Roman Religion and the concept of pietas

Roman religion in ancient times played a large part in every day life. Gods were greatly honoured and many decisions would rely on them. One of the most important aspects of religion was the personification of piety and devotion to duty - pietas. These Roman values differ from the Greek in many ways and Vergil, as a Roman writer, effectively expresses these in the epic, The Aeneid. Vergil's epic includes various references to gods, religious …

…dextraque coruscum extulit ac lateri capulo tenus abdidit ensem." (Vergil, Aeneid Book II, L.550-553) Another example is when Panthus, priest of Apollo, tries to save the city of Troy's gods . "Ecce autem telis Panthus elapsus Achiuum, Panthus Othryades, arcis Phoebique sacerdos, sacra manu uictosque deos paruumque nepotem ipse trahit cursuque amens ad limina tendit." (Vergil, Aeneid Book II, L.318-320) As does Aeneas carry his father, hearthgods and penates out of the burning city.