The concept of ‘god’ forms an important part of the broader category of ‘Roman Religion’ but it is not identical with it. In other words, this book is limited to the single concept that was normally labeled ‘deus’ by the inhabitants of Rome. It refers to other concepts which belong to the sphere of ‘Roman Religion’ only as constituents of this concept of ‘god’. These constituent concepts could not be discussed in their own right due to the lack of space and in order not to blur the clarity of the main argument. Before embarking on my own project I will attempt to sketch some main lines of interpretation in modern scholarship. These lines are not always clearly visible and straight. There aawere numerous intersections and revisions not only in the work of adherents of different schools, but often within the œuvre of a single scholar. Since it would be presumptuous to try to summarize here the tortuous path of scholarship on Roman religion in general I will concentrate on those aspects that are relevant to my own enterprise. Although the concept of ‘god’ cannot always be completely detached from the wider term ‘Roman religion,’ emphasis, as I have said above, will be laid on the former.