionysus), the immortality of souls and special places of their stay after death . The cult of generals spread in the provinces. Thus was prepared the imperial cult, which began with the deification of Caesar and Augustus, and then his successors. Emperors identified themselves with gods, their wives with goddesses. With the establishment of the empire, the “Roman myth”, due to the exclusion of the people from participation in state affairs, the loss by Rome of its character of a civil community, began to lose its popularity.

2. PANTHEON OF ROMAN GODS

Unlike most ancient peoples, the Romans extremely rarely depicted their gods and did not create myths about them - about their birth and family ties, relationships with each other and with people, quarrels and love affairs. The Romans deliberately refused to give their gods any appearance or character. Often even their gender and name remained uncertain. According to Jan Parandovsky, it was precisely this principle that elevated the Romans above all other ancient peoples who defamed the honor of the gods with myths.

The gods were divided into heavenly, earthly and underground, but could act in all three worlds. The worlds of gods, people and the dead were delimited (the right of the gods, fas, did not mix with the right of man, ius) and at the same time interconnected (people did not start a single important business without knowing how the gods would react to it). A major role was played by augurs and haruspices, who explained the will of the gods by the flight and behavior of birds, the entrails (especially the liver) of sacrificial animals, and lightning strikes. The books of the Sibyl, associated with the cult of Apollo, served the same purpose. They were kept secret by the college of priests. When, in the opinion of the oracles, the signs were threatening, then the priests, by order of the Senate, sought advice in these books. It was believed that the gods of Rome's Enemies could be lured to their side using the formula evocatio. When Rome became the head of the Latin Union, it adopted the cults of its gods Diana of Aricia and Jupiter Latiaris. The center of the cult in Rome, which finally took shape as a single city, became the Capitoline Temple, and the god of Roman power and glory became Jupiter Capitolinus.

There is an assumption that the Romans once had a myth about the creation of the world by the god Janus. His name means "door", "gate". He was the god of entry and exit, as well as every beginning, the new year, the beginning of war, the first day of the month, the birth of the man. Janus was depicted with keys, three hundred and sixty-five fingers (according to the number of days in the year) and with two faces, meaning that one face is turned to the past, the other to the future.

The ancient Romans believed that every object and phenomenon - regardless of its significance - has a special patron god. In the Roman pantheon there were the god of sowing and the god of seed growth, the god of the birth of a child, the god of his first cry, the god of going for a walk, the god of returning home, and so on.

The Romans, like all ancient peoples, deified the forces of nature, worshiped trees and springs, animals and birds. Of the trees, they most revered the oak and fig tree, among the animals - the wolf, among the birds - the eagle and the woodpecker. Faun was considered the god of fields, forests and pastures, the patron of animals, whose cult was associated with the cult of the wolf. In honor of Faun, the Lupercalia festival was held (“lupus” means “wolf”). At this festival, a goat was sacrificed to Faun, and then the Luperc priests ran around the sanctuary, waving belts cut from the skin of the sacrificial goat and whipped them at women passing by, which was supposed to ensure their fertility. The faun was especially revered by shepherds, as he helped protect the flock from wolves.

Silvanus is the god of the forest and wild nature. His name comes from the word “silva” - “forest”. He had no official cult, but was popular among slaves and peasants. They thanked him for healing the disease and unexpected luck.

Vertumnus is the god of all kinds of changes - changes of seasons, stages of fruit ripening, changes in human moods.

Fone is the god of water sources. On his holiday - fontanalia - the wells were decorated with flowers, and flower garlands were thrown into the sources

Pomona is the goddess of ripening tree fruits. A sacred grove was dedicated to her.

Among the gods directly related to human life and activity, the brothers Pilumnus and Picumnus are known - the patrons of marriage and birth. In addition, it was believed that Pilumnus invented the pestle for crushing grain, and Picumnus taught people to fertilize fields with manure (his other name is Sterculin, which means “dung”).

Fortune was also originally the patroness of birth; later she was revered as the goddess of fate, happiness and good fortune. Fortune was depicted standing on a ball or wheel - a symbol of the instability of happiness.

The patroness of the hearth was the goddess Vesta. The unquenchable fire in the temple was maintained by the priestesses of Vesta - the Vestals. The home was also patronized by special deities - Lares. The Laras also patronized good neighborly relations.

