Roman Art from the Louvre Educators' Resource Guide

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Each god, goddess, and spirit was related to a specific action or purpose.
For example, Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, crafts, and industry; and
Mercury was the messenger of the gods and the protector of travelers, merchants,
and thieves. Religion was a public and communal act. Religious
festivals and ceremonies were held in public spaces in order to accommodate
the faithful. Smaller scale cult worship and private, household worship
were dedicated to minor deities that were deemed personally auspicious.
Roman religion was also considered polytheistic because the gods were
omnipresent, presiding over all areas of activity.
The temple was considered the deity’s dwelling place and was the setting
for its cult statue. The most important element in a place of worship was the
altar, which was used for sacrifices. In urban planning, the temple, which
was often located amid other public buildings, was closely associated with
all types of daily activities. Gods and men are said to have inhabited the
same time and space in ancient Rome. The calendar listed the various civic
activities—military and political activities as well as planting and harvesting
schedules—and it was divided between dies fasti (days of the gods)
and dies nefasti (days of the earthly realities). The year was highlighted
by numerous festivals featuring sacrifices. These frequently culminated in
theater or circus games that took place before the eyes of the deity, as represented
by a statue brought in by procession.
Romans believed that they maintained the world’s equilibrium through
their devoutness, which was expressed primarily in their meticulous execution
of prescribed rituals. During these rites, each citizen created special
ties with the gods; the gods in turn took part in all civic activities. During
divination rites, Romans sought to obtain assistance from the gods in making
important decisions. When an animal was sacrificed, the portion that
was burned on the altar was reserved for the deity, with mortals consuming
the rest during a banquet. The faithful could also communicate with
gods through offerings of food, wine, flowers, personal objects, and even
portrait figurines. Such offerings were bestowed as gestures of reconciliation,
as a sign of thanks, or in fulfillment of a vow.