RLBcB206 Roman Religion

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Jana Gryc
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable of Seminar Groups
RLBcB206/Prez01: Tue 14:00–15:40 G24, except Mon 20. 4. to Fri 24. 4., A. Chalupa
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! RLB206 Roman Religion
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 100 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 65/100, only registered: 0/100, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/100
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 10 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Abstract
The course provides a concise introduction to the Roman Religion. In the first part (lectures no. 1-7) its characteristic features (gods, priests etc.) and structures (places of worship, rituals, religious calendar etc.) will be discussed. After this synchronous exposition the lectures will continue with a diachronic analysis of the evolution of Roman Religion which is seen as a dynamic and changing system reacting to various impulses in its constantly changing environment (lectures n. 8, 9 and 11). Lectures will be also supplemented with two seminars oriented to the deeper analysis of chosen historical sources. The lectures and seminars will also emphasize major differences of the Roman religious system and its practical aims, compared to the religiosity of modern Europe influenced and formed by differently oriented Christian traditions. The target group are primarily bachelor students of the Study of Religions, but interested persons from other subjects of study (e.g. Classical Studies, Classical Archaeology, History etc.) are also invited to participate.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will:
- have a broader and more solid understanding of key aspects of Roman Religion
- be familiar with the history of the study of Roman religion during the 20th century and major trends at the beginning of 21st century
- critically interpret our most important literary sources and archeological discoveries concerning Roman Religion
- show appreciation of the most profound differences that Roman Religion had compared with contemporary monotheistic religious traditions
Key topics
0. Introduction to the course; 1. Roman Religion - Elementary Features; 2. Rome - Introduction to its History; 3. Actors: Roman Priestly Collegia; 4. Gods: Roman Pantheon and its Structure; 5. Places: Roman Temples and other Sacred Places; 6. Cult: Rituals, Festivals and Roman Calendar ; 7. Seminar I; 8. Functioning of Roman Religion - Divination and Expiation of Prodigies; Roman Domestic Cult; 9. Roman Religion: Changes and Continuities; 10. Seminar II.; 11. Roman Religion - Concluding Remarks; 12. End-of-term Test
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • RÜPKE, Jörg. Náboženství Římanů. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2007. info
  • BEARD, Mary; John NORTH and Simon PRICE. Religions of Rome. Vol. 2, A sourcebook. 1st publ. Cambridbe: Cambridge University Press, 1998, xiv, 416 s. ISBN 0-521-45015-2. info
  • SCHEID, John. An Introduction to Roman Religion. Ediburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2003. ISBN 074861608X. info
    recommended literature
  • NORTH, John. Roman Religion. New York - Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. info
  • BEARD, Mary; John NORTH and Simon PRICE. Religions of Rome. Vol. 1, A history. 1st publ. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, xxiv, 454. ISBN 0-521-30401-6. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Lectures (2 teaching hours) supplemented with two seminars oriented on deeper analysis of chosen historical sources.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Conditions for successful completion of the course:• The course ends with a colloquium. The colloquium consists of a written test, which has two parts: a) questions with multiple-choice answers (maximum 50 points); b) questions with open-ended answers (maximum 50 points). To pass the colloquium, students must obtain at least 60 points out of a possible 100 from both parts combined.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/RLBcB206