ce that Rome was always a highly religious nation. From even as early as the founding of the nation we see their dependance on auguries of the gods to make important decisions - namely the choice between Romulus and Remus as their leader. " As the brothers were twins and all question of seniority was thereby precluded, they determined to ask the tutelary gods of the countryside to declare by augury which of them should govern the new town once it was founded, and give his name to it ( p.40 Livy )."More than any one other aspect of Roman behavior, I feel that recognition and respect of the ways of their ancestors as the ways of 'True' Romans was the most primary source from which Romans defined there identity. This respect stemmed from oral tradition and early historians works that have not survived to us, but which Livy owes his knowledge. From the respect of great deeds that made their cultural history so worth of pride, came their habits of dedicating particular places and edifices in the name of honorable contemporaries and ancestors. Take for instance the story of Caius Mucius Scaevola, a man who was willing to risk anything to save rome from a Etruscan attack. It cost him his hand, hence the name Scaevola- translating as the Left-Handed Man, but his efforts brought peace to the struggle. Livy tells of the recognition of this Roman hero: "Cauis Muscius was rewarded by the Senate with a grant of land west of the river; it was known subsequently as the Muscian Meadows ( P.120 Livy )." Not only was this naming of places indicative of the honor, but the name they chose showed something - the congnomen Musius was chosen, not his prinomen or Scaevola, the name he won for himself. It was recognized that the honor was for the family and for the family, though Caius would be remembered, the gaine family pride of the Mucius family only contributed to their own pride in their country. Roman society encouraged being proud and respectful of the ...