3. MYTHS OF ANCIENT ROME “ROMULUUS AND REMUS. FOUNDATION OF ROME"

roman god cult mythology

In the glorious city of Alba Longa reigned the descendant of the great Trojan hero Aeneas - Numitor, who was a just and merciful ruler. But his brother Amulius, who was jealous of Numitor and himself aspired to royal power, bribed the king’s associates and, taking advantage of Numitor’s gullibility, overthrew him from the throne. However, Amulius did not dare to kill his brother. In order to secure royal power for himself, he decided to kill the son of Numitor, and made the beautiful Rhea Silvia, the king’s daughter, a priestess of the goddess Vesta.

The priestesses of this goddess had to take a vow of celibacy and maintain an unquenchable sacred fire that burned day and night in the sanctuary. A Vestal Virgin who violated her vow of purity and thus desecrated the sanctity of Vesta’s hearth was condemned to a terrible execution - she was buried alive in the ground. Captivated by the beauty of Rhea Silvia, the god Mars entered into a relationship with her, and the daughter of the overthrown king gave birth to twin boys. As soon as they were born, they amazed King Amulius with their unusual appearance: some incomprehensible power emanated from them.

Enraged and frightened by the appearance of the twins, in whom he saw contenders for the throne, Amulius ordered the newborns to be thrown into the waters of the Tiber, and their mother to be buried in the ground for breaking her vow. However, the god Mars did not allow the death of his children and their beloved mother. When, by order of Amulius, the royal slave brought a basket with crying babies to the shore of the Tiber, he saw that the water was high and raging waves threatened everyone who dared to approach the river. The frightened slave, not daring to go down close to the water, threw the basket on the shore and ran away. The raging waves swept over the basket with the babies lying in it and would have carried it downstream if it had not been held back by the branches of a fig tree growing near the water. And then, as if by magic, the water in the river began to subside, the storm stopped, and the twins, falling out of the leaning basket, raised a loud cry. At this time, a she-wolf, who had recently given birth to cubs, approached the river to quench her thirst. She warmed the twins, who greedily clung to her breasts, full of milk. The she-wolf brought them to her lair, where they were soon discovered by the royal swineherd named Faustulus. Seeing two beautiful babies in a wolf's den, Faustulus took them to his hut and, together with his wife, raised the boys, who were named Romulus and Remus.

The twins, both when they were children and when they became young men, stood out for their beauty, strength and proud bearing among other children of the shepherds. The milk of the she-wolf who suckled them made young Romulus and Remus bold and daring in the face of any danger, their hearts were courageous, their arms and legs were strong and muscular. True, both of them were hot-tempered and stubborn, but Romulus still turned out to be more reasonable than his brother. And at community gatherings, when it came to hunting or grazing livestock, Romulus not only spoke with wise advice, but also made those around him understand that he was born to command rather than to be subordinate to others. Both brothers were universally loved, they were distinguished by their strength and dexterity, they were excellent hunters, defenders from the robbers who devastated their native lands. Both Romulus and Remus stood up for the unjustly offended, and a variety of people willingly gathered around them, among whom one could meet not only shepherds, but also tramps and even runaway slaves. Thus, each of the brothers had a whole detachment.

4. “SEVEN KINGS OF ANCIENT ROME”

The Palatine Hill, on which Romulus founded his city, had a quadrangular shape. Accordingly, ancient walls were built, made of stone blocks carved from the slopes of the hill itself. That is why the city itself was called “square Rome”.

Having reigned in Rome, Romulus, following the customs adopted by the leaders of neighboring tribes, especially the rich Etruscan kings, decided to surround his throne with no less pomp and splendor. He had a retinue of special bodyguards called lictors. Each lictor carried a bundle of rods with an ax stuck in the middle. By order of the king, the lictors rushed at the culprit, flogged him with rods, and for a particularly serious crime they immediately cut off his head. The king appeared before the people in a purple cloak, with a staff in his hands, surrounded by lictors and attendants.

Romulus was a far-sighted and reasonable ruler. Wanting to strengthen the power of the city he founded, he divided all the inhabitants who could bear arms into detachments consisting of 3,000 infantry and 300 horsemen. Each such detachment was called a legion. Of the hundred most authoritative citizens, Romulus formed a council of elders, which was called the Senate, and the members of the Senate were patricians, in contrast to the common people, who flocked to the new city from a variety of places and were often completely poor.

