The ancient world was certainly not a haven of peace and harmony. The values and practices of agrarian societies frequently led to brutal massacres of populations defeated in war. However, when these conflicts took place, they were about wealth and power, not about the imposition of one ideology over another. For this reason, when one nation conquered another, the gods of the conquered nation were treated with deference. Instead of smashing the images of their gods, the victors would carry them away to weaken their enemies’ power.
The smashing of foreign gods?
