Roman Religion
The first people in Rome had the belief that their ancestors’ spirits were watching over them. Such people also believed they were being protected by the spirits of their ancestors. At the start, a Capitoline Triad which is probably derived from the influence of a Sabine were put together to the spirits (Wasson, 2013). Some of the gods that the Romans worshiped included the god of war, Mars and the Remus and Romulus’ father who is the founders of Rome. Others were Jupiter who was the supreme god, and Quirinus, the deified Romulus. Quirinus watched over the Rome people. The spirits along with the gods were worshiped at a temple that was situated on the Capitoline Hill. The triad later changed because of the Etruscans to encompass Jupiter the supreme god, his sister, and wife as well as his daughter, Minerva.
The Romans embraced most of the gods of the Greek as theirs because of the existence of the Greek colonies. Myth and religion became one under the influence of the Greek, and the gods of the Rome people became more anthropomorphic (Wasson, 2013). It meant that the gods had the characteristics of human beings such as hate, love, and jealousy among other traits. On the other hand, such a revolution was not to the standard that was present in the mythology of Greek. It was not significant for a Rome citizen to express his belief, but rather it was vital for a person to adhere to a set of rituals that were rigid. As such, one could avoid the risks of religious enthusiasm. Cities carried out their rituals and also embraced their benefactor deities. Temples that honored the gods were constructed in the entire empire, though they were meant to be the gods’ homes, and thus worship was to take place outside the temple. The religion of Greek and Roman remained practical even though the fusion of their deities were an influence to Rome in several ways.
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A priestly class never existed despite the existence of four colleges that were meant for priests. Such a practice also extended to the colonial palace. The emperor assumed the pontifex maximus title from the Emperor Augustus’ time. Additionally, there were people who were referred to as the augures whose work was to read the birds’ flights and the entrails’ of animals and translate omens or the gods’ wills (Wasson, 2013). Rituals that are elaborate were conducted to make the Romans victorious in war. On the other hand, no pronouncement of key events or war was made without the gods’ approval. A haruspices or diviner that dates back to the time of Etruscans was normally consulted, and it was considered a risky decision to disregard omens. Spurina who was a soothsayer from Rome read entrails of animals and foresaw the death of Julius Ceasar. The Commander of Rome, Publius Claudius Pulcher was defeated in the First Puic War battle because he disregarded the omens that were portrayed when the sacred chicken refused to eat. As a result, his career also came to an end.
The religious beliefs of Rome absorbed most of the cults and gods of the countries that it conquered as it spread its empire across the Asia Mirror, Balkans, and in Egypt. Most notably, the core influence remained Greece (Wasson, 2013). With just a few exclusions, the majority of the gods of Rome people had their counterparts in Greece. It is essential to note that the Roman mythology had a huge social and political influence in the empire as well as the civilization of the West. The impact can be observed on the names of the months and days such as January and Tuesday, the planets’ names like Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, and the European countries’ languages.
The myth in the ancient Rome that the spirits of the ancestors and gods protected the citizens was expected to be followed by everyone and the individual who disregarded the myth met the wrath of the omens that were interpreted by the diviners. It helped the people to live by some rules and avoid engaging in the activities that were not of benefit to the nation.
b) Mini-Lesson/Lecture II: Myths and Values
Animism
Early types of the religion of the Rome people were animistic in the description as they believed that spirits lived in everything that existed around them, individuals included (Wasson, 2013). Animism is the credence that natural phenomena, natural objects, and the world possess personal souls. The word is derived from anima which is a Latin word that means a soul or breath. It is one of the oldest beliefs that man has and it dates back top the Age of Paleolithic. It is greatly related to the primitive individuals who lack a tradition that is written. Animism was first studied by Anthropologist Sir Edward Tylor who believed that it is the minimum religion’s definition and also hypothesized that every religion that is universally recognized had some features of animism. It is a belief that the construction of animism first occurred as a result of a need to provide explanations for phenomena that are natural such as death, dreaming, and sleeping (Wasson, 2014). It is said in classical animism that spirits are an independent unit from the human body. As such, they have the capability to cause life in man by passing through objects that are inanimate and bodies. Anthropologist Robert Ranulph Marett who also existed during the time of Tylor gave suggestions that the ancient types of animism were developed based on intuition and emotion, but not by written word or practices that are sacred ( Georges, 1996 ). His belief was that the ancient animists established their religious beliefs on the objects that were inanimate that acted strangely. The animists also gave the non-living objects the delusion of life that is similar to that of humans. Contrary to the beliefs of Tylor, Marett’s belief is that animists did not distinguish between the soul and the body. He also alleges that the soul and body are a single entity that dies and lives like one (Wasson, 2014).
According to practices, many cultures that are animistic worshiped the life of plant because of their strength and beauty. It is assumed that all living organisms, encompassing plants, possess a soul (National Geographic Society, 2016). Such is the reason as to why most of the cultures totem poles in Native America are emblematic core structures as well as the major focus of many rituals. The Indian tribe of the Coast Salish was well recognized several years ago for its faith in spiritual transformation between animals and humans, a cultural trait of animism. The Indian tribe that lived on Vancouver Island, in Cowichan Valley developed lots of totem poles so as to showcase the spirits that were believed to be living in animals that were demonstrated on the totems ( Hefner & Guimaraes ). Additionally, they developed the totem poles with the intention of showcasing the spirits that they believed in the trees that made the totems. Presently, the remains of such totems are displayed in museums as well as in their locations of origin in the Duncan City that is presently called Totem City due to the art of animism that the Coast Salish Indians left behind (Osborn & Burgess, 1998).
