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Archaic Roman Religion #1
Archaic Roman Religion: Volume 1
When St. Paul and St. Peter reached Rome they encountered a state-sponsored religion that had been established for centuries. Amid the shrines and temples of Rome, the Romans sought to preserve and strengthen a religion especially suited to the ambitious city. But Roman religion had also proved permeable to many influences, from Greece, Egypt, Persia, and other parts of Italy. What then was truly Roman, and what had Romans done with their borrowings to stamp them with Roman character?
By exhaustive study of texts, inscriptions, and archaeology of Roman sacred places, Dumezil traces the formation of archaic Roman religion from Indo-European sources through the development of the rites and beliefs of the Roman republic. He describes a religion that was not only influenced by the other religions with which it came into contact, but influenced them as well, in mutual efforts to distinguish one nation from another. Even so, certain continuities were sustained in order to achieve a religion that crossed generations and ways of life. The worship of certain gods became the special concerns of certain parts of society, all of which needed attention to assure Rome's success in war, civil administration, and the production of food and goods.
By exhaustive study of texts, inscriptions, and archaeology of Roman sacred places, Dumezil traces the formation of archaic Roman religion from Indo-European sources through the development of the rites and beliefs of the Roman republic. He describes a religion that was not only influenced by the other religions with which it came into contact, but influenced them as well, in mutual efforts to distinguish one nation from another. Even so, certain continuities were sustained in order to achieve a religion that crossed generations and ways of life. The worship of certain gods became the special concerns of certain parts of society, all of which needed attention to assure Rome's success in war, civil administration, and the production of food and goods.
394 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
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About the author
Georges Dumézil
91 books89 followersGeorges Dumézil was a French comparative philologist best known for his analysis of sovereignty and power in Proto-Indo-European religion and society. He is considered one of the major contributors to mythography, in particular for his formulation of the trifunctional hypothesis of social class in ancient societies.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 16, 2009
This review is for both volumes together.
I think this was written for a more academic audience than me, though my interest in the subject, especially as explained using comparative Indo-European linguistics, made it a fascinating read.
Though the text is translated, a lot of the notes aren't, and my limited French, German, and Latin hampered my understanding of parts of the book.
Also, I'm still skeptical of Dumézil's trifunctional hypothesis, which divides Indo-European cultures into priests, warriors, and farmers/merchants. The last category seems too often to be a catch-all for anything that doesn't fit the first two.
But overall, this is very interesting stuff.
I think this was written for a more academic audience than me, though my interest in the subject, especially as explained using comparative Indo-European linguistics, made it a fascinating read.
Though the text is translated, a lot of the notes aren't, and my limited French, German, and Latin hampered my understanding of parts of the book.
Also, I'm still skeptical of Dumézil's trifunctional hypothesis, which divides Indo-European cultures into priests, warriors, and farmers/merchants. The last category seems too often to be a catch-all for anything that doesn't fit the first two.
But overall, this is very interesting stuff.
December 17, 2023
Writing a review for only the first volume seems out of place but I still think it is worth stressing how well-conceived this work is. On one hand Dumézil has composed a precise, academic, and detailed treatise on a topic which isn't necessarily one of "general" interest. This is not "comparative" mythology and the "archaic" of the title refers not to "Ancient" Roman religion but rather the chronologically hidden and non-Hellenistic origin of what WOULD sculpt the "normative" Roman religion of the much better recorded Late Republican and Imperial age. Thus, it should be stressed that reading this book should not be undertaken without either a deep appreciation of the history/culture in question or a decent familiarity with the ancient sources Dumézil himself will investigate (and often critique), especially Livy, Cicero, Ovid's Fasti, & Plutarch. A rudimentary understanding of the Latin language is also helpful (many a maxim or phrase is left untranslated) but not necessary.
But on the other hand, as a stylist, Dumézil wields his pen with a sublime touch–he is polemical when necessary but never combative, skeptical when called for but never a cynic, and, unlike SO MANY academics of the current age, thoroughly IN LOVE with his subject matter IN AND OF ITSELF and not invested in the cheap socio-politico-ideological "critique" of anything Classical nor that constantly deployed academic knee-jerk disclaimer that "there are always more factors involved." He is CONFIDENT! In other words, if you are a well-read person and this interests you, even if you think you have "no clue" what "archaic Roman religion" is, I would be hard pressed NOT to suggest this work. You will STILL learn very, very much even if the curve is quite steep.
And this is possible, of course, due to a wider historical and anthropological concern at play in Dumézil's work and that is to delineate not so much what is "uniquely" Latin in archaic Roman religion (as opposed to Hellenic) but if/how the truly "Latin" feature of said religious practices follow a path back into the recesses of the Indo-European treasure vault. And here I might add that perhaps such a concern is precisely WHY Dumézil does not come across as an ultra-narrow doctrinaire specialist writing a work that only PhD candidates would ever cite (but never read); he has a WIDER idea he is searching for and thus he is INVESTED AS AN INVESTIGATOR, NOT A "SPECIALIST."
This makes ALL the difference; too often only works meant for a wide popular audience demonstrate any sort of palpable enthusiasm for the topic (an enthusiasm which typically masks a subdued contempt for the reader, as if the reader is not capable of ever finding an idea, a story, or a fact of interest without burdensome narrative commentary). This work is NOT for a general audience, by a long shot, and it is not written with any of that god-awful Stephen Pinker/Malcolm Gladwell/TED talk sheen. But Dumézil, as a researcher, as an investigator, as a man with something to seek, comes across earnestly and even beautifully throughout the pages.
But on the other hand, as a stylist, Dumézil wields his pen with a sublime touch–he is polemical when necessary but never combative, skeptical when called for but never a cynic, and, unlike SO MANY academics of the current age, thoroughly IN LOVE with his subject matter IN AND OF ITSELF and not invested in the cheap socio-politico-ideological "critique" of anything Classical nor that constantly deployed academic knee-jerk disclaimer that "there are always more factors involved." He is CONFIDENT! In other words, if you are a well-read person and this interests you, even if you think you have "no clue" what "archaic Roman religion" is, I would be hard pressed NOT to suggest this work. You will STILL learn very, very much even if the curve is quite steep.
And this is possible, of course, due to a wider historical and anthropological concern at play in Dumézil's work and that is to delineate not so much what is "uniquely" Latin in archaic Roman religion (as opposed to Hellenic) but if/how the truly "Latin" feature of said religious practices follow a path back into the recesses of the Indo-European treasure vault. And here I might add that perhaps such a concern is precisely WHY Dumézil does not come across as an ultra-narrow doctrinaire specialist writing a work that only PhD candidates would ever cite (but never read); he has a WIDER idea he is searching for and thus he is INVESTED AS AN INVESTIGATOR, NOT A "SPECIALIST."
This makes ALL the difference; too often only works meant for a wide popular audience demonstrate any sort of palpable enthusiasm for the topic (an enthusiasm which typically masks a subdued contempt for the reader, as if the reader is not capable of ever finding an idea, a story, or a fact of interest without burdensome narrative commentary). This work is NOT for a general audience, by a long shot, and it is not written with any of that god-awful Stephen Pinker/Malcolm Gladwell/TED talk sheen. But Dumézil, as a researcher, as an investigator, as a man with something to seek, comes across earnestly and even beautifully throughout the pages.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews