Pompeii: Religion and Temples
Pompeii was a polytheistic city that believed in many types of gods for many different purposes and had a god for just about anything. The gods the people of Pompeii believed in were the main gods that were worshipped throughout the Roman Empire. These Gods that were worshipped throughout Pompeii included Jupiter, who was a leader of the gods, who threw thunderbolts from the sky when up set. His wife was Juno, who was a god that was commonly associated with fertility just like the goddess Venus who was also associated with fertility but also of beauty and love that the people of Pompeii placed as their patron goddess of their city. Another god who was considered as fearful as Jupiter was Mars, the god of war.
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These temples were dedicated to an individual deity or in some case several deities that was represented in the form of a statue. Worshippers were forbidden from entering these sacred temples and the only people who were allowed to enter were priests. The priests would perform various rituals and sacrifices to on an altar located outside of the temple in order to please the god or goddess associated with the temple. The way the priests would know if these rituals and sacrifices have worked would have been through divination. One of the methods that the priest would have used to determine if the deity was satisfied was by watching how an animal ate. Another method used by these priests would have been to watch the birds flying in the sky and another was to look at an animal’s liver that was …show more content…
In most of the homes in the city of Pompeii, a shrine called a lararium was set up in dedicated to the lares, who were the household’s gods. The people of Pompeii performed rituals and ceremonies themselves, in order to please these gods in order to have them protect, and watch over their property and their family. The members of the household would place wine and food on the shrine to please these gods. These lares have their own temple in the city, which was built after the earthquake in 62 A.D. as a way to thank them for surviving
In Ancient Egypt, the temples were all constructed from stone because the gods were to live in these temples for all of eternity and lack of wood. The temple walls were covered with inscriptions and images. They were often historical events, such as important events at the temple or of the pharaoh’s reign. The Temple of Dendur depicted Pihor worshipping Isis and Pedesi worshipping Osiris as well as Emperor Augustus praying and offering the gods. Traditionally, the drawings would’ve been of the pharaoh.
Topic 1: Places and Religion The Mayas and Aztecs or Mexicas shared many religious features. For example, both cultures had polytheistic religions and their pantheon of gods is similar. Both cultures, revered the sun, moon, maize, death, and rain among other natural elements. Additionally, their pantheons included younger Gods and ancient Gods, who were related to their origins.
Graffiti played an important part in the voting process in Pompeii and Herculaneum, it was how they “campaigned” and swayed others to vote for whomever they felt was fit to fill the position. In other words, electoral propaganda. The graffiti was present mostly on houses and shop buildings in the main streets where the majority of the populous would see it, therefore increasing the chances for votes in their favour. It wasn’t all political graffiti, though- personal views of the people and daily happenings are documented and include a variety of subjective and objective topics.
Analyzation of Aztec Sacrificial Myths Human sacrifice has been prevalent throughout the history of the Aztec Empire. With the practice being so important the mythology surrounding them were just as influential to their society and monumentally important to our understanding of their practices. The Aztec people had many deities that represented the sun, moon, earth, death, creation, up until the late 20th century it was thought that these sacrifices were meant to please or worship these gods. Due to the finding of recent lore, opinions have changed, specialists now believe that it was a way of humbling oneself, repaying parents, revivifying the gods, or atonement for sins committed by the gods.
The Relationship Between Gods and Mortals Throughout Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad there is seen a play between the gods and mortals as they all take sides throughout the Trojan War and the homecoming of Odysseus. There is a role the gods play in how the Trojan War ends and while they can hinder fate, it is ultimately unavoidable and will happen. It is also seen that both the Greeks and the Trojans worship the many gods of the divinity of Jupiter and look to them for guidance in unexpected or dangerous situation. They pray and sacrifice to them in the hope their prayers are answered, much like done today with monotheistic religion of Christianity. The relationship between gods and mortals is one of fatherly love to his children.
