What role did animal sacrifice play in ancient Roman religious rituals?

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Ruins of the Roman Temple of Diana in Evora, Portugal, featuring tall stone columns on a raised stone platform, with historic buildings in the background. — Roman religion Roman temple, known as the Temple of Diana, in Évora, Portugal.

In ancient Roman religious rituals, animal sacrifice was a central practice, considered highly effective for appeasing deities and fulfilling vows. The most common victim was the pig, with sheep and oxen used for more significant occasions. The Romans believed that sacrificing parts of the animal, particularly the heart, liver, and kidneys, revitalized the divinity, enabling them to grant requests. While human sacrifice was generally extraneous to Roman custom, it was occasionally resorted to during severe crises. The act of sacrifice was typically accompanied by prayer, and the offering was often burned as a means of conveying it to the divine recipient.123