Death and Burial(Rome) Flashcards
What happened in the first century AD that made Romans respect death
An aristocrat, Pliny, wrote to his friend regarding a ghost that haunted his house
How was Romans views on death similar to Greeks
-They gave everyone a proper burial
-They buried outside the city to remove pollution
Where were Romans buried
Along roads to the city
What would the wealthy do to ensure the dead are provided for
Invest heavily in funerals
What was the main option for the poor to ensure the dead are provided for
Funerary clubs
What are funerary clubs
Workers of the same trade would collectively pay for a funeral
What would happen in a larger funerary club
Members may be buried in a club tomb or burial ground
What would a relative of the dying person do at the moment of their death
Capture the last breath of the person with a kiss and call out their name
What happened to the deceased body in the preparation stage
Body was washed and perfumed and dressed in their nicest clothes
Why was coin placed in their motuh
Payment for the ferryman Charon
Where would the body be placed if they were wealthy
In the atrium
How long would a wealthy body stay in the atrium for
8 days
When did the funerary procession start
8 days after death
Who was involved in the funerary procession
-Family
-Slaves
-Freedmen
-Flute and horn players
-professional mourners
What would family wear at the funerary procession
Wax funerary masks of ancestors
What did the wax funerary masks symbolise
Acceptance of the deceased into the afterlife by ancestors
