The daily life of a religious Ancient Roman citizen consisted of some form of worship. Not every god was worshiped each day. Some deities were given thanks daily, others on festivals or important ceremonies, and some not at all. Depending on what an Ancient Roman required form a god, really determined which deity they worshiped and why. For example, if an Ancient Roman wanted to make sure they had a safe trip in a boat, they might pray to Neptune who was god of the seas. Another example is when farmers were growing crops, they would pray to Ceres, who was in control of crops to ensure a good growing season. Many gods, goddesses, and deities had several responsibilities and controls. There are many gods that shared the same or similar responsibilities; however, one god may have possessed more power or prestige over the other.
Ancient Romans worshiped several gods from the major gods. These gods were known as the Dii Consentes, also known as Ancient Greece’s Olympian gods. Ancient Romans also worshiped the vague minor gods who presided over less important objects or things. For example, these minor gods would preside over an inanimate object like a door or road and were usually local to a believer’s city. Many of these gods were adopted from the East and West from Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, Persia, and some of Celtic origin. The Ancient Romans were known for their incorporation and adoption of gods from places they visited or conquered.
