Colonial entanglements and cultic heterogeneity on Rome's Germanic frontier

Roman  expansion  into  the  Rhineland  was  followed  by  centuries  of  religious
entanglements  that  involved  the  interactions  of  individuals  and  communities
with a variety of backgrounds, interests and agendas, and, over time, an array of
cultic narratives and practices was maintained, transformed and abandoned.. The
notion of cultic heterogeneity used in this discussion is informed by the perception
that  all  social  constructs  are  reproduced  through  continuous  affirmation  vis-à-
vis  extent  alternatives.  Cultic  discourse  is  inherently  heterogeneous  due  to  the
discrepant attitudes, abilities and actions of situated agents. This will be explored
by  considering  the  symbolic  narratives  and  ritual  practices  associated  with  the
Hercules Magusanus cult on Rome’s Germanic frontier.