WORLD CIVILIZATION

Detailed explanation-1: -The gods and goddesses of Greek culture significantly influenced the development of Roman deities and mythology. Due to Rome’s geographic position, its citizens experienced frequent contact with the Greek peoples, who had expanded their territories into the Italian peninsula and Sicily.

Detailed explanation-2: -Roman mythology also draws directly on Greek mythology, potentially as early as Rome’s protohistory, but primarily during the Hellenistic period of Greek influence and through the Roman conquest of Greece, via the artistic imitation of Greek literary models by Roman authors.

Detailed explanation-3: -The most important gods to the Romans were the Greek gods from Mount Olympus. The Greek gods were given Roman names, for example, Zeus became Jupiter.

Detailed explanation-4: -Due to the presence of Greek colonies on the Lower Peninsula, the Romans adopted many of the Greek gods as their own. Religion and myth became one. Under this Greek influence, the Roman gods became more anthropomorphic – with the human characteristics of jealousy, love, hate, etc.