In order to strengthen ties with neighboring tribes, Romulus sent embassies to them with proposals to enter into marriage alliances between women from these tribes and his subjects. However, the neighbors, considering the Romans to be poor fugitives, refused to hand over their girls to this “suspicious rabble.” But the cunning Romulus decided to insist on his own and win over women under the pretext of a festival to which residents of neighboring cities and settlements were convened. Romulus ordered a rumor to be spread that a buried altar of the god Poseidon had been found on his land.

Generous sacrifices were made and games and horse races were held. The largest part of the guests were the Sabines, who brought their wives and daughters to the celebration. Romulus himself, sitting in a purple cloak, had to give a conventional sign to the soldiers by rising on the spot, folding the cloak and throwing it back over his shoulders. Many Romans did not take their eyes off the king and, at his signal, rushed screaming at the Sabine women, dragging them along with them. No one pursued the fleeing Sabines. And although the Sabines tried to negotiate the return of their kidnapped daughters, Romulus refused to do so. He invited the Sabines to move to Rome with him. Then the indignant Sabines began to prepare for a campaign against the city.

CONCLUSIONS

The Roman Empire fought numerous and, as a rule, victorious wars. She united a vast territory under her rule. But while conquering and conquering various peoples, the Romans absorbed their culture, including religious beliefs and mythology.

In the end, the Roman pantheon included a myriad of gods of various origins, the religion of the ancient Romans lost its integrity and originality and after some time was replaced by Christianity. Rome became the first center of the Christian world.

LIST OF SOURCES USED

1. Anun R., Shade D., Civilization of Ancient Rome: Textbook - M.: AST, Astrel, 2004. - 176 p.

2. Gurycheva M. S., Folk Latin: Textbook - M.: LKI, 2008. - 210 p.

3. Kochkareva A. G., Ryzhkina Z. A. Ancient legends: [Electronic resource] / Kochkareva A. G., Ryzhkina Z. A., Access mode: http://www.foxdesign.ru

4. Mommsen T., Legends of Rome: [Electronic resource]/ Mommsen T., Access mode: http://rome-history.info/2008/02/rimskaya-mifologiya/

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Preface

Ancient Rome is not just the most powerful of the civilizations of antiquity, it is an entire era of world history and culture, which lasted from the eighth century BC to the fifth century AD. This greatest state, which during the period of its greatest power covered territories from the north of England to the north of Africa, from Gibraltar to the Persian Gulf, was named after its main city - Rome. Once a small settlement of outcasts and renegades, founded by the legendary demigod Romulus on the banks of the Tiber River, Rome eventually became the most brilliant creation of the hands of antiquity and, rightfully receiving the title of “Eternal City,” became the heart of a huge empire. It is there, in the capital of the world, that one should look for the quintessence of Roman culture, for which, in fact, this book was written. Therefore, throughout the entire story we will not be able to move far from the walls of the Eternal City.

The body of historical and cultural information about Rome is colossal; under the same cover you will find only a brief overview of Roman beliefs and legends. Roman culture is specific and interesting in that, having absorbed and absorbed for centuries the customs and morals of conquered peoples, it retained its own core and its own unique spirit under all these layers. By selecting stories for this book, we intended to acquaint the reader who has not previously come into contact with this era with the pantheon of Roman gods and the beliefs of the Romans, with the logic and ethics of Roman spiritual culture, with the most famous or characteristic legends and traditions of Rome. Everything written below is a presentation of the works of famous ancient authors, commented as necessary using the works of famous historians and, for ease of perception, divided into complete essays and sections. We hope that this book will be just the first step on the long path of your acquaintance with the majestic and harsh era of Ancient Rome.

When selecting subjects for further narration, we tried, firstly, to dwell only on what could really interest the modern reader, and secondly, to focus on key points in understanding Roman life: the thinking, behavior, morals and customs of the people of that era. It also seemed important to us that it was necessary to properly, from the perspective of that distant time, reveal well-known plots that were later repeatedly used in world culture.

The first section of our book is entirely devoted to the characteristics and evolution of Roman beliefs, the relationship of the Romans with the gods and spirits of the vast pantheon. The second and third sections contain a collection of the most famous, interesting and characteristic Roman legends and traditions, correlated with the outline of historical events. The last section covers a short, but probably the most illuminated period of Roman history - the century of the first emperors, where we, to the best of our ability, analyze episodes that may already be known to the reader, filling them with important details and comments that allow a more objective look at the heroes and the era .

