Author Description

This book is a vivid account of what their gods meant to the Romans from archaic times to late antiquity, and an exploration of the rites and rituals connected with them. After an extensive introduction into the nature of classical religion, this book is divided into three main parts: religions of the family and land; religions of the city; and religions of the empire. The book ends with the rise and impact of Christianity. Its urbane style and lightly worn scholarship will appeal to students as well as non-academic readers with a serious interest in the classical world.