Roman mythology - Nature of early Roman myth

Roman Mythology Jupiter Mars Quirinus Divus Julius Divus Augustus Juno Vesta Minerva Mercury Vulcan Ceres Venus Diana Lares Fortuna Aeneas Romulus Numa Early Kings Pontifex Maximus Rex Sacrorum Vestal Virgins Flamen Dialis The ...

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• Roman mythology - Nature of early Roman myth
• Roman mythology - Early mythology about the gods
• Roman mythology - Early mythology about Roman history
• Roman mythology - Native Roman and Italic gods
• Roman mythology - Foreign gods
• Roman mythology - Major Roman deities
• Roman mythology - Sources

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One might almost say that the archaic Romans did not have myths. That is to say: until their poets began to borrow from Greek models in the later part of the Republic, the Romans had no sequential narratives about their gods comparable to the Titanomachy or the seduction of Zeus by Hera. What the Romans did have, however, were: a highly developed system of rituals, priestly colleges, and "clusters" of related gods. a rich set of historical myths about the foundation and rise of their city involving human actors, with occasional divine interventions. See also:

Roman mythology, Roman mythology - Nature of early Roman myth, Roman mythology - Early mythology about the gods, Roman mythology - Early mythology about Roman history, Roman mythology - Native Roman and Italic gods, Roman mythology - Foreign gods, Roman mythology - Major Roman deities, Roman mythology - Sources

Read more here: » Roman mythology: Encyclopedia II - Roman mythology - Nature of early Roman myth

The Roman ritual practice of the official priesthoods clearly distinguishes two classes of gods, the di indigetes and the de novensides or novensiles. The indigetes were the original gods of the Roman state (see List of Di Indigetes), and their names and nature are indicated by the titles of the earliest priests and by the fixed festivals of the calendar; 30 such gods were honored with special festivals. The novensides were later divinities whose cults were introduced to the city in the historical pe ...

See also:

Roman mythology, Roman mythology - Nature of early Roman myth, Roman mythology - Early mythology about the gods, Roman mythology - Early mythology about Roman history, Roman mythology - Native Roman and Italic gods, Roman mythology - Foreign gods, Roman mythology - Major Roman deities, Roman mythology - Sources

Read more here: » Roman mythology: Encyclopedia II - Roman mythology - Native Roman and Italic gods