What was the importance of omens, divination and astrology in ancient roman society?
Prophecies and divination were an important part of the foundation of the Roman religion. Prophecies were practiced by oracles in temples, the most famous of these being the oracle at Delphi. It was common practice for the emperor to consult the oracles before making any major decisions. An example of this is the origin of the Olympic Games, so named for Mount Olympus, where the Gods were thought to reside. The Emperors were widely believed by the common people to be put on the throne by the power of the gods (much like the British Royal Family) and if someone sought to disfavor the Emperor in the eyes of the senate and the people, they often started rumors that the Emperor had fallen from favor with the gods. There have always been cynics, of course. Even before the rise of Rome as we know it Religion was considered by many scholars in ancient Greece and Macedon (Aristotle, most famously.) The situation in Ancient Rome could best be described with the famous quote by Lucius Seneca not
