ProQuest Dissertations - Historia Antigua

IV.ConclusionsIn his study of Roman religious policy in the colonies of Ardea, Veii, Ostia, Alba Fucens,and Cosa, Torelli decides that "flexibility was and remained the determining factor ofRoman colonial policy in terms of religion, at least until the second century B.C."Torelli concludes that the "desire for peace and order and fear of the wrath of alien godspowerfully combined to form this flexible attitude towards local and 'national' religions,to shape a master tool for the early steps of Roman imperialism." While the flexibility ofreligion in the colonies is a point well made, the 'master tool for the early steps of Romanimperialism' begs the question of who was utilizing religion as a tool in the colonies, inwhat way, and to what end. If there were the beginnings of Roman imperialism in thereligious sphere of Roman colonization in the fourth and third centuries, surely thatpolicy would continue to develop and be prominent in the religious atmosphere of thecolonies founded in the third and second centuries. Scrutiny of religion in coloniesthroughout Italy shows Torelli's flexibility of religion applied there well into the earlysecond century BCE. There is no indication that the colonies were founded under aunified policy of Roman imperialism, however. Nor do the cults of Jupiter, Juno,Minerva, Diana, Mars, or Hercules betoken the existence of a 'master tool for the earlysteps of Roman imperialism.' Although religion became such an imperialistic tool underthe Empire, it was not yet one during the middle Republic.What, then, is the difference between 'Romanization' and the spread of culturethrough Roman expansion? Certain religious customs, tastes in luxuries, or even civicinstitutions may have spread because the Roman magistrates conquered and (re)settled238