We hope that for an inquisitive reader, open to everything new, this book will bring a lot of interesting information, extraordinary observations and, of course, many hours of fascinating reading.

On the way to the temple. Artist L. Alma-Tadema

Pantheon and beliefs of Ancient Rome

About Roman mythology

Before we begin the story about Roman myths, we should say a few words about the essence of ancient Roman mythology as such. We often perceive Roman mythology as borrowed from the Greeks, which is hardly true. In fact, the ancient Roman religion is very original and all the Greek influence on it is rather late, although impressive. The Roman pantheon is extremely vast and complex in its composition and the functions of the deities included in it, while various aspects of beliefs permeated all spheres of life of the ancient Romans.

The Roman religion developed over many centuries as the Roman state grew - from a small city to a huge empire. Let's try to briefly and superficially understand various aspects of the formation of the classical Roman pantheon - the one with which we are all most likely familiar from Greek mythology.

The most ancient objects of religious veneration among the Romans were spirits - the patrons of the family, whose cult is older than the city of Rome itself. The Romans themselves believed that the veneration of these spirits came to Rome from Lavinium and Alba Longa, the more ancient cities of Italy. Such patron spirits include manas - the shadows of the dead, protecting their family after death, the household deities of the penates and lares. Penates, Lares and Manes did not have their own names, were not personified and were revered by the Romans as a kind of nameless multitude. They will be discussed in more detail in the relevant sections.

The cult of the patrons of the clan had, of course, a private, family character. Often the patron of the clan was a certain legendary ancestor, for example, the Yuliev clan honored Yul, the son of Aeneas, in this capacity. As the state formed and the clan organization lost its significance, some clan gods began to be revered within the entire state, changing the functions attributed to them. There is an opinion, for example, that the cult of Faun, the cheerful god - patron of shepherds, originally belonged to the families of the Fabii and Quinctilians.

Like most ancient peoples known to us, the Romans also deified streams and springs. Like the Penates and Lares, these forces were represented by the Romans as a nameless multitude of spirits. The Romans revered a group of such water spirits under the name “stones.” The legendary Roman king Numa Pompilius dedicated a spring in Rome to the stones; small bronze chapels were built in their honor in the groves, where water and milk were sacrificed. Their analogues, in some way, were the Greek nymphs, and subsequently the stones were identified with the Greek muses, goddesses of the arts and sciences.

The most important starting point for the formation of the classical Roman pantheon are the so-called agrarian cults: rituals and beliefs associated with agriculture and cattle breeding. Many of the most important gods of the Roman pantheon, who received other functions in the future, trace their origins precisely to agrarian cults. For example, Mars, the god of war in the classical era, in ancient times was considered the god of fertilization, the patron saint of agriculture and cattle breeding; Venus, later identified with the Greek Aphrodite and transformed into the goddess of love and beauty, was originally the deity of gardening and viticulture.

To a large extent, the complex composition of the Roman pantheon was generated by the diversity of groups that made up the Roman community: it included Latin, Sabine and Etruscan tribes. Each tribe, each clan brought their own deities into the Roman pantheon. Over time, the Roman state grew, and when its territory included new lands, the Roman pantheon acquired new gods from all over Italy.

It should be noted that ancient Roman mythology, in comparison with Greek, is rather poor in vivid images of gods and memorable myths about their deeds. We have already mentioned the veneration of nameless multitudes of spirits; cults of such deities as Peace, Hope, Valor, and Justice were also common. These abstract concepts were practically impersonal; they could not even be considered real personifications. Nevertheless, sacrifices were made in their honor and temples were built.

It is curious that some of the ancient Roman gods did not have a specific gender, for example, the ancient deity of the shepherds Pales is mentioned as both a god and a goddess. Often the priests themselves were not sure which gender the deity belonged to, and addressed him “sive deus, sive dea” - “either a god or a goddess.”

Roman rites were just as stingy and formal. The veneration of the gods was reduced to performing clearly regulated actions and pronouncing legal formulas. The most terrible thing was the deviation from the verified ritual, which promised divine punishment. In his prayers, the Roman listed in detail what he wanted to receive from God and what he was ready to give him in return. Often such punctuality in relationships came down to the art of deceiving God so as not to give him anything extra, for example, instead of how many heads (of cattle), the Roman offered God the same number of heads of garlic and put himself in the calculations with higher powers.

