Discovered in 1910, nearly two hundred years after the first excavations at Pompeii, the site later dubbed the Villa of Mysteries contained many finds typical of the ruined Roman city, including the ashen outlines its long dead inhabitants. But a cryptic –and remarkably well preserved — series of frescos uncovered inside hinted at a story entirely different than that of the other townsfolk that met their apocalyptic end, along with Pompeii itself, after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Soon enough, it became plainly evident to archaeological authorities that the Villa of Mysteries was in fact as site of worship for that very same Bacchanalian mystery cult and set aside for a certain for a particular ceremony. Close examination of the masterfully executed frescoes revealed the steps of an esoteric ritual, presided over by Bacchus, that aimed to induct upper class females into the rigors of marriage — a psychological preparation for entrance in the next phase of womanhood. 
As depicted on the walls of the Initiation Room, the soon-to-be wed initiate would have been begun by consuming a cup of Kykeon - an intoxicating and possibly hallucinogenic brew — and then be led through a series of mysterious sacraments meant to parallel the scared union of Bacchus and Ariadne. At the end, after a confrontation with the god of love, Eros, the young participant would be fit to marry.
The East was well used to ruler worship and the deification of living people long before the involvement of the Roman Empire in their government. Greece, particularly, was practiced in the art of ruler worship as it had, for several centuries, a series of rulers of different dynasties in quick succession. It was common practice as a legitimate way of showing gratitude and devotion towards a living benefactor to worship them as a god. The Roman inhabitants of Hellenistic Greece were quite used to being worshipped in this manner by their provincials however, their Roman ideals still rejected anyone who tried to put themselves forward. The urge to worship, to show their gratitude, to Augustus seems to have been the strongest ever shown towards a Roman official. It is understandable however, for he brought with him peace after several centuries of war throughout the Empire.
In Asia, a fellowship of Greek cities existed which were responsible for business such as sending ambassadors to the Roman Republic Senate. However, early in the reign of Augustus, this fellowship was strongly linked with the imperial cult for in 29 B.C. they requested permission from Augustus to build a temple in his honour. Nevertheless, either because he wished to avoid resentment, or because he genuine disliked the un-Roman practice, Augustus was very cautious in accepting these divine honors. When the Roman population of two provinces made the same request, Augustus refused them, telling them instead to worship Rome. This did not stop the spread of the imperial cult however, and soon the worship of Augustus was widely diffused in East.
In Egypt, another eastern province, the imperial cult was expressed in slightly different terms. After the death of Cleopatra, Augustus was declared the Pharaoh and therefore he was ex officio a god. By taking this title Augustus was giving his permission for the Egyptians to worship him as was their tradition. His position of Roman Emperor would have been acknowledged within Egypt however, there his first and most recognised title was that of Pharaoh, and it was this title above all others, that gave him his link to the heavens.
On the other hand, the establishment of the imperial cult in the West was pushed more by Augustus than it was by the native people of the provinces. Perhaps Augustus came to see the value of the imperial cult in stimulating loyalty to Rome and himself, for he promoted emperor worship in the western provinces where there had been no previous tradition. To promote his worship and divine right to rule, Augustus and his advisers developed a set of images that were capable of conveying the ideals of the renewed Roman Empire to the Western population. These images often showed his connection to the Roman gods through garlands, wreaths and sacrifices. In 12 B.C the sixty Western tribes of the Celtic gathered at Rhone and elected their first high priests of the imperial cult within their area. Gaius Julius Vercundaris Dubius was elected and eventually rewarded, by Augustus, with Roman citizenship. This was the highest honour a provincial elite could hold. The famous Roman poet Ovid wrote, “under the leadership of Augustus both east and west are Roman soil”.
Despite that, Augustus was not the only Roman trying to promote Emperor worship in the West. Many of the elites living in Africa would have wanted to assert their statues as Romans on the native population. This was done through the introduction of temples and the worship of Roma and the Emperor Augustus. Not only were these monuments erected around the city, but also in private homes. Many families were given Roman citizenship as a reward for their loyalty to the Roman empire.
For further reading see “The Imperial Cult in the Latin West” four volumes by D. Fishwick.
About the Author
Charlotte Gardner, a guest blog writer, is currently studying archaeology at the Australian National University. In her spare time she likes to read and write about eccentric historical moments. Her love of old buildings and older stories was sparked when she visited Italy. One of Charlotte’s greatest wishes is that in a few thousand years her skeleton will be dug up by an archaeological investigation team and put on display in a national museum. You may contact Charlotte via email at: charlotteg86@gmail.com.
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Tags: 29 B.C., ancient egypt, ancient greece, Ancient Rome Store, Cleopatra, Emperor Augustus, Gladiator Arena Helmet III (Brass), Gladiator Thracian Helmet I, Gladiator Thraex Helmet, Hellenic Greece, Hellenistic Greece, Hoplomarchus Gladiator Helmet, imperial cult in ancient rome, Roman Empire
Thracian gladiators were one of the four most common gladiatorial groups in Ancient Rome. They evolved during the 2nd century BC when the Romans discovered the race of warriors in the northern Greece region of Thrace. 
The armor of the gladiators was used to helped draw the crowds to the games and their helmets became works of art. Thracian helmets changed a great deal over the centuries, especially during the reign of Emperor Tiberius, which allows them to be dated depending on their features. Earlier helmets have no visor, leaving the eyes exposed to the attacker while the cheeks are covered with plates, and the narrow rim protecting the face like a hat was only slightly curved. On the other hand, more recent helmets contain a grill covering the eye, a wider rim and a more covered neck piece, as shown in the photo.
