from the Roman Phrygianum near the Vatican, and other evidence show that, thanks
to Julian’s religious politics, the mystery religions enjoyed new favor, even if only
among the pagan cultivated elites. At his court both Etruscan haruspices and
Platonizing Theurgists were active, because Julian wanted to be in touch with both
cosmic and hyper-cosmic gods, whose opinion was known through sacrificial divina-
tion and Theurgical rituals or also through privileged dreams (see Briquel 1997).
Such a religion was hardly understandable and acceptable to the common people,
and in any case it was not given the time to take root more firmly.
Between the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth centuries two late
pagan intellectuals, Martianus Capella and Macrobius, produced works in which the
theology that had been blossoming under Julian was proposed again, even if in
the form of entertainment. Quite surprisingly to us, the Wedding of Mercury and
Philologyby Capella was still interested in the Etruscan pantheon, and Macrobius’
Saturnaliastill stuck up for heliocentric theology, which was peculiar to the pagan
empire from Elagabalus to Julian. In his Commentary to the Somnium Scipionis
Macrobius clarifies his inclination toward Platonism and Pythagorism. The choice
of these two intellectuals was quite singular and elitist in an age when philosophers
and learned people were taking on the office of leaders of the Christian church, and
the few pagans were limiting themselves to non-religious topics, as did Ausonius,
the teacher of the young prince Gratianus. It is true that one of the latest pagan
philosophers, the learned Hypatia, did dare to represent the municipal community
of Alexandria in front of the imperial government, and to pass from the private
speculative level to a public one; but she was lynched by the Christians inad 415.FURTHER READINGThe most important texts, mostly available with English translations in the Loeb library, are:
Cicero, De natura deorumand his Somnium Scipionis, in De republica 6; Lucian, Alexander,
the False Prophet; Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana; Porphyry, On the Cave of the Nymphs
(ed. R. Lamberton, Barrytown, NY, 1983); Julian the Apostate, Hymn to King Helios;
Sal(l)ustius, De deis et mundo(ed. A. D. Nock, Cambridge, 1926); Eunapius, Lives of the
Philosophers and Sophists: The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation(PGMtr) (ed. Hans D. Betz,
Chicago, 1986 [1992^2 ]).
For solar theology see Cumont (1909 b). Festugière (1944 –54) offers the fundamental
edition, translation, and commentary of the Corpus Hermeticum. The best overview of Roman
Pythagoreanism is given by Ferrero (1955). Lewy (1978) analyzes the late antique practices
of Theurgy and the Chaldean oracles. Mastrocinque (2005a) offers a substantial introduction
to Jewish Magic and Gnosticism; ancient magic in general is dealt with by Graf (1997a, 1997b).
Roman intellectual efforts are analyzed by J. Barnes and Griffin (1989). The history of
Roman religion by Liebeschuetz (1979), leading from the republic into late antiquity, remains
thought-provoking.
Creating One’s Own Religion 391