A Classical Insight Into the Separation Between Church and State

Abstract

This paper connects events of the late Roman Republic with the United States of America’s principle of separation of Church and State. Many scholars find similarities between the Roman Republic and the U.S., but do not know the depth of connection or how the founding of the nation was impacted by the classical world. In the first sections of this paper I define the Roman state cult and examples of how it was abused during the turbulence of the late Republic. The next section describes the classical education the Founding Fathers received. There follows an indepth explanation of the creation and support of the principle of separating church and state during the founding of the United States. To conclude, connections are drawn between that principle of separation and the troubling events of the late Roman Republic that the Founding Fathers would have read from classical authors. It is hoped that this paper shows how a study of the classical world offers modern scholars a chance to understand the modern world.