Graduation Year

2017

Date of Submission

12-2016

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

History

Reader 1

Shane Bjornlie

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2016 Emily G McKinnon

Abstract

The following with analyze Ovid’s Metamorphoses, a collection of myths, as it relates to mythology in ancient Rome. Through the centuries, the religious beliefs of the Romans have been distorted. By using the Metamorphoses, the intersection between religion and myth was explored to determine how mythology related to religion. To answer this question, I will look at Rome’s religious practices and traditions, how they differed from other religions and the role religion played in Roman culture, as well as the role society played in influencing Ovid’s narrative. During this exploration, it was revealed that there was no single truth in Roman religion, as citizens were able to believe and practice a number of traditions, even those that contradicted one another. Furthermore, the Metamorphoses illustrated three integral aspects of Roman religious beliefs: that the gods existed, required devotion, and actively intervened in mortal affairs.

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