Roman Gods and Goddesses

Roman gods and goddesses are an important part of history. “Roman mythology is the conflation of ancient Roman gods, and Roman religion together...” (Milani). The belief in the Roman gods and goddesses known as mythology influenced the daily lives of the people both past and present. It has become part of our life through books and movies, architecture, religion, and art.
The Ancient Roman civilization began on the Italian Peninsula beginning in the ninth century BCE. Most of the history of Roman civilization can be explained in Roman myths. Roman mythology explains how the civilization grew, with help from the Roman gods and goddesses acting as forces that intervene with society. As the Roman civilization began to spread, Greek culture and worship began to influence Roman myths. However, before the Romans started imitating the Greek Mythology with stories, the Romans used myths as more of a historical reference to the relationships between gods and humans in society (Perowne).
The Romans believed in many gods and goddesses. They believed that they would come down to earth and change anyone’s life at any time. The people felt the need to keep the gods happy at all times. The Romans believed that for every aspect of their lives a separate god or goddesses was in control of their fate, and worshipped him or her separately. For example during times of war the people would pray to Mars, the god of war, in order to win (Shuter). The Romans built large temples to their state gods, and had small shrine in their homes and so they could pray to the household gods. “They believed in two kinds of gods, the powerful gods and goddesses of the state religion and the friendly household spirits who protected their homes (Chandler)....

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... stories from centuries ago will last for centuries to come.

Works Cited

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Shuter, Jane. The Ancient Romans. Des Plaines, IL: Heinemann Interactive Library, 1998. Print.