Abstract
In spite of the great popularity of Greek cults among the citizenhood of the Empire, Roman warriors preferred their Romanized variants only, in combination with deities of the Roman pantheon or local Balkan gods. This fact is explained with Greek cults were widespread among the Thracians long before the Roman occupation and the inhabitants of the Balkans considered Greek gods their own deities. Their names were used in Greek inscriptions by the Roman warriors as equivalents of Roman deities. Hercules appeared in soldiers dedications as the god-protector of the Emperor and his legates, as well as a deity-warrior and healer. The worship of Hercules by the Roman troops is linked with the offi cial character of this cult on one hand, and with warriors of the Greek and Thracian origin who served in the Roman army, on the other hand. Dedications of warriors had strongly Romanized features. A study of this epigraphic material allows the author to link the worship of Hercules with auxiliaries and legions.
Keywords
religion of the Roman army, Greek cults, principate, Hercules, Heracles, auxiliaries, legions
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