The influence of Roman rites on key events in Ancient Rome. At the battle of Marathon, the Spartans, celebrating Apollo, did not immediately come to Athenians’ rescue: religion took precedence over military strategy. Was this also the case with the Romans? What role did rituals play in Roman life? In this research, I looked at the influence of different rites in political and military contexts. I also created a classification of the different types of rites and compared two Greek and Roman texts on a major battle, that of Lake Trasimeno. In conclusion, rites perpetually dictated and punctuated Roman life as they were perceived to be an integral part of the contract between the Gods and the people.