Imported mystery religions, which offered initiates salvation in the afterlife, were a matter of personal choice for an individual, practiced in addition to carrying on one's family rites and participating in public religion. The mysteries, however, involved exclusive oaths and secrecy, conditions that conservative Romans viewed with suspicion as characteristic of "magic", conspiratorial (coniuratio), or subversive activity. Sporadic and sometimes brutal attempts were made to suppress religionists who seemed to threaten traditional morality and unity, as with the senate's efforts to restrict the Bacchanals in 186 BC. COUNT 5
QSN1 What was the practice of religion to the Romans? ANS1 personal choice QSN2 What was the standard practice in Roman religious life? ANS2 public religion QSN3 What part of Roman religious practice involved secrecy? ANS3 mysteries QSN4 What group viewed the mysteries as suspicious or subversive? ANS4 conservative Romans QSN5 What did the mysteries seem to threaten that made the Romans occasionally attempt to ban them? ANS5 morality and unity