FM> DB> Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire suggests that, while 
he
FM> DB> government and the population regarded pagan belief as equally true, 
the
FM> DB> philosophers regarded it as equally false, and the Roman emperors as
FM> DB> equally useful.  St. Paul's succeess with Christianity was in making 
it
FM> DB> a little *more* useful.
FM>   I don't think anybody really knows what kind of experience of order
FM>permitted the Pontifex Maximus to continue to celebrate the official Roman
FM>religious rites while as philosophers not subscribing to the various 
religion
FM>of the "people."  It seems to be obvious, though, that these rites had 
quite
FM>convenient points of merger with the dominant sect.
I think we can see an analogy with our own century.  During the Roman
Republic, deeply held tribal beliefs were acted out in concert by large
numbers of people who needed no prompting to do so.  During the
Empire period much of this came apart at the seams.  Spengler had
a lot to say about this transition, rightly or wrongly.  He pointed
out that although the Roman religion became decadent during the
Empire period, the temples kept getting bigger and more grandiose.
 * SLMR 2.1a * Judging from the taste I'd say the other one was Shinola.
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