By hearing the term Graecus ritus we think of a Greek typology throughout a Roman religious praxis. The eminent, John Scheid (1995), argues that Graecus ritus may sound ‘foreign’ from the traditional Roman way (ritu Romano), but it is not that the case. There was no an original Roman way of religious practices, but, on the other hand Roman religious manner, intergraded neighbour religious customs. The Roman religion consisted of numerous ritus and cintus which regulate the religious mos, νόμο, τρόπο of each single religious practice.

Thus the ritu Romano was similar to the Graecus ritus – it was the same as discussed below. We can look at Ludi saeculares (c.a. 204) and Giovanni Pighi in De ludis saecularibus (1965) and the sacrifice in honour of Juno (2nd of June):

praetextis sumptis et coronis [accitis, de Palatino in Capitolium venerunt. […] Dein --- posita corona et p]raetexta, adsistentibus [[Geta Caes.]] et pr. pr. et ceteris v[v. cc., purificatus per publicos XVvirum manus --- retinens manibus]/[dextera --- et la]eva cultrum op[liq. C]otorium et pateram cum vino, retinente pr{a}ecatione[[m Geta Caes.]] immol[avit I]unoni reginae vaccam alb. Graeco Achivo rit[u hac precatione] (155 f., iv, 4ff)

In the very start of the sacrifice the Septimius Severus and the other priests wearing the toga praetexta and laurel wreaths, which is the only Greek element – Greeks when performed sacrifices were always wreathed. The immolatio – the main sacrificial act – was supposed, as stated in the Latin text, to be performed by Graeco Achiuo ritu, Ἀχαϊστί, with the Greek manner. Whoever, as Pighi presents the immolatio of the victim, it seems has nothing to do with the Greek manner of victims immolation. As Scheid states, “to sacrifice Graeco Achino ritu during a festival Graeco ritu, means that you make sacrifices which are mainly very Roman”, and in minor cases the Greek προ-θυσία might be included, nothing else was non-Roman. Therefore it is extremely unsubstantiated to believe that the Roman sacra Graeco ritu was a Greek way of religious praxis (Ελληνικόν έθος).

Resources: John Scheid, (1995), ‘Graeco Ritu: A typically Roman Way of Honoring he Gods’, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. 97, pp. 15-31.

Giovanni Battista Pighi, (1965), De ludis saecularibus populi romani Quiritium libri sex, (2nd Ed.) (Amsterdam: P. Schippers)