The ancient Roman religion, dry and practical, turned out to be very susceptible to the influence of the Greeks with their vivid poetic myths and complex relationships between the gods, each of which had its own history and distinct character. The earliest influence on the Romans came through the Greek colonies on the west coast of Italy: Cumae and Naples. Then the god Apollo and Hercules, a deified hero, who, by virtue of consonance, united with the Roman Hercules and became first the national patron of war, and then of trade, came to the Romans.

The Greeks had a serious influence on the Roman religion even after the subjugation of the Greek colonies in Southern Italy to Rome; this influence increased even more after the conquest of Greece itself in the 2nd century BC. e. Gradually, the Romans adopted the rich Greek mythology and transferred it to their gods. This is how the syncretic Greco-Roman pantheon emerged, and the believers themselves ceased to distinguish between the origins of the gods.

The Roman poet Ennius writes about the twelve main gods of Ancient Rome, in many ways similar to the ancient Greek Olympian pantheon. Together these deities formed the council of Jupiter and were responsible for maintaining world order. Here they are:

– Jupiter (Zeus among the Greeks) – the god of the sky, thunder and lightning, the father of the gods, the supreme deity of the Roman pantheon;

– Neptune (Poseidon among the Greeks) – god of the seas;

– Vulcan (among the Greeks Hephaestus) – the god of fire and blacksmithing;

– Apollo – god of light, sciences and arts;

– Mercury (Greeks Hermes) – the god of trade;

– Mars (Greeks Ares) – god of war;

– Juno (among the Greeks Hera) – goddess of marriage, wife of Jupiter;

– Minerva (Athena among the Greeks) – the goddess of wisdom and crafts;

– Ceres (Demeter among the Greeks) – goddess of fertility;

– Venus (Aphrodite among the Greeks) is the goddess of love and beauty;

– Vesta (among the Greeks Hestia) – the goddess of the family hearth;

– Diana (from the Greeks Artemis) is the goddess of the hunt.

They were called dii consentes, advisory gods. Subsequently, eight more gods were added to them: Janus, Saturn (for the Greeks Kronos), Genius, Pluto (for the Greeks Hades), Liber the Father, Earth, Sun and Moon. Collectively they were called dii magni, the great gods. There were also a huge number of different dii minores, minor gods.

Most of the Roman myths about the great and lesser gods are identical to the Greek ones. We do not see the need to retell them in this book and recommend that the interested reader turn to works on Greek mythology for them. Our goal in this chapter is to acquaint the reader with specific Roman beliefs and myths that have no analogues among the Greeks, as well as the characteristic features of Roman religious holidays and superstitions.

Janus

The origin of the god Janus, who was not worshiped anywhere except Rome, is probably very ancient. In early texts, Janus was called the "god of gods" and the "good creator", which may be an echo of the myth of Janus as the creator of the whole world. In later times, Janus was no longer seen as a demiurge, but as a deity of doors, entrance and exit, but he remained one of the most revered Roman gods.

His name, apparently, comes from the word ianua - “door”, although Cicero associated it with the verb inire - “to advance”, Ovid raised the name “Janus” to “Chaos”, from which he allegedly appeared at the moment of the creation of the world . In ancient times, they say, Janus lived on the site of Rome on the Janiculum Hill.

Since Janus was the god of doors, his temple, built according to legend by Numa Pompilius in the northern part of the Roman forum, was a double arch with a roof and walls. It was a symbolic gate of the Roman state, in the center of which, inside, stood the image of Janus.

The Temple of Janus served as an indicator of war and peace in Rome: when war began, the king or consul unlocked the temple and through these gates, in front of the faces of God, the Roman soldiers going on campaign passed. During the war, the gates remained open and were locked only when peace came throughout the state. Hence, apparently, some connection between Janus and Quirin, the Sabine god of war. At least, according to legend, Numa Pompilius dedicated the temple-gate to the deity Janus Quirinus, which is also what the fecial priests call him in the solemn formula for declaring war.

