The Old Roman religion and mythology were
strongly affected by Etruscan and Greek influences, especially after the
semi-legendary establishment of the Capitoline triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva)
and the purchase of the Sibylline Books from the Greek oracle at Cumae -- both
attributed to the house of the Tarquins (in the 6th c. BC). The Etruscans
themselves absorbed many traits of Greek culture (including religion),
passing them on to their Italic neighbours and subjects.
Eventually, all the major Roman gods and
goddesses were identified with the Greek ones (often changing their functions in
the process, and becoming more anthropomorphic: Juno : Hera, Ma[vo]rs : Ares,
Diana : Artemis), and new deities were introduced to fill any remaining gaps in
the pantheon. Heroes such as Hercules, Castor and Pollux were imported too.
However, the Romans retained a host of minor "specialist" divinities of native
origin and pieces of old ritual even after their religion had been rather
thouroughly Hellenised.
If you consider the etymologies of the
oldest Roman theonyms, very few of them have Greek counterparts (Iuppiter : Zeus
pater, Vesta : Hestia); moreover, despite the cognacy of their names they were
not functionally equivalent in all their aspects. The Greeks and the Romans
certainly didn't have "the same" gods from the beginning.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2002 9:11 AM
Subject: [tied] why did romans and greeks have had the same
gods?
why did romans and greeks have had the same
gods?
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