Culture And Context Flashcards
What was a temple usually thought as?
A house where a divine being lived
Where in a temple did the Romans keep gifts for the Gods?
In their treasuries
Where was the architecture of the temples inspired from?
The Greeks
Name 2 features of a Roman or Greek temple
Tall columns, decorative sculpture
Who was the pantheon built by and who was it dedicated to?
It was built by Marcus Agrippa and was dedicated to all the gods at once
What does the name ‘pantheon’ mean?
Everything divine
Which emperor rebuilt the pantheon?
Emperor Hadrian
Where is the pantheon?
Rome
Why did romans have priests and priestesses?
So they could look to them to help them understand the will of the gods
Which priest lived his whole life under special restrictions?
Flamen Dialis
Why did many Romans want to be a priest?
For the social prestige
What did the restrictions that Flamen Dialis had affect in his life?
These restrictions affected what he could eat, wear and do.
To mark Flamen Dialis’s importance, what did the Romans do?
They paid for his house and automatically made him a member of the senate
What did the prayers at a sacrifice state clearly?
They stated clearly which God or Goddess they were giving the sacrifice to and if the sacrifice was being made in thanks for something, it stayed clearly what that was.
How was the sacrifice taken up to the Gods?
The animals thigh bone would be wrapped in fat and burned and the smoke would take the sacrifice up to the Gods
If a sacrifice to the Gods was too expensive, what could a Roman do instead?
They could offer a libation
Name two ways a libation offering could be made:
It could be placed in a bowl on an altar and a prayer would be said telling the God or Goddess that it was a gift for them. Another way is that it could be a libation to the Gods of the underworld so it was poured straight onto the ground
Name 4 liquids Romans would offer to the Gods as a libation:
Wine, honey, oil, milk
How could a Roman get a God to punish someone else?
They could write on a small tablet called a Defixiones
What materials were curse tablets made out of?
Thin sheets of lead, clay, wood or papyrus (an early type of paper)
Name three places curse tablets were put after they were written:
They were often rolled up and thrown into water, buried in the ground or placed somewhere significant such as a tomb
What was the place of perfect happiness in the underworld called?
Elysium or the Elysian Fields
Why would a Roman go to the Elysian Fields?
They would go if they had lived a particularly good life
What was the bad part of the underworld called?
Tartarus
When did Romans believe punishment was going to happen?
Romans believed that the Gods would inflict a punishment before death
Which god did Saturnalia honour?
Saturn
What made celebrations of the Saturnalia different from most other Roman festivals?
Everyone in Rome participated, even slaves
What’s the best part of celebrating Saturnalia?
The banquet because everyone attends, and it’s all to honour Saturn
Which animals did the Romans sacrifice for Lupercalia?
Dogs and goats
Why might a Roman wish to be struck with a bloody strip of goat skin during the Lupercalia?
Because it was thought that it would help anyone who was struck to have a baby.
Which gods did chariot racing usually honour?
Sol and luna
How many horses pulled a chariot?
4-6
How many chariots competed in a race?
4-12
What were the four colours of chariot teams?
Red, white, blue or green
How many laps were there in a typical chariot race?
7 laps
What were gladiatorial shows originally part of?
Funeral ceremonies
Did gladiators always fight to the death?
No
Name the most famous gladiatorial arena in Rome:
The colosseum
What was the name of the main race track in Rome?
Circus Maximus
What did Chariots look like?
The Roman chariot was a two- or four-wheeled cart usually pulled by horses. The chariots used in racing were two-wheeled and made of wood so that they were lightweight. This made the chariots perfect for maneuvering around the track; however, it would have provided little protection for the rider.
What was the Circus Maximus like?
Because of its size, the Circus Maximus could host huge gatherings and so was a popular venue during the games. Like in the Colosseum’s games, there were races and entertainment all day, it was about the races but also being at the venue and mixing with a wider section of society.
Who was Spartacus?
Spartacus was a Roman slave and gladiator who led a revolt against Rome, which turned into the Third Servile War.
Name an item of clothing a secutor wore:
A greave
Name the 5 gladiators:
Secutor, murmillo, hoplomachus, retiarus, thraex
Why was the murmillo called the fishman?
Because he had a fish on his helmet
What weapons did a retarius have?
Trident, dagger, net