As already discussed in this section of the paper, animism is widely related to most of the cultures that are considered primitive. On the other hand, the current animism that is considered as the less literal and more symbolic type of animism is still practiced in several different cultures around the world. Such a type of religious practice focuses on the various forms of souls in diverse forms of individuals who come from various cultures. It is intensely recognized as the teaching of the manner in which a relationship that is of respect can be developed with the natural world and humans (Brooks, 2011). Most important to note is that animism is a detriment to the culture of the people who practice it since it can be comprehended that most living organisms lack a soul that is truly human, including humans. Additionally, a section of animism is differentiating who or what is truly human as well as that which is not. The essential notion is that life is normally lived in association with other beings that are soul-ridden, and demonstrate the utmost respect for such an association is critical to survival (National Geographic Society, 2016).
c) Mini-Lesson/Lecture III: The Impact of Myth
The Salem Witch Trials
The renowned Salem witch trials started in the 1692 spring after an assemblage of young girls in the village of Salem, Massachusetts, alleged that the devil possessed them and they accused lots of women in the village of witchcraft. As such, a special court was assembled in Salem so as to hear the witchcraft case because of the hysteria wave that was spreading in the colonial Massachusetts ( Brooks, 2011 ). The first witch to be convicted was Bridget Bishop who was hanged in June. It was followed by other eighteen individuals who were also hanged in the Gallows Hill as Bishop. Additionally, a hundred and fifty more males, children and women were accused of being witches in the next months that followed. The frenzy had started to subside by the ninth month of 1692 and opinion from the public turned against the trial. As a result, the General Court of Massachusetts later annulled the verdicts of who were guilty against the witches who were accused. The court granted indemnities to the families of the accused. Such led to a bitterness that lingered in the society, and the hurting bequest of the Salem witch trials would continue for centuries ( Famous American Trials ).
The myth behind the Salem witch trials is that the individuals who were convicted of practicing witchcraft encompassed men, women, and children. Such a fact is contrary to the general opinion that it is the women who were considered as witches in the society. Such was also experienced in Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries during the witch hunts. Four of the nineteen people who were hanged in Salem were men, and they included a forty-two-year-old minister who was educated at Harvard as well as an incompetent carpenter who relied on fortune-telling ( Brooks, 2011 ). The witches who were accused were a representation of different cadres in the society from th3e richest merchants of Salem to the blind farmer’s dutiful wife. The horror was the entire superior for its awful uncertainty as a letter from a group of men to those in authority noted that no person had any grounds to think that he was safe ( Famous American Trials ). A young girl aged five years was among the accused persons, and she ended up being insane after spending a better part of 1692 in small manacles.
Also important to note is that gender played a critical role in the frenzy. It is a myth as to why women found it impossible to incriminate their husbands whereas some men eagerly told the court that they suspected that their wives were witches ( Harvey, 2006 ). Even though members of the family pointed an accusing finger at each other, the male members did not accuse themselves of witchcraft. The witches engrossed more interest in the present-day accounts, both for their mystical powers and for their self-respect on the way to the gallows. Even cynics assumed the most horrible of the minister who was educated at Harvard. From the beginning, the accusers thought that he had the diabolical brains, a task for which no female, however wicked, seemed capable. It is still a myth as to whether the witches were all burned to death. The story of the Salem witch trials tries to portray women as the most wicked in the society while men are portrayed as people who never engage in evil activities. Also mythical is that the witches who the society considers as powerful and capable of doing anything are summoned and sentenced to death without anyone of them doing anything that is witchcraft in nature to escape. As such, one can question if the summoned individuals were witches ( Brooks, 2011 ).
The point of view that is in play is that men can always cover up their evil deeds, but will point out those that are conducted by women ( Hamilton, 1998 ). They are ready to admit that they live with evil women who may be their wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters. Additionally, women are never willing to point out the wickedness of men they live with even if they end up being the victims. Discrimination of women in the society also comes out in the story as a young girl of age five gets accused of being a witch. The authority does not seem to care about the health of the young girl just because she has been accused of being a witch. As such, the myth that portrays women as the evilest in the society gives men the authority to discriminate women regardless of their age.
References
Wasson, D. L. (2013). Roman Religion. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Religion/
Wasson, D.L. (2014). Roman Mythology. Retrieved from http://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Mythology/
National Geographic Society (2016). Mythology and Culture in Ancient Rome. Retrieved from http://nationalgeographic.org/activity/mythology-and-culture-ancient-rome/
Osborn, K. and Burgess, D.L (1998 ). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Mythology 1st Edition. New York: Alpha Books.
Hamilton, E. (1998). Mythology . Boston: Back Bay Books.
Hefner, A.G. and Guimaraes, V. (n.d). Animism . Retrieved from http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/a/animism.htm
Harvey, G. (2006). Animism: Respecting the Living World. Columbia: Columbia University Press.
Georges, D. (1996). Archaic Roman Religion . Trans. Philip Krapp. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Brooks, R.B. (2011). History of the Salem Witch Trials. Retrieved from http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-salem-witch-trials/
Famous American Trials (n.d). Salem Witchcraft Trials 1692. Retrieved from http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTRIALS/salem/salem.htm
