An ancient sanctuary used by Roman soldiers almost 2,000 years ago has been discovered by Dutch researchers in the Netherlands.
The complex is said to consist of the Roman gods Hercules, Jupiter, and Mercury.
The findings are unique since the Dutch territory is far from the frontiers of the Roman Empire's vast control of a large part of ancient Europe.
The sanctuary complex consists of at least three massive temples, believe to be as a place of worship for a particular Roman god or a Roman goddess.
Archaeologists involved in the unearthing of the religious site reportedly said it was a unique find, since the site is located in the far northern boundary of the Roman empire.
Ancient Sanctuary
Dutch officials on Monday, July 11, announced the discovery of the Roman temple complex in the Netherlands, which made the archaeologists surprised and excited, as reported by Deutsche Welle, a Germany state-owned media outlet.
The complex was found on a clay extraction site located in the village of Herwen-Hemeling in the province of Gelderland, Germany.
In addition to the large temples found, the Roman soldiers stationed at the nearby forts used the temples and paid tribute to their deities and performed their sacred vows.
This is according to Eric Norde, the project leader and an archaeologist from the RAAP Dutch archaeology agency, who told Live Science.
Also Read: Massive Roman Mosaic in Turkey Points to Buried City
The Roman Empire
The Roman Empire has been one of the most advanced civilizations and military power of the ancient world, since its founding in 625 BC and fall in 476 AD amid political turmoil and growing Germanic barbarian presence in all corners of its occupied territories.
According to the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM), the Roman Empire can be divided into three separate periods:
- The Period of Kings (625 - 510 BC)
- Republican Rome (510 - 31 BC)
- Imperial Rome (31 BC - 476 AD)
The vast occupied territories of the ancient empire have led to the conquering and integration of dozens of cultures, according to MPM.
Also called as the Holy Roman Empire, its jurisdiction included a region of what is now western and central Europe, consisting of the countries of Italy, France, and Germany.
At its peak and downfall, the Romans excelled in the fields of arts, architecture, engineering, and medicine, even deriving philosophical and religious teachings from the ancient Greeks.
Roman and Greek Gods
In relation to the altars of Roman gods discovered from the ancient sanctuary, the Romans worshipped deities who had a resemblance to the gods of Greeks.
The similarity is due to the fact that the Greek civilization, especially its culture, influenced the development of Rome's deities any mythology.
Geographical location and proximity between the two civilizations also resulted in frequent communication between the Greeks and people of Rome, according to the National Geographic.
Below is the summarization of some of the widely known gods and goddesses worshipped by the Roman Empire, which were highly likely derived from Greek deities (enclosed in parentheses):
- Jupiter (Zeus)
- Neptune (Poseidon)
- Pluto (Hades)
- Juno (Hera)
- Vesta (Hestia)
- Ceres (Demeter)
- Venus (Aphrodite)
- Mercury (Hermes)
Related Article: Lasers Help Located Roman Goldmine in Spain