As the god of entrance, Janus was considered in Rome the patron of all beginnings. The Romans said: “In the hands of Janus is the beginning, in the hands of Jupiter is everything.” When addressing the gods, the name of Janus was first proclaimed. The first month of the twelve-month year, January - januaris, was named in his honor; the New Year holiday itself was dedicated to him - the January Kalends, when a white bull was sacrificed to Janus. Any Kalends, that is, the first day of the month, were also dedicated to Janus, as were the morning hours of each day. Gradually, Janus began to be revered as a deity who controls the movement of the year and time in general. In some of his images, the Roman numeral CCCLXV broken in two is inscribed on the fingers of Janus (on the right CCC, on the left - LXV), that is, 365 - according to the number of days in the year.

In addition, Janus was considered the divine gatekeeper, calling him the Closer and the Opener, since in the morning he opened the heavenly gates and released the sun into the sky, and at night he locked it back. Therefore, Janus is depicted with a key in one hand and a staff in the other.

But the most famous external attribute of Janus is his two-facedness, with Janus's faces looking in opposite directions. This feature was explained by the fact that doors also lead both out and in, and also by the fact that Janus looks simultaneously into the past and into the future.

Despite the fact that Janus was one of the most respected gods by the state, the cult of Janus was not widespread among the people. However, ordinary people also considered Janus the patron saint of roads and travelers, and Roman sailors brought him gifts, because they believed that it was he who taught people how to build the first ships.

Some say that Janus was married to the nymph Juturna, the sister of the Rutulian king Turnus, who had her own source near the Numicia River. Juturna bore him a son, Font, the god of springs.

Dance to the music of time. Artist N. Poussin

They also tell the story of Janus and the nymph Carne, with whom he was in love. Karna avoided the company of men, preferring to hunt animals and birds with darts. Many young men sought her love, and she told the most persistent ones that in the light of the sun she was ashamed to answer their requests, but offered to go into a dark cave, where she promised affection. She herself, instead of following them, hid in the dense bushes.

Karna also answered the lover Janus, but she forgot that Janus has two faces and his back sees where she hid. In the thickets under the very rock, Janus overtook the nymph and, already hugging her, promised in return for her lost virginity to make her the goddess of door hinges and gave her a branch of white thorn, which was used to ward off misfortune from the doors of the house.

Once Karna saved five-day-old Proca, the future king of Alba Longa, from night birds that fed on the blood and entrails of babies. Having sprinkled water on the threshold and donated pork offal to the birds, Karna left a white branch of Janus on the window of the royal house, and the night birds did not touch the baby again. Since then, Karna has been revered as the protector of children and the guardian of human internal organs.

Saturn

The Romans revered the god Saturn from ancient times and very widely; there were his sanctuaries everywhere, and Italy itself, according to legend, was originally called the land of Saturn. Saturn was considered the god of fertile land and crops (his name comes from the Latin satus - sowing), but his image gradually merged with the figure of the Greek god Kronos, the father of Zeus, whom he overthrew and imprisoned in the abyss of Tartarus.

Saturn with a scythe, sitting on a stone and cutting off Cupid's wings. Artist I. Akimov

In the minds of the Romans, this legend was transformed and sounded like this: when Jupiter threw Saturn off his throne, he boarded a ship and, after long wanderings, landed on the shores of Latium, central Italy, where the Latin tribe lived and where the eternal city of Rome would eventually be built. Along the Tiber, Saturn ascended by ship to the Janiculum Hill, where Janus hospitably received him. Saturn himself settled on the other side of the river, at the foot of the Capitol. His oldest sanctuary stood near the same hill. In those ancient times, the people living nearby were wild and hunted for their food. Saturn gathered them into a single tribe, taught them to cultivate the land, grow fruits and grapes. They say that this land itself received the name “Latium” from the word latere, “to hide,” because it sheltered Saturn, who fled from his filial wrath.

Golden Age Artist E. J. Poynter

The time when God ruled the Latins was called the Golden Age. Then all people lived in peace and abundance and were equal, not divided into slaves and free, poor and rich. But over time, Saturn left the Capitol, and the Golden Age became a thing of the past. In honor of Saturn, the creator of agriculture, and in memory of his times, at the end of each year the Romans celebrated the joyful festival of Saturnalia, dedicated to the harvest of the last harvest, when slaves were equal in rights with their masters. Also called the Saturn generation of peaceful farmers living in the lap of nature, and Saturn verse - a simple meter in which the most ancient poets wrote.

