Trust in the Roman Empire

In the early Roman Empire trust is thought of as working pretty well within families people senses that the family is quite a strong unit. Now you move up to the political level and trust becomes very difficult. Most people's view of the top level of politics of the Emperor and his court is that they are really radically untrustworthy, he says. But ordinary people actually trusting the gods quite a lot and are quite positive about the gods. So whether that is as it were an expression of just need they've got to trust right or if they don't trust their political masters then maybe the gods we will best bet but I'm not certain that's all it's about.