The priesthoods of public religion were held by members of the elite classes. There was no principle analogous to separation of church and state in ancient Rome. During the Roman Republic (509–27 BC), the same men who were elected public officials might also serve as augurs and pontiffs. Priests married, raised families, and led politically active lives. Julius Caesar became pontifex maximus before he was elected consul. The augurs read the will of the gods and supervised the marking of boundaries as a reflection of universal order, thus sanctioning Roman expansionism as a matter of divine destiny. The Roman triumph was at its core a religious procession in which the victorious general displayed his piety and his willingness to serve the public good by dedicating a portion of his spoils to the gods, especially Jupiter, who embodied just rule. As a result of the Punic Wars (264–146 BC), when Rome struggled to establish itself as a dominant power, many new temples were built by magistrates in fulfillment of a vow to a deity for assuring their military success.
When was the Roman Republic?
What did priests do at that time?
What level of society were they?
What did an augur do?
why?
Which god stood for just rule?
What war started in 264?
When did they end?
Did Rome have an easy time?
What did Rome struggle with?
What did Caesar become?
Which Caesar was this?
What was he elected as next?
Was there division of church and state back then?
509–27 BC
509–27 BC
married, raised families, and led politically active lives
married, raised families, and led politically active lives
elite
elite
read the will of the gods and supervised the marking of boundaries
read the will of the gods and supervised the marking of boundaries
universal order
universal order
Jupiter
Jupiter
Punic Wars
Punic Wars
146 BC
146 BC
No
Rome struggled
establish itself as a dominant power
establish itself as a dominant power
pontifex maximus
pontifex maximus
Julius
Julius
consul
consul
No
no principle analogous to separation of church and state in ancient Rome.