Due to Rome’s geographic position, its citizens experienced frequent contact with the Greek peoples, who had expanded their territories into the Italian peninsula and Sicily. The gods and goddesses of Greek culture significantly influenced the development of Roman deities and mythology. While the Roman state recognized main gods and goddesses by decorating public buildings and fountains with their images, families worshipping at home also put special emphasis on the deities of their choosing. Romans paid allegiance to the gods both in public spaces and in private homes. They believed that these deities served a role in founding the Roman civilization and that they helped shape the events of people’s lives on a daily basis. Despite the presence of monotheistic religions within the empire, such as Judaism and early Christianity, Romans honored multiple deities. The Roman Empire was a primarily polytheistic civilization, which meant that people recognized and worshiped multiple gods and goddesses.
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