Religious acculturation and assimilation in Belgic Gaul and Aquitania from the Roman Conquest until the end of the Second Century CE : selected aspects
The prevailing opinion regarding Gallo-Roman religion, expressed by Jullian, Hubert, ThĂ©venot, Duval, Hatt and Wightman, is that it was a fusion between the two religions. Scholars who dissent from this view can be divided into two different groups. On the one hand, Woolf contends that, during a formative period of Gallo-Roman civilisation, there was a partial abandonment of the Gallic rites, that Roman religion came to be understood to be better as well as different, and that Gallo-Roman religion offered more spiritually as well as materially. On the other hand, Vendryes, Le Roux, Guyonvarcâh and BenoĂźt hold that the Gallic deities continued to be worshipped, some under a Roman guise, others in their original pre-Roman form; however, they accept aniconism, atectonism and the reports that the Romans stopped human sacrifice and headhunting. I agree, for the most part, with Vendryes, Le Roux, Guyonvarcâh and BenoĂźt, but directly oppose Woolf. I argue, not only that the worship of the Gallic deities continued, but also that Gallic religion already made use of anthropomorphic images and formal structures before the Roman Conquest, that the disappearance of human sacrifice was wrongly attributed to the Romans
Watson, Alasdair John Malcolm
Religious acculturation and assimilation in Belgic Gaul and Aquitania from the Roman Conquest until the end of the Second Century CE : selected aspects. The prevailing opinion regarding Gallo-Roman religion, expressed by Jullian, Hubert, ThĂ©venot, Duval, Hatt and Wightman, is that it was a fusion between the two religions. Scholars who dissent from this view can be divided into two different groups. On the one hand, Woolf contends that, during a formative period of Gallo-Roman civilisation, there was a partial abandonment of the Gallic rites, that Roman religion came to be understood to be better as well as different, and that Gallo-Roman religion offered more spiritually as well as materially. On the other hand, Vendryes, Le Roux, Guyonvarcâh and BenoĂźt hold that the Gallic deities continued to be worshipped, some under a Roman guise, others in their original pre-Roman form; however, they accept aniconism, atectonism and the reports that the Romans stopped human sacrifice and headhunting. I agree, for the most part, with Vendryes, Le Roux, Guyonvarcâh and BenoĂźt, but directly oppose Woolf. I argue, not only that the worship of the Gallic deities continued, but also that Gallic religion already made use of anthropomorphic images and formal structures before the Roman Conquest, that the disappearance of human sacrifice was wrongly attributed to the Romans
religious acculturation assimilation gaul roman_conquest end select_aspect prevail opinion regard gallo_roman religion express tha fusion religion scholars dissent view divide_two different_group one_hand contend formative_period gallo_roman civilisation partial abandonment gallic rites roman_religion come understood well well different gallo_roman religion offer spiritually well materially hand hold gallic deity continue roman guise others original pre_roman form however accept report romans stop human sacrifice agree part directly oppose argue worship gallic deity continue also gallic religion already make_use anthropomorphic image formal structure roman_conquest disappearance human sacrifice wrongly attribute romans