Celtic and Roman Beliefs in the rein of Hadrian

[Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo]

I am wondering what sort of belief system did the Romans have, especially in terms of military cults with the Auxiliary units. Also, what would man from Gaul, perhaps Gallia Narbonensis, have believed in terms of religion during the specified time scale.

 

sorry for being so vague but i know very little of this topic.

 

Thanks

 

Will

[indianasmith]

The cult of Mithras was very popular among the Legions at that time, I know.

[caldrail]

Religion was less strictly organised during Hadrians time being primarily a pagan era, and Mithraism was not at that time entrenched in military life (though it was known and beginning to expand). Pagan Roman soldiers were hugely superstitious, sometimes refusing to board ships for fear of angering gods, or even crossing rivers, seen as the domain of local gods who would extract terrible punishment for those that risked wading across, as if they were trespassing. There was a sort of "unit spiritualism" too, where centuries and legions were supposed to have a martial spirit that could be called upon for favour like any other deity. Of course the Imperial Cult was in place and had been ever since Augustus, although the figurehead was not necessarily fixed - soldiers would put images of their popular ruler ahead of a column as easily as the Caesar they were supposed to be loyal to. Remember that in Imperial times the post of Imperator ("victorious general") had ceased to be an honour installed by the men themselves, becoming a political office agreed by Senate and Caesar, yet by tradition the soldiers were as willing as ever to dedicate those senior men who were clearly blessed with divine favour (and the ability to bring victory and booty to the men).

[Onasander]

You have a specific auxiliary unit? The Romans usually didn't station their units where they were raised. I know in Gual, the cults paralleled what was worshipped back home. I checked, a few legions were stationed there (no mention of auxiliary, but wasn't a in depth search).

 

Mithra was never that active of a cult in Guam, I was given the false impression it was years back, but didn't pan out. They worshipped underground in tiny false caverns, you really can't fit that many men, and their rank structure was too small and would of conflicted too much with a large unit's command structure if people were differently initiated into the cult than they held in real life. I know Isis was generally active, and a Celtic branch of the Zeus cult was. Also Dei Syria, as well as Seraphis.

 

Just.... Obviously I need more details. The home region of the Auxiliary. The profession of your so called average Gual. Its not hard to develop a generic composite from this. Basic rule is, look at their home region. That is the religion they will carry forth.

 

This is from wiki:

 

Despite the gravity of this rebellion, the Illyrians went on, alongside their neighbours the Thracians, to become the backbone of the Roman army. By the 2nd century, with roughly half the Roman army deployed on the Danube frontier, the auxilia and legions alike were dominated by Illyrian recruits. In the 3rd century, Illyrians largely replaced Italians in the senior officer echelons of praefecti of auxiliary regiments and tribuni militum of legions. Finally, from AD 268 to 379, virtually all emperors, including Diocletian and Constantine the Great were Romanised Illyrians from the provinces of Dalmatia, Moesia Superior and Pannonia. These were members of a military aristocracy, outstanding soldiers who saved the empire from collapse in the turbulent late 3rd century.[39]

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxilia

[caldrail]

There i8s bound to be some retention of religion - people generally need a good reason to convert and the Romans were always tolerant of local faiths. However, an auxillary unit raised in Gaul will have other aspects of religion to observe, such the Imperial Cult and unit spirit. As soldiers tended to marry covertly in the deployed regions it's a fair bet that family pressure insisted observation of the local faiths, whatever they may be.

[Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo]

Cohors IV Gallorum equitata. Part of the infantry section raised of that cohort in Gallia Ligdunensis during the reign of Octavian. The Gaul in question is newly recruited from the afore mentioned region and joined the unit as soon as it arrived in Britain in 122AD. The man joined the army as his family was living in poverty as his father stone mason business was not working out. 

[Viggen]

fits this discussion;

The Celtic Goddess Epona that Rode Swiftly Across the Ancient Roman Empire

The protector of horses, mules, and cavalry, Epona was one of the only non-Roman goddesses to have been wholly adopted by the Roman Empire.  Often depicted astride a horse, Epona resonated in the forces of the Roman cavalry as an inspiration and guide through even the darkest of battles, and she remained one of their most worshipped goddesses between the first and third centuries CE. - See more at: http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/celtic-goddess-epona-rode-swiftly-across-ancient-roman-empire-002641#sthash.y83dYbJ4.dpuf