Pascal's wager

[Angrboda]

For Romans piety is nothing more than "be always mindful of Pascal's wager where any god, yours or someone else's, is concerned". That's why Roman can get along so well with so many local gods and religions.

It's only with Judiasm and Christianity that religion began to reach for the murderous moral and intellectual totalitarianism that characterises the superstitiion of the next 2000 years.

Well that's a different wager, which would be "Don't offend any gods..." as opposed to "choose belief in them".

Worship was required for the emperor at times, and even heirs and representatives. So, no, it wasn't all that different throughout the entire history of the Imperium.

(See )