I am not sure what a political figure could have done to "intervene". Would they try to blame the god for something? Punish the worshippers? Or claim they have been blessed by the god?

It makes sense the history is so intertwined. Jupiter is Zeus reformed. Trying to distinguish them in the beginning would be like trying to find an off-color version. The close contact also muddles the history.

Mitra- god of light. His religion is called Mithraism. The choice of worship is explained in the third paragraph.

"The notion of «religious mobility» has also been proposed as a means of encompassing both religious change consequent on the mobility of people" from earlier in this article, pg 112. I feel this transition is a technique of writing the author implemented well. I did not think I would be introduced to a new concept and then read contradicting points. The author showed critical thinking and provided a solid argument.

Iconography- a collection of images used to symbolize meanings or stories. It is no surprised Egyptians used this, as hieroglyphs also incorporate images in their artwork.

Perhaps an explanation is the gods changed as society changed. Sometimes society is stagnant in growth, and revisiting an old god can add a new interest to the public. It happens today. Bell bottom jeans used to be popular in the 1970s but have recently began making sales again. Yes, it is fashion, but the concept remains the same.

IOM, or Iovi Optimo Maximo, is his full name in Latin. It is called a cult because a person could not practive unless they were initiated into it. The proper term for this type of practice is mystery cult.

While Christianity is definitely a major religion both past and present, I think it is worth noting that Alexander the great ruled before it was invented, therefore making it obsolete to his part of history.

Perhaps the reason behind this is because Greek gods are considered a mythology, not a religion. With this difference, anybody could create a story or a new figure. Religion has specific rules and a determined list of figures. This difference in freedom allowed the seemingly infinite figures and names. Not to mention, there are probably more lost to local towns.

Isis original Egyptian name is Aset, translating to "queen of the throne." This would definitely help spread her popularity. Perhaps she is nationally worshipped because every culture ties a significance to death and healing.

I believe a great example of this is Greek versus roman gods. Greek gods came first, the adapted by Romans. Greek gods are less cohesive as some gods have many variations of the same story. Roman gods were able to look at Greek gods and be inspired (and unified) to create their own stories.

Oriental religion/Cult is defined as "originating in Anatolia and the Fertile Crescent" by the Oxford Classical dictionary. Interestingly enough, I found an article titled "Why Were The 'Oriental Cults' Invented" by Andrzej Gillmeister and Danuta Musial.

The reason an eagle is Jupiter's symbol is because they were believed to have oracle, or prophetic, properties. They were divine and as such, only the most powerful god could have one. The thunderbolt is also a symbol because Jupiter is the god of skies and everything with it. Ribbon is a headpiece and crown for victory.

I agree, seeing as it is difficult to pick and choose a battle to display. Not to mention people are not fighting battles constantly. There could be a 10 years difference, but no one needs to know that.

Considering the Romans destroyed the city, they might have targeted military art especially. They might have wanted to show complete dominance by erasing all of Cathage's victories and key aspects.

Visual compranda- a visual aid which helps compare something. This is in the context of not having enough crowns that we can compare each with. Overall, there were only five types of crowns. They also had very simple designs. For the most part, it was slim and portrayed as leaves.

A tragic love story. Cleary, people at time had a lot of pride. They would rather die than be held captive. While this is still held today, it is nearly not as popular as it was before. It is also very similar to the ancient samurai Japanese practice of seppuku.

As they say, history is written by the winners. Despite the many battles and deaths, Rome will have the upper hand because they won. They will be placed on a higher pedestal.

Even in death, kings had power. Not only does it display that, it also represents their position of power. Everything is meant to be a show of authority.

With this humble decline, they show that they are willing to put away their pride of victor. They honor the king by not letting him "waste their time" on them.

Another action with a political motive. Similar to how Alexander had a mass marriage at Susa in 324, Caesar clearly wanted to be connected to the royal family. It is still unusual, as political ties are made through marriage. Caesar clearly saw an opportunity and took it.

In this situation, both Cleopatra and Caesar are equals. Like most wars, there is always a hidden political agenda. Caesar improved his reputation in both lands by appearing charitable and sympathetic.

This is a good point, since race had a clear role in this. Showing race means showing a true depiction of what happened. It adds a layer of history to it. It is interesting that in U,S history, being black meant being a slave. While Rome did have slaves, they were not predominantly black.

A democratic approach to a reward normally not received. It is appropriate when considering democracy was first conceived in Greece. It is indeed an honor only given to a handful of people.

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