Did the ancient romans realize Zeus and other myths were merely legends?

Question

During the Roman Empire did the majority of the Romans recognize their gods and the stories associated with the gods as myths and legends? Did they believe they actually lived and continued to guide their lives?

Answer 1

Many of them did, often the more educated of them tended to dismiss them, but would use them for political purposes.

Answer 2

Zeus is a Greek God, and you can't really phrase this in this way.

These 'other myths' that are 'merely legends' were a legitimate religion. The Greeks and Romans alike believed in particular gods and there were many. They believed very strongly in the gods that they believed in but felt no compunction to believe in other's gods. For example, many Roman leaders put great effort and money into forwarding their particular beliefs, such as the Cult of Jupiter or numerous local sun gods of various types.

To them, these were no less mythical than any of our modern religions. Saying that Roman (or Greek) gods are merely legends is like saying that Hindi believers are worshiping mere legends when they devote themselves to, say, Shiva.

Polytheistic religion is just as viable as a religion as monotheistic (Moslem, Judeo-Christianity, etc) religion is. These people worshipped, like anyone else, because they believed.

Of course, you also absolutely cannot make the blanket statement that Everyone believed in Something or even in their own little niche. Just like today, throughout history there have always been agnostics, atheists, heretics and general public upstarts.

Answer 3

Zeus was Greek mythology.
This was the stage where all learning came from the retelling of stories and the Romans incorporated as much good greek myths into their own.

Since most of us did not live then, all we can do is propose an answer Yes or no to your question.

Yes- I think they all realized that these were stories passed down to them. Yes - I think they believed their stories.

It is the same for all stories handed down in every culture on earth. We all believe them.

Answer 4

Zeus is a Greek God. Romans absorbed much of Greek religion into their own. Their assimilation of other beliefs and cultures helped to create their empire. To them they were not myths or legends but religions as we view Christianity, Hinduism, Islam etc today. Went the emperor Constantine converted the other religion were still practised. only through conversion and missionary saints were the old ways lost. Greek mythology was true religion much longer than Christianity has existed..so perhaps Christ is a myth?

Answer 5

They did, for the most part up until Constantine ratified Christianity. Even then, most of them remained pagans who fully believed in the Pantheon. Of course, after the Romans had adopted the deities from the Greeks, Zeus had become Jupiter and so on, but the legends and myths associated with the pantheon were faithfully followed as truth. The religion itself didn't start to dissolve until the fall of the Empire.

The more educated Romans, however, such as Senators, Imperators, historians, and even poets expressed in their personal writings that they actually didn't believe in the gods at all, but continued to pretend that they did because of the penalty of professing atheism.

Marcus Tullius Cicero, the greatest orator of all time, and Senator of the late Republic is quoted as saying of the gods:

"Publically I believe in them all, and am a devout servant of the gods. Privately I believe in none of them, and am devout servant of knowledge."


EDIT: To the person who said that Pilate was behead by the Emperor Tiberius, that's absolutely not history. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's completely false. Pilate fell under misfortune during the reign of the Tiberius' successor, Caligula, and was exiled to Cisalpine Gaul for political reasons, where he likely committed suicide due to loss of face. Odds are, by the time he was in Gaul, he didn't even remember who Jesus of Nazareth was.

Answer 6

the tale of Zeus is, fairly, delusion in accordance with legend...the legend that there is a 'father' god who created and is to blame for all the different gods. that's the two polytheistic (the perception in many gods) and henotheistic (the perception in one god who created all the different gods). the parable looks in fairly much each and every faith from the Sumerians and Babylonians, the classic Egyptians, via Judaism, Christianity and, at last Islam. learn the fairly some religions and mythologies, and you will see the progression from polytheism to monotheism.

Answer 7

As others have stated, Zeus was a Greek god. Jupiter was his Roman counterpart. Nevertheless, to answer your question, some did, and some didn't. There have always been free-thinkers and athiests among us. Some things never change!

Answer 8

The Romans thought they were real gods! Just like today most people believe in God, if christian and same way with the other religions of today.

Answer 9

They believed in a supreme being. It just so happened that they humanized theirs and had multiple gods. They probably did not believe the stories, but they knew something was out there and it could influence their lives.

Most humans believe in a some sort of supreme being. It varies from culture to culture,but the belief is constant. For most of us, it is a comfort.

Answer 10

i suppose there was a mix of both, just like some people can present the argument that there is no evidence jesus existed or the bible is a collection of myths and legends. so do we accept it as a legend or do we believe he actually existed. as with any religion, it really doesnt matter much, its the belief and practice of the message.

Answer 11

Do Christians actually believe what their bible says to the T? or the Jews? or Muslims with the Karon? Yea, people are scared of the unknown, so religion is a good crutch.