Before Constantine's Edict of Milan
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Marcus Aurelius (head covered) sacrificing at the Temple of Jupiter |
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The Romans tended towards syncretism, seeing the same Gods under different names in different places of the Empire, accommodating other Europeans such as the Hellenes, Germans, and Celts, and Semitic and other groups in the Middle East. Under Roman authority, the various national myths most similar to Rome were adopted by analogue into the overall Roman mythos, further cementing Imperial control. Consequently, the Romans were generally tolerant and accommodating towards new deities and the religious experiences of other peoples who formed part of their wider Empire.
Read more about this topic: Decline Of Greco-Roman Polytheism
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