Journal | Lexis
Journal issue | Num. 38 (n.s.) – Dicembre 2020 – Fasc. 2
Research Article | Tanta religio et ea magna ex parte externa (25.1.6-12). Foreign Cults and Religious Crisis in 213 BC
Tanta religio et ea magna ex parte externa (25.1.6-12). Foreign Cults and Religious Crisis in 213 BC
Abstract
The religio externa crisis examined in the article belongs to Rome’s religious framework and presents the relationship between the national interest and new unofficial trends. The facts refer to the end of 213, that is, to a still critical phase of the Second Punic War. New rites of an external origin unleash a political case when they leave the private dimension and express themselves in public. The magistrati minores are overwhelmed by the crowd of newcomers; the intervention of the praetor urbanus is needed, who orders the confiscation of the new religious materials. Among these emerge two texts in verse (the Carmina Marciana), containing the post quem prophecy of the defeat of Canne and the prescription of the ludi Apollinares, as a religious and political remedy to the present crisis. Order and national harmony are re-established, without repression and with partial attention paid to new religious and social demands.
Submitted: Aug. 7, 2020 | Accepted: Oct. 14, 2020 | Published Dec. 21, 2020 | Language: it
Keywords Livy • Religion • Second Punic War • Literary Space
Copyright © 2020 Giovanna Todaro. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/Lexis/2724-1564/2020/02/010
