The limits of the civic model of religion in late republican religion: Reflections on individual and community practices

Curzon, Joel 2025. The limits of the civic model of religion in late republican religion: Reflections on individual and community practices. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the concept of individual and community religion in second and first-century BC Rome. The model of civic religion, influenced by Durkheimian sociology, has retained a privileged position in the study of Greek and Roman religions. The model suggests that official religious structures provided a framework for the broader community, promoting social cohesion. However, recently, scholars such as Jörg Rüpke, John North and Andreas Bendlin have begun to discuss the individual more substantially, with suggestions that a degree of choice existed in selecting which gods to worship and how to worship them. Building on previous scholarship that I outline in this and the next chapter, which discusses individuals, I suggest that a plurality of gods and practices allowed some personal expression within and outside civic institutions. Many scholars who discuss the individual focus on the imperial period. I aim to push evidence for individuality into earlier periods. While the space available means that my analysis cannot be comprehensive, a case study-based approach will allow me to emphasise the level of choice permitted to all individuals across society, creating a mixed picture of religious freedom and restrictions during the later Republic. I do not aim to replace the civic model but suggest how the individual could select practices within and beyond it, moving beyond arguing in favour of any one model.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > History, Archaeology and Religion
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion D History General and Old World > DG Italy
Funders:	James Pantyfedwen Foundation
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 March 2026
Date of Acceptance:	4 March 2026
Last Modified:	10 Mar 2026 10:07
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185626

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