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Ancient Rome: The Shrinking and Growth of Religious Diversity in a Cosmopolitan City

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Abstract

Urban growth in ancient Rome, fueled by regional immigration and forms of long-distance migration that were related to the fact that Rome had become the capital of a Mediterranean empire, led to an enormous range of religious practices, signs, and even institutions from at least the fourth century BCE onward. Monumental architecture, religious practices at the domestic and neighborhood level, and centrally staged rituals (as well as their representation in the form of publicly displayed calendars) made this diversity visible and an everyday experience.

This chapter will explore the forms and media of the articulation and experience of such diversity. How, when, and how often did differences become visible? How and where were they articulated as differences? What were the metaphors and concepts to create or bridge plurality?

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  1. Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany

    Jörg Rüpke

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  1. Institute of Sociology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

    Marian Burchardt

  2. Department of Humanistic Studies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy

    Maria Chiara Giorda

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Rüpke, J. (2021). Ancient Rome: The Shrinking and Growth of Religious Diversity in a Cosmopolitan City. In: Burchardt, M., Giorda, M.C. (eds) Geographies of Encounter. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82525-6_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82525-6_3

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