Temple of worship to the gods-emperors discovered in Italy: reveals aspects of the unknown history of ancient Rome

A fascinating discovery in Italy shows that religious changes in the Roman Empire were gradual and mutual.

Under modern parking lots in Spello, Italy, American researchers have discovered the ruins of an ancient temple that challenges our understanding of the religious evolution of the Roman Empire.

This is reported by Study Finds.

The temple, built during the reign of Constantine the Great, Rome's first Christian emperor, was dedicated to imperial worship, a form of worship in which dead emperors were revered as gods. This discovery is the most important evidence of imperial worship in fourth-century Italy and the late Roman Empire.

Researchers believe that the temple was built to unite pagans and Christians in the city of Spello. This indicates that religious changes in the Roman Empire occurred gradually and mutually, not suddenly and radically.

The opening of the church dates back to the eighteenth century, when a rescript of Constantine the Great was found in Spello. In this document, the emperor orders the inhabitants of the city to celebrate a religious festival in honor of his divine ancestors, the Flavian family.

This rescript shows that Constantine was willing to respect pagan traditions even as a Christian. It also shows that there was a high degree of religious diversity in the Roman Empire.

Also read: Mysterious inscription on the ancient sphinx deciphered (photo)

According to Professor Douglas Boyne of St. Louis University, who led the excavations, the Spello temple is an important contribution to our understanding of the religious evolution of the Roman Empire.

"This discovery shows that religious change in the Roman Empire was not abrupt or unambiguous," Boyne said. "In fact, they were more complex and multifaceted than we previously thought."

The researchers hope that further excavations at Spello will help them better understand the religious and cultural changes that took place in the Roman Empire in the fourth century.

As a reminder, luxuriously decorated tombs dating back to the 2nd and 4th centuries AD were found in Italy.

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