During the Republic, a temple was erected on the site of the ancient sanctuary in honor of Saturn and his wife, the goddess Ops, who was associated with the Greek Rhea. Under this temple, as if under the protection of God, the Roman treasury and agreements on public debts and revenues were kept.

It was also said that Saturn had a son named Picus, the god of fields and forests. He was beautiful in body and soul, and many nymphs looked at him, but he gave his heart to only one - the daughter of Janus Canente, famous for her extraordinary voice. One day, Peak went to the forests of Lawrence to hunt wild boars. There the sorceress Circe, who was collecting herbs, saw him and was stunned, amazed by the beauty of the Peak: he was riding through the forest on a horse with two darts in his hands and in a scarlet mantle, pinned together with a gold buckle. At first sight, Circe fell in love with Pieck and, in order to lure him away from his retinue, created the ghost of a boar, which carried Pieck into a remote thicket.

Circe. Artist J.W. Waterhouse

The sorceress Pika lay in wait in the thicket and began to beg him for love. Pieck replied that he loved only his wife Kanenta and would remain faithful to her. Offended by the refusal, Circe shouted out a spell, and Pieck felt that he was turning into a bird. In frustration, he hit the trees with his beak, but his human form did not return to him. Only the bird’s plumage retained traces of Peak’s former attire: its wings are reddish, and there is a golden band around its neck. We call this bird a woodpecker.

In vain, Picus' companions searched for him through the forests; they found only Circe. They recognized the powerful sorceress and began to demand that she return Peak to them, but the insidious Circe appealed to the abyss and turned Peak’s companions into wild animals.

Kanenta could not wait for her husband. She sobbed, tore out her hair in grief, and for six days and nights without sleep or food, she wandered through the forests and fields, looking for Peak. Finally she came to the bank of the Tiber and there, exhausted, she sank to the ground to sing her last song. Kanenta sang and slowly melted into the air until she completely disappeared. In memory of Kanenta, the place where she died is called Pevchy.

Sculpture of Cupid and Psyche according to myths

The mythology of ancient Rome arose under the influence of the ancient culture of ancient Greece and the Etruscan peoples. It is quite difficult to establish the exact date of the emergence of the pagan religion of Rome. Presumably, the settlement of the territory of the state by the Italics, local tribes living on the Apennine Peninsula before the creation of the government of Rome, dates back to this period. Migration took a long time - from the end of the 2nd to the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.
The official date of formation is considered to be 753 BC. Epoch from VIII to VI BC. noted as the formation of the apparatus of government and religion of the newly formed state. At this time, an idea of the myths and pantheon of cults of ancient Rome was formed. It is noteworthy that with the conquest of neighboring territories, the Romans borrowed idols and customs of worship of other peoples.

Mythology of ancient Rome and Greece: differences

In ancient Greece and Rome, myths were formed under the influence of the culture of the conquered peoples. The differences between the religions of the two ancient civilizations were significant: among the Greeks, idols had human qualities, in Roman mythology, cults were considered anthropomorphic creatures, they had no feelings, and it was difficult to distinguish their gender.
Greek mythology is based on the concept of nepotism. The celestial beings represented a single family, in which disagreements sometimes occurred. All of them had ideal character qualities and a huge layer. They were created around their personal qualities.
In the Roman tradition, the world was filled with creatures constantly warring with each other. They accompanied people in any situation, from birth to their first steps and throughout their entire life. People were under the patronage of these heavenly inhabitants and patronized them in resolving important matters. They accompanied them when they got married, received wealth, and bestowed good luck. After death, on the final path, the human soul was accompanied by many religious cults: the harbinger of death, the spirit taker, etc.
An important feature of the mythology of Rome was its close connection with the implementation of power in the state. The father was responsible for performing all religious rites in a patriarchal society. Over time, family holidays acquired the status of official feasts, when gladiator fights were held.
The position of the clergy in Rome differed significantly from that accepted in ancient Greece. If in Greek society the priests formed a separate social caste, then in Rome the priests performed state functions. All priests were divided into ranks: vestals, pontiffs and augurs.

