Religion - Priesthood and Rituals

Question 1

What are some powers of the Pontifex Maximus?

Answer 1

• head of the college/priesthood of the 16 pontifices (pontiffs)
• control over the religious calendar –> can fix holy days
• jurisdiction over ALL priests (it seems like so) including Vestal Virgins
• provided instructions for religious observances

Question 2

When did Lepidus die?

Answer 2

12BC

Question 3

What are some functions that Augustus undertook?

Answer 3

Augur

Fetialis

Quindecimvir

Septemvir

Question 4

Augustus “restored several rituals from ancient ceremonies which had gradually died away” - Suetonius

What are several of these rituals?

Answer 4

Lupercalia

Augury of Safety

Cult of the Lares

Compitalia Festival (festival of crossroads)

Ludi Seculares - 17BC

Question 5

What was Augustus’ intentions for reviving the Secular Games?

Answer 5

Signify the end of one age and the beginning of a new Golden Age

Question 6

Define:

Secular

Answer 6

“Saeculum”

Century

There was a faint tradition that 100 years was a span of time that should be marked by religious observances

Question 7

When were previous Secular Games held?

Answer 7

249BC
149BC

Not in 49BC due to civil war

Question 8

How did Augustus hold the Games even though technically it had been more than 100 years?

Answer 8

Used the Sibylline oracles to provide convenient arithmetic

Proper saeculum of 110 years

Question 9

Explain:

Role of Augurs

Answer 9

Official diviners (16)

Interpreted signs (Sky phenomena - bird watching - weather and animal entrails)

Discover the will of the gods

Powerful political position

Question 10

Explain:

Role of a Fetialis

Answer 10

Priest responsible for the declaration of war and conduct of treaties

Augustus declared war on Egypt as Fetialis

Question 11

Explain:

Role of a Quindecimvir

Answer 11

Guardians of the Sibylline books - Greek oracles written in verse and purchased by Tarquinius Superbus from a sibyl

Supervised (and suppressed) foreign religions

Question 12

Translate:

The official priesthood of Apollo

Answer 12

Flamen Dialis

Vacant for 75 years

Question 13

Explain:

Functioning of the Lupercalia + date

Answer 13

15th of Feb

Two teams of young men (Luperci) running naked through the streets and touching girls and women

Sacrifice of goats and a dog

Augustus forbade adolescents from participation due to dubious goings on

Connected to the story of Romulus and Remulus and she-wolf

Question 14

Explain:

Intention of the Compitalia Festival

Answer 14

(Field of crossroads)

January - marked the end of the agricultural year

Encouraged a sense of unity in the city

Question 15

Explain:

The Cult of the Lares

Answer 15

Established in association with the Compitalia Festival

Shrines - Lares Compitalia had to be “adorned twice a year with spring and summer flowers”

Established the shrines in each of the 265 areas of Rome - bringing religion to all

Lares - gods of the household
_ controlled destiny
_ spirits of dead ancestors

Became linked to the Genius of Augustus

Question 16

Explain:

Systematic preparation of the public for the Secular Games

Answer 16

20BC - Parthian disgrace made good
Purged Senate
18BC - Laws on morals passed

Question 17

Give:

Key leitmotifs of the Secular Games and new imagery

Answer 17

Virtus

Mos Maiorum

Blessing of children

Question 18

To whom did Augustus make night time sacrifices to?

What did he sacrifice?

Answer 18

Moirai (Fates)
 For
_ health, wellbeing, victory of Roman people and legions
_ increase of empire
- priest hoods
_ himself and family

Eilethyiai (helpers in childbirth)

Terra Mater (Earth mother)
_ as a goddess of fertility
_ pregnant sow

Question 19

To whom did Augustus make day time sacrifices to?

Answer 19

Jupiter and Juno - Capitol

Apollo, Diana, Latona (mother) - Palatine

Question 20

During the SGs, what did children do before the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine?
Mothers seek from Juno?

Answer 20

Sang the Carmen Saeculare (by Horace)

Blessings for state and family

Question 21

In what ways were the principal themes of the archaic rituals in contrast to previous games?

Answer 21

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