Roman Rituals, Festivals, Traditions and More

Roman Rituals, Festivals, Traditions and More

The ancient Romans were particularly skilled in the art of rituals and festivals. They strongly believed in the power and effectiveness of spells, good luck charms, love enchantments, and curses. And they didn’t just believe — they practiced these things in their daily lives.

One of the most remarkable rituals was the religious ceremony of *Evocatio*. During times of war, the Romans would attempt to summon the gods who protected enemy cities. The idea was that, by calling those deities to their side, they could strip the enemy of divine protection — ensuring a guaranteed victory or at least significantly weakening their foes.

The ritual involved an invocation addressed to the enemy's god, along with a promise to build a temple in their honor. A sheep or a ram was then sacrificed, and the priests would examine its entrails to determine whether the deity had accepted the offering. If the omens were favorable, the Romans would proceed with their military actions. To prevent this same tactic from being used against them, they kept the names of their own city’s patron gods secret.