s of national danger.

*The decree of the Senate against Bacchanalian societies: 186 B. C.* But
Greek influence in the sphere of religion went deeper than the
identification of Greek and Roman divinities, for the emotional cult of
Bacchus with its mystic ceremonies and doctrines made its way into Italy
where religious associations for its celebration were formed even in Rome
itself. The demoralizing effects of this worship called forth a senatorial
investigation which resulted, as we have seen, in the suppression of these
associations. A similar action was taken with regard to the Chaldean
astrologers, banished from Italy in 139 B. C.

*The worship of the Great Mother.* Of a different character was the cult
of the Great Mother officially introduced into Rome in the year 204 B. C.
This was in essence a native nature worship of Asia Minor, disguised with
a veneer of Hellenism. It was the first of the so-called Oriental cults to
obtain a footing in the Roman world.

*Skepticism and Stoicism.* Although the formalities of religion in so far
as they concerned public life were still scrupulously observed, there was
an ever increasing skepticism with regard to the existence and power of
the gods of the Graeco-Roman mythology. This was especially true of the
educated classes, who were influenced to a certain extent by the
rationalism of Euhemerus, whose work on the origin of the gods had been
translated by Ennius, but much more by the pantheism of the Stoic
philosophy. The Stoic doctrines, with their practical ethical
prescriptions, made a strong appeal to the Roman character and found an
able expositor in Panaetius of Rhodes who taught under the patronage of
Scipio Aemilianus.

*Public festivals.* Of great importance in the life of the city were the
annual public festivals or games, of which six came to be regularly
celebrated by the middle of the second century, each lasting for several
days. Five of these were celebrated by the aediles, one by the city
praetor. A fixed sum was allotted by the state to defray the expenses of
these exhibits, but custom required that this must be largely supplemented
from the private purse of the person in charge. In this way the aedileship
afforded an excellent opportunity to win public favor by an exhibition of
generosity. To the original horse and chariot races there came to be added
scenic productions, wild beast hunts, and gladiatorial combats, in
imitation of those exhibited by private