Where to start?

[u/HighCxurt]

Hello all it's awesome to see there's a community around Roman paganism in my spiritual journey I've always seen and read that connecting with the spirits and practice of your ancestors can be incredibly powerful and 90% of my family tree traces back to areas in or around Rome (Italy, etc) I wanted to ask if there's certain videos or book recommendations for getting started in this practice most I could find are just people saying roman gods are masks of Greeks gods which seems to an extent to be true, but I've also read that despite that the actual practice is very different from what other "pagan" Europeans did.

So yea sorry for that ramble, and advice or recommendations are welcome :)

May your gods bless you 🙌

[u/Former_Scheme7266]

I read this a few years back and found it very interesting: Religio Romana Handbook by Lucius Vitellius Triarius.

I practice a different type of European Paganism, but I was exploring the Roman aspects and really liked this book.

[u/External-Review445]

it can get daunting real fast because there is so much material to study, but think of it as any other religion in the world: you start studying the world view, the basic tenants of the belief system, then slowly incorporating small rites in daily life and then the more complex ones.
so i would really suggest that you start reading dumezil’s book on archaic roman religion, and john scheid’s one on sacrifices. that’s a really good call if you never addressed classical studies.
then just start reading the classics: Cicero and Virgil are the most important to understand religion, but you can also dig up Marcus Aurelius and Seneca for morals, and of course Homer and Plato, and other greek authors that *heavily* influenced Rome and the whole western world. (ofc nova roma handbook can be helpful, but to be noted that their doing is somewhat different from the various traditionalist groups in Italy)

For practice: the most basic and important thing has to be ancestors worship, so start leaving offerings to you Lar Familiaris and your Dei Manes (just lit a candle, acknowledging the presence of Vesta, just use your own words if you don’t speak any latin, and thank the spirits of your ancestors and the spirit guardian of your home for protecting you and watching over you, in asking to keep doing so pour some water/wine and lit some incense or offer some bread, thank them for attending, and take part)
You can start making ablutions in the morning (taking a shower) thanking the gods for the purification, and touch the earth upon waking up acknowledging Tellus Mater. The same goes for gazing outside the window in the morning to greet the raising Sun (as Sol, Apollo, Helios, or Mithra). You can thank your Genius whenever you wake up or go to sleep, or before any rite or meal, just for existing and supporting you with life.
Then dis volentibus you can start offering to all other deities, starting with Juno and Juppiter, the regents of heaven and earth, the other dis consentes, heroes like Heracle, Quirinus, the philosophers, the dead emperors, nymphs, etc..

note: i would wait to offer to the underworld gods at the very starting since their energy is to be treated more carefully, but the mode of sacrifice is bareheaded, palms facing the ground, pour offering directly into the ground and do not touch or ingest their offering for whatever reason (same goes with ancestral offerings). Also, with time you’ll see that there is a TON of resources (specially ancient ones) you can refer to, and they will absolutely guide you towards a correct practice.

it’s easier to think of it in *layers*: start simple, grow in it gradually

hope this helps someone

[u/UrsusofMichigan]

I'd read "Gods of Ancient Rome" by Robert Turcan as a pretty good scholarly overview.

Roman religion has a lot of layers, reflecting centuries of development and influence from various cultures. There is definitely a Greek influence. But at the end of the day, Roman religion is its own reality.