A Prologue to Roman Petitionary Prayer

Abstract

For the ancient Romans, the wording of prayers was a matter of crucial importance. In response to his own question, “do ritual words and incantations possess any power?” Pliny adduces numerous examples of the scrupulous use of prayers and incantations at every period of Roman history and in all areas of life to show that the Romans, in his opinion, both publicly and privately, maintained a genuine belief in the power of ritual words (28.10–11). Roman cult, especially that of the state, set high value on the careful repetition of precise formulae, which long experience had shown to be an effective means of communicating with the divine beings whose good-will was essential for the safety and prosperity of the state and its citizens. In their private lives as well, the Romans used numerous religious formulae to express their thoughts and feelings. There were formulae for capturing the attention of the gods, declaring the purpose of prayers, setting forth requests, and identifying beneficiaries. In the state cult, much effort was invested in practices that assured the preservation and correct repetition of traditional formulae. At the same time, the necessity for precise identification of divinities and requests required adaptability to varying situations. The study of prayer language shows both synchronic and diachronic variations which evidence this quality.

Ex homine remediorum primum maximae quaestionis et semper incertae est polleantne aliquid verba et incantamenta carminum.

Pliny, Historia Naturalis 28.10