The Conquest of Greece by the Roman Empire and the Success...

The successes of mystery religions in the Roman world were greatly influenced by the Roman expansion, especially the conquest of Greece by the Roman Empire where their cultures and traditions were adopted and modified (Perry et al. 2013, p. 122). This was the foremost reason of the initial spread of mystery religions, especially the cult of Hellenised Isis, in Rome. In addition, the political trade involving grains and slaves also played a significant role in the extended reach of the Hellenised cult of Isis among the Romans (Bowden 2010, p. 161). Moreover, the practices of the religion were considered to be appealing to the women and the poor. Gender equality was promoted and the distinct barriers between the different social classes†¦show more content†¦The conquest on Greece in particular, had led to a significant increase in the number of educated Greek slaves entering Rome (Perry et al. 2013, p. 126). According to Cumont, slaves were spreading their beliefs to the gods of their respective countries (1956, p. 24). It is therefore not surprising for mystery cults to enter and succeed in the Roman world. The mystery religion of Isis, for example, was considered to be the most successful mystery religion above all (Ferguson 1970, p. 106). This is due to the belief that Isis was â€Å"... [the] highest of the god ...† (Apuleius Golden ass ex. 11.1). In addition, the practice of Roman religion could be seen as polytheistic. Hence, people tended to yearn for greater blessings from the gods and goddesses. In this case, Isis was considered to be an option. Moreover, Romans valued the different practises of their conquered states and even assimilated those practises into their own (Perry et al. 2013, p. 122). The conquests of numerous states, therefore, not only allowed Isis cults to succeed in Roman world but also provided Rome for its necessary resources. Political trade was another reason for the successes of mystery religions in the Roman world. To illustrate, the cult of Isis was able to succeed in Rome through the political agreement between Rome and Egypt in the early first century BC (Bowden 2010, p. 161; Kamm 1995, p. 96). AccordingShow MoreRelated The Pagan Origins of Christianity Essay4088 Words   |  17 PagesThe first part of this paper will explore the mystery-religions, the reasons behind their popularity, and the Hellenistic world in which they grew that began with Alexander the Great. Next, their characteristics and connections first with Judaism and later with Christianity will be more deeply discussed. In the second part it will be shown that the mystery-religions helped to clear the pathway for the Christianization of the Greco-Roman world by men such as Paul the Apostle. Finally, the EmperorRead MoreAlexander the Great Essay13163 Words   |  53 PagesALEXANDER THE GREAT BY: JOHN J. 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