Magic and Faith @museum.de

Roman religiosity can be seen today primarily in religious buildings. These were often built with donations from wealthy citizens, and it was there that the deities were worshipped, who were supposed to secure and increase influence and wealth. Those who had money donated an altar or a statue of the worshipped deity and had it erected in the temple or on the temple grounds.

In addition to these very elaborate votive offerings, people also gave the gods less valuable items, such as personal jewelry, coins, vessels, or small statuettes made of metal or clay. Such bronze and clay figures could be used in a variety of ways: citizens placed them on a small altar called a LARARIUM in their homes, carried them to temples as votive offerings, or placed them in the graves of the deceased.

At that time, belief in magic was much more widespread than it is today. People wanted to protect themselves against all the inexplicable and threatening things in everyday life: natural disasters, diseases, accidents. That is why they wore amulets in various shapes and materials or decorated animals and objects with them.