The Romans and Their Gods in the Age of Augustus

By Robert Maxwell Ogilvie

Book Overview

Basing his work on much original material (all of which is quoted in translation), R. M. Ogilvie gives a picture of religious life in Rome during the period between 80 B. C., and A. D. 69. He discusses the various Roman gods and their spheres of activity, the manner and kinds of prayer, forms of sacrifice, the belief in divination, the calendar of the religious year, private religion and its role in Roman family life, priests and their part in the complicated procedure of Roman religion, and the powerful religious revival in the time of Augustus.

The religion of ancient Rome, writes the author, was a fine, yet tolerant, religion whose adherents committed very few crimes in its name and who were healthily free of neuroses. It failed because men's view of the world changed.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393005437
• ISBN13: 9780393005431
• Release Date: November 1970
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Good overview of the Roman Gods!

A great book for anyone who is interested in the Roman religion and its influence upon Roman society. The author, a former Classics professor at Oxford University, bases much of his work on original material from Roman historians as he examines the significance of religion in Rome between the period 80 BCE and 69 ACE. While Romans and Their Gods is a scholastic work, it is written in a conversational style (perhaps taken from the author's student lectures), and easy and pleasant to read.

The Gods of the Romans

Excellent information, well laid out. Great book for the library, the student, and those interested in mythology.

A Window into Romans' View of the World

This concise book explains in vivid, clear language how the Romans viewed the gods and, by extension, how they saw their own world. A terrific resource for anyone who wants to understand the Roman mind better.

Old Standard Text on Roman Religion

Ogilvie's brief text on this subject has been the definitive text on Roman religion for decades. Using extensive primary sources (all in translation)as examples, he demonstrates his thorough understanding of how the Romans worshipped, as well as how they thought about their religion during the Age of Augustus (covering the period from roughly 80 BCE and 60 CE). Chapters include The Gods, Prayer, Sacrifice, Divination, The Religious Year, Private Religion, The Priests, and Religion in the Time of Augustus. Of particular interest is Ogilvie's presentation of private religion, a topic many more scholarly texts seem to overlook. His focus tends less toward a sterile look at Roman mythology, and more toward a vibrant overview of what Romans believed (or not, as the case may be), as well as how they worshipped both privately and within the state religion. Of particular interest are Ogilvie's speculations as to what "went wrong" with Roman religion as their world expanded, absorbing countless influences and values from other civilizations, and ultimately, failing to provide for the basic spiritual sustenance of the individual.