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Cults in Roman Siscia

Cults represent an essential part of the research of social, economic and cultural relations of the Roman population in Siscia and Pannonia. They are one the main indicators of the deveolpment level of the spiritual and rational thought. In the course of centuries, the original religion, abstractly anthropomorphic, has become a large pantheon - a mediator between numerous Mediterranean beliefs, cults, etc. Because of Roman cititens´ very perception of the society, the Roman religion, which is tied to family and home, quickly grew into a political religion. Rome, as Cicero points out, ˝is used to take other nations under its wing, and that is where the strenght of its Empire lies.˝ However, Rome also accepts the gods of other nations into its own pantheon, romanizes them or worships them according to their original cult. Which cults were worshiped in Siscia ? We have found data on the cults present in Siscia on altars, tombstones, inscriptions, and spell tablets, as well as in the presence of a large number of statues, statuettes, various votive pendants, and so on. Apart from the standard Roman pantheon, there were also cults of oriental gods and goddesses, like Mithra and Isis. Christianity were adopted early in Siscia. It is possible to recognize this initial, secretive acceptance of the Christian faith in a certain number of items discovered in Siscia.

cults; roman Siscia; roman religion

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