Abstract

AMES, Cecilia. Roman Religion and Christianity: The vision of Tertullian in Ad nationes and Apologeticum. Circe clás. mod. [online]. 2006, n.10, pp.37-57. ISSN 1851-1724.

The vision of Roman religion that Christians outside Rome bequeath in their writings has two features. On one hand, it shows a clear perception of the different religious practices in different cities of the empire, as well as local selection in the reception of Roman practices, providing rich material to investigate this religion as a local, regional and provincial phenomenon. On the other hand, however, what is also present and intimately the role played by the literary texts containing information on religion for the expansion, knowledge and diffusion of Roman religion anywhere in the empire. The apologies of Tertulian, the two books of Ad nationes and Apologeticum, constitute privileged texts to observe this procedure, because the references to Roman religion found in them stem substantially from the literary tradition, hence these works also offer a space for reflection on literature as a means of religious diffusion, reflection and criticism.

Keywords : Roman religion; Christianity; Apologies; Literary reception; Provincial religion.

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