It was then that the noun paganus was coined to mean 'country dweller, villager', and unlike what many may think, this term was not mean as an insult at first. As the Roman Empire strengthened paganus came to mean 'civilian'. It was only after the Roman introduction of the aqueduct system of transporting water throughout the Roman cities that it began to have negative connotations, and did not actually become a slur until it was adopted by Middle English speaking Christians to refer to those who would not embrace Christianity.

The above etymology gives us our greatest clues as to what "paganism" is for quite literally it is the religions of the common folk, the country dwellers who, rather than travel miles to the
nearest church or temple, would practice the rites and rituals of their faith within more familiar surroundings. The arrangement was acceptable in ancient times because the "upper class" churchgoers who lived in town did not want to worship beside the country dwelling churchgoers who did not wear fancy clothes to worship (mostly because they had none), and who often smelled of the fields they toiled in (which may have been a noble thing in poetry and prose but is a little less inspiring on a hot morning in a crowded temple). Modern Pagans are those who have chosen to make their religion "something stuck in the ground as a landmark". Many of them are "eclectic" meaning they mix and match what suits them.

2) ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAGANISM? Yes there are. Even in ancient times "pagans" were of a variety of paths. This was due to the fact that allowed to practice their religion at home, they were able to make changes in the rites based on necessity and convenience that churches would not make for decades, possibly centuries. Over time, these "paths" developed into different religions.

At the end of any given century, or during times of great societal distress (such as the Great Depression) historians have noticed that there always seem to be certain upheavals in the mindset of a populace, especially in the area of religion. These upheavals (such as the period from 1870 to 1900) are often the birthing points for recreations of past religions. Wicca and Neodruidry are the two largest examples of religious recreations born out of societal distress.

The following are some of the larger classifying groups under the Pagan umbrella: