The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism

The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism is a book by Franz Cumont, first published in 1911. In this seminal work, Cumont explores how Eastern religious traditions—such as those from Persia, Egypt, and Asia Minor—found fertile ground in the religious landscape of the Roman Empire. Drawing upon archaeological, historical, and literary evidence, he charts how cults like Mithraism, the worship of Isis, and the Syrian goddess Atargatis gradually merged with or challenged traditional Roman beliefs.

The book offers insight into how Roman spirituality evolved under the influence of these “oriental” currents, prefiguring later shifts in religious thought, including the eventual rise of Christianity. Cumont’s study remains a foundational text in the study of comparative religion and the cultural syncretism of the ancient world.