According to the myths of ancient Rome - Zeus

The connection between the myths of ancient Greece and Rome

The pantheon of cults of Rome includes an extensive list of names. This is the founder of all things, Uranus, the mighty Tempus, as well as Cupid, Saturn, Chaos and the Titans - their children. In total, 12 idols stood out in the third generation.
A similar distribution of roles is noted in the Greek tradition. On the celestial Olympus sat Jupiter, also known as Zeus, sending lightning and thunderstorms. His wife Juno, also known as Hera, is the patron of family ties. Ceres, also called Demeter, personified fertility.

Watch films about the myths of ancient Rome

The Roman pantheon also included the cults of Fatum - Fate, Fortuna - Luck, Psyche - Soul, Libertas - Freedom, Iuventa - Youth, Victoria - Victory. Particular importance was attached to creatures that provide harvests and fertility during agricultural work.
The Romans counted Hermes, Apollo, Hercules, and Dionysus among the inhabitants of the heavenly pantheon, bearing characteristic features of the myths of ancient Greece. Vulcan, Jupiter, Mars, Vesta and Saturn were of exclusively Roman origin. Over time, so many idols accumulated that the ancient Romans began to distribute them into “old” and “new”.

Antique mosaic based on the myths of ancient Rome

The main legends and myths of Ancient Rome

The Romans borrowed most of their mythical stories from the Greeks. Some legends, however, were of original origin. For example, about the creation of the world by Janus. The central cult figure personified the sky, the sun and the beginning of all things. He was distinguished by his duplicity: one side of him was turned to the past, the other looked to the future.
The Romans, like all ancient peoples, gave mythical properties to plants in nature. One of the myths says that all people descended from the oak tree. Religious ceremonies were usually held in specially built parks, in the center of which there was a fig tree - a sacred tree. According to legend, the twins Romulus and Remus were raised by a wild wolf. In the center was the oak tree Capitalia, after which the famous Capitol Hill was named.
Birds were present in the myths of ancient Rome; eagles and woodpeckers were given special importance. With the expansion of the borders of the state, new objects of worship appear in myths taken from the Greeks and modified to suit Roman traditions.
All myths of ancient Rome are divided into three types:

myths about cults and their actions;
stories about the emergence of the Roman state;
stories about legendary heroes.

The myth of the creation of the city of Rome

The myth of the formation of Rome is known in many countries of the modern world. The city was founded by two twin brothers. The legend tells that Amulius, who seized power in the state by force, feared for the fate of his son, who should take the throne after him. Avoiding the accession of his son Numitor to the throne, he killed his nephew during a hunt. He declared Rhea, the daughter of Numitor, to be Vesta’s spoiler, so she did not marry.
The Pantheon disposed of her fate differently, making her the wife of the influential Mars. Two boys were born from the marriage. Numitor was angry at this act and took the twins from the Vestal Virgin. Rhea was left forever walled underground, and the children were thrown into the Tiber, which flows off the coast of the city. The servants took pity on the babies and put them in a wooden boat that was launched along the river.
The trough floated to the fig tree and washed ashore. The she-wolf heard the children's cries and went to feed the children with her own milk. Favstul, who was grazing sheep nearby, saw this and took him in to raise the children. When the boys grew up, they were told about their fate. After this, they visited the palace of Numitor, killed his son Amulius and proclaimed their grandfather king. As a reward, they were promised the lands of the Tiber, where they founded a settlement. On the banks of the fertile river the foundations of a new powerful state were laid. After arguing over who would get the kingdom, Romulus killed Remus.

She-Wolf, Romulus and Remus sculpture

The myth of Aphrodite's son Aeneas

A friend of Hector fighting during the Trojan War, the son of the beautiful Aphrodite Aeneas fled with his father and baby to a country inhabited by Latins after the sack. He married Lavinia, the daughter of the king of the Italian lands, Latinus. The sons of Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, founded the city of Rome on the banks of the Tiber.

Books about the myths of ancient Rome

Literature in illustrations for children about the myths of ancient Greece will be the best instructive tool. Among the most widely read works are:

Myths of ancient Rome and Greece. ON THE. Kun
Legends and tales of ancient Rome. A.A. Neihardt.

Thanks to the immortal works of the ancient Roman epic “Aeneid” by Virgil and “Metamorphoses” and “Fasta” by Ovid, today you can learn a lot about the history of the development of Rome and the life of its population.
Myths of Ancient Rome: presentation

Read short myths of ancient Rome. Myths and legends of ancient Rome