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At the beginning the relations between the citizens in Rome were governed by
the written law - the ancient Roman Code, known as the ‘Laws of XII tables’. They
were regarded as rules of civil, family and criminal law.
Legal, notary approach is typical for ancient Roman religion, which was

formed on the animistic and magical basis, the worship of ancestors and had a
syncretic character. The names and functions of the gods were borrowed from
neighboring peoples (Etruscans, Greeks, Trojans, Thracians), but the relationship

with them was built purely according to the Roman demands. The Roman religion
was based not on faith but on trust (fides), mutual understanding between people (a
state) and countless gods and spirits (Jupiter, Juno, Laramie, Manama, geniuses

etc.). A usual formula sounded in sacrifice was ‘I give you so that you give to me’.
The Romans and even gods were forced to serve the ‘Roman idea’ - the feeling of
having an exclusive history the end, purpose and apex of which is Rome. After the

conquest of Greece and admiration of the Greek culture by the Romans the Roman
pantheon was significantly influenced because 12 main gods were renamed:
Jupiter-Zeus, Neptune-Poseidon, Hera-Juno, Ceres- Demeter, Hestia-Vesta,
Minerva-Athena, Venera-Aphrodite, Mars-Ares, Vulcan-Hephaestus, Hermes-

Mercury, Diana-Artemis, Apollo. The Roman religion continued to remain open
and internally poorly coherent, eclectic system without any limitations of

borrowing religious practices and images of deities from other nations conquered
by Rome.
The state legal system included a well-developed social structure consisting of
the following layers :

• patricias (from the Latin ‘Pater’ – ‘father’) were a higher social class, the
aristocracy, who were the descendants of Romulus’ riders. The patricians elected
the supreme legislative body of Rome - Senate (from Lat. Senes – ‘Senior’);

• plebeians were full citizens, owners who elected senators and at the
universal Roamn assemblies discussed the most important political issue, but did
not have the right to be elected to the office of magistrates. The interests of the

plebeians in the Senate after a long struggle for their rights began to be
represented by ‘tribunes’ who had the right to ‘veto’ (ban) the adoption of laws;
• lumpens were authorized but unfunded segment of the population; people

who lost their property and sources of income living on daily distribution of bread;
• proletarians had only their children that prevented them from participating in
wars - the most worthy thing for true Romans because the armament had to be at
the expense of the militaryman;

• free men (former slaves) who belonged to the powerless population and had
no right to elect and be elected to public office, but were entitled to ownership and
use of land;

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