405 BETWEEN AMBITION QUIETISM AND erga patriam as the holiest laws of Nature (sanctissimisque Naturae legibus) 49. The profound attachment to one’s own city and patriae was deeply rooted in the worship of and faithfulness to the local gods. Dio Cassius accuses Anthony of having too lightly embraced the cult of the Egyptian gods and of having turned a cold shoulder to the Roman ones. Such an affront suffices to be discarded as a Roman citizen (Hist. 50.27). However, despite the patriotic appeal of the write above, the number of foreign cults imported to Rome increased exponentially as the Empire expanded its borders (cf. Dio Cassius 6.52.36 and Suetonius, Tib. 36) 50. a) The Imperial Cult in Thessalonica The Macedonian religious situation of the time is defined by the fundamental tendencies carried on by the Greek religion of the Classical and Hellenistic period and by a tolerant attitude vis-à-vis foreign deities 51. The widespread syncretism that characterized the region made the adoption of the worship of Egyptian gods like Isis and Serapis not a difficult task 52. In fact, during the Imperial the closest ties of blood. It remains that piety towards country (thus patri- otism) be set in view. To the majesty of country even the authority of parents, which is equated with the divinities of the gods, subjects its power, and broth- erly affection (fraterna caritas) too yields readily and gladly; with the best of reason, because when a household is overturned the state of the common- wealth may remain intact, but the downfall of a city necessarily drags the household gods of all its inhabitants down with it ... ” ; see also V 6.2,5-6. . V.6.8 : “And now, to pass from individuals to the whole body, with what 49 ardent and steady love of country (amore patriae) was the entire community (civitas) inspired! In the Second Punic War (214 B.C.) when the exhausted treasury did not even suffice for the worship of the gods, the tax farmers approached the Censors on their own initiative and urged them to let out all contracts as though the commonwealth had funds in abundance, promising to meet all requirements themselves and not ask for an as until the war was over ” ; V.6.ext. 5 : “It is evident, therefore, how men of all orders and ages (omnium ordinum, omnis aetatis) have arisen with abundant and unstinting pity towards country (pietatis erga patriam). A wealth of marvellous examples famous worldwide has corroborated the holiest laws of Nature (sanctissi- misque Naturae legibus)”. See COTTER, “The Collegia”, 79. 50 COSMOPOULOS, Macedonia, 51. 51 R. WITT, “The Egyptian Cults in ancient Macedonia”, Ancient Mace- 52 donia I (Institute for Balkan Studies. Papers read at the first International Symposium, 26-29 August 1968; Thessaloniki 1970) 324-333; S. DÜLL, “Die