The Aztecs and Romans religion was alike in many ways. They had many different beliefs and ways of worshiping their gods. Most of the things were the same about the religion. They also had some differences to. They both had many gods and worshiped in similar ways.
At the temple, people would sing hymns, make prayers and make sacrifices and offerings to the gods. Art and
Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar. Three individuals that helped change Rome from Republic to Empire and had some of the biggest impacts on Rome. They were three of the most powerful leaders, and when their power and forces combined, the First Triumvirate started. Going from Republic to Empire, Rome went through many changes starting from individual influences, cultural and group influences, to taking on a whole new religion. “A triumvirate is a government by three people, all with equal power” (McGraw Hill 135).
There are very few pieces of literature with more mystery surrounding them than Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. One of the aspects of the book that is still controversial is the topic of religion, and how religion comes into play in the book. Although multiple interpretations can be made into what was intended by Mary, since the title of the work includes “A Modern Prometheus” Greek mythology is inarguably present in her work. Similar to Prometheus Victor exceeds what the gods allow, and as a result of this is punished.
The Aztecs religious beliefs The Aztecs of Mexico City had very unique beliefs. They worshiped in the temple which is in the middle of the exhibit. The Aztec temples were almost always offering mounds, the priest of the Aztec religion would use these temples to worship and pray. They also used it for offerings to the Aztec Gods. The way the Aztec’s way of worshiping was praying and sacrificing.
They associated each of their gods with a different aspect of life or nature. For example Zeus was the king of the gods, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, Dionysus was the god of wine, and the list goes on. The ancient Greeks erected massive temples to these gods for worship. Each god or goddess had his or her own temple for sacrifices or offerings. They Greeks believed sacrifice was necessary to appease the gods and keep everyday life fruitful and peaceful.
The question this paper strives to answer is: “To what extent do the mythologies of the Aztecs and the Norse display similarities and differences?” Mythologies around the world are based heavily upon the environment in which the practicing group lives, and their history. However, it has become apparent that some mythologies display many similar elements, prompting the discussion into the similarities and differences between the mythologies of two separate cultures. These two cultures are the Aztecs and the Norse. The Aztecs were a society who live in Mesoamerica, specifically the Valley of Mexico.
Role of Spectacle in Roman Culture Spectacles governed the way of life in the Roman culture in many ways. The use of spectacles in the Roman culture was widespread, especially during the performance of blood sports, such as the gladiatorial battles. The spectacle was an essential element in the amphitheatre games, which featured wild animal hunts in the morning, executions at noon, and the gladiatorial games in the evening. In this paper, I will examine the role of spectacles in the Roman culture, where the theme of violence and death will be featured. Predominantly, spectacles were used for entertainment reasons, to punish miscreants, serving as an example to the citizens, promoting interaction between the people of Rome and the rulers, and providing food for the ancient society.
(Cartwright, 2013). The perspective of the coffered ceiling and oculus in photographs gives the effect of the sun’s rays emanating from its center. The oculus can also be seen as the pupil of a great eye surrounded by its iris, implying god’s eye watching over all below, or the eye of the emperor surveying all he rules. Ancient Greeks and Romans worshipped the same gods, and their leaders traditionally built temples in in their honor. The art and architecture of the Parthenon and Pantheon were stellar symbols of their countries’ superior status in the world.
The style of the building and the purpose it is built give a brief and thoughtful storybook about the culture of the architect as art, generally, and architecture, particularly, is a language itself. Thus, buildings narrate the stories of the people among the history and tell their traditions and habits to the next generation through its design, inscriptions, and details. In this essay, I will discuss how both the style and function of the Greek Parthenon and the Roman Pantheon served as typical examples of their cultures in Athens and ancient Rome. In addition to the similarities and differences between these two cultures through the two buildings. Both the Greek and the Roman architecture inspired the cultures and architects until these days due to the diverse meaning they carry and symbolize in astonishing ways through the different orders, columns, roofs, friezes, and domes.