[Kadelake]

I'm surprised that people would find Rome an example of avoiding mixing religion and government. What have given you that idea? That they refused the idea of a divinely appointed king? To me they seem like one of the most extreme example of government and religion combined.

Religious rites was a natural part of government and warfare. Decisions was made according to auguries, consulting the sacred chickens and so on. What's interesting with the Republic is that government itself was sacred. There where sacred offices making the elected official sacrosanct (Tribunes, Censors). The constitution and practices of government where venerated like religious rites. The Romans tolerated and even embraced other religions and most saw no problem in holding several contradictory beliefs. But they tolerated no opposition to the sacred rites of the foremost deity of them all: the Republic itself. Later this divinity of the state was transferred to the emperor.