Roman Roles and practices in the Temple Flashcards
How many pontifices were there usually at a time?
15
What were the most important priests in the roman world?
pontifices
What was the leader of the pontifices called?
pontifex maximus
Who and when was the first emperor to be given the pontifex maximus post?
Augustus in 13BC
After 13 BC who always held the Pontifex maximus role?
the emperor
What the the term ‘pontifex’ translate to and what does it also allude to?
-it translated to ‘bridge builder’
-alludes to the priest’s role as a mediator between men and the gods
What were the 4 roles of the pontifices?
-protections of the temple
-overseeing of burial practices
-overseeing of inheritance laws
-supervision of the religious calender
What were pontifices seen as in roman society?
-very powerful
-high status
True or False
Politicians wanted to become Pontifices
True
because of the powers Pontifices held in roman religion
What was the main job of Augurs?
taking the auspices
What were the auspices?
reading the flight of birds or reading the behaviour of animals or direction of thunder to work out what the gods wanted
What was the symbol of office for an augury?
lituus - staff with a curved end used in their ceremonies
TRUE OR FALSE:
Augurs were only necessary in public life
False!
they were necessary in both public and private life
When might an augur be called? (2 examples)
Any of:
-before a battle
-before a marriage
-before a business transaction
Why were priestly college’s popular to join?
because they had the power to read the will of the gods
What were a lot of Augurs accused of doing?
taking bribes to give good or bad omens
Who were the vestal virgins?
priestess who represented the only female priesthood in rome
How many vestal virgins were there?
6
What did the vestal virgins do?
tend the sacred fire of vesta
Who was vesta ?
the goddess of the Hearth
what was the hearth?
the main fire in a house
who selected the vestal virgins?
the pontifex maximus
between what age were the vestal virgins chosen?
between 6 and 10
What type of family did a vestal virgin have to come from?
an elite senatorial family with two living parents
What vow did the vestal virgins take?
a vow to chastity for 30 years
What is chastity?
abstaining from sexual intercourse
What is the flame the vestal virgins tend to supposed to be?
the flame which was brought to rome from troy by Aeneas
What would happen if the fire of vesta ever went out?
Rome would fall
What was kept inside of the temple of vesta apart from the fire of vesta?
important state documents and the wills of important romans
What did the vestal virgins make?
mola salsa
what is mola salsa?
a mixture used as part of sacrifice of animals
What privileges were given to vestal virgins? (list 2)
- able to own their own property
- front row seats at games
What would happen if a vestal virgin was caught to have broken their vows?
- the vestal virgin is burned alive
- the man responsible would be whipped to death
Where did augurs get their origins from?
Greece
what origin is haruspex of?
Etruscan
How did haruspex interpret signs from the gods?
by examining the entrails of an animal that had been sacrificed
What would a Haruspex analyse? (list 3 things)
-how an animal fell to the ground
-the smoke and flames as an animal is burned on the altar
-the entrails of the animal
What was the most important organ to a haruspex ?
the liver
What would a haruspex check for in the entrails of an animal?
abnormalities like blood spots
Why was a haruspex necessary?
to avoid the wrath of the gods (ira deorum) as they could tell whether a sacrifice had a bad omen or not.
In state sacrifices who would lead it?
Pontifex maximus
who would lead smaller sacrifices?
a private citizen
What would all participants ensure before the sacrifice?
that they were clean in order not to pollute the sacrifice and would dress in their best clothes
How was an animal prepared?
by gilding the horns or tying ribbons to its tails or horns
What was good omen when the animal was led to the altar?
if the animal did it willingly
What would the presiding priest wear?
he would veil his head with a toga
Why would flute player join the procession of the sacrificial animal?
to stop any noises that would scare the animal
What would a priest sprinkle on the animals head before it was killed?
mola salsa
What would sprinkling mola salsa cause an animal to do and what did this mean?
nod , this meant the animal agreed to the ritual taking place
What did the priest do after the animal nodded in a sacrifice?
utter a prayer to the god, offering the animal into their care
Who was a Popa and what would they do?
an official at a roman sacrifice they would strike the animal on the head to stun it
Who was a Cultrarius and what would they do?
an offical at a roman sacrifice that would slit the throat of the animal
What was important about the way an animal died in a roman sacrifice?
that the animal dies with one single blow
What would happen once an animal was killed at a roman sacrifice ?
the feast began and none of the animal went to waste.
Who received their share of the sacrifice first and why?
the god because they were most important
What was done before the sacrifice was given to the god?
-the priest would utter a prayer stating the god’s name and reason for the sacrifice.
-the entrails of the animal were read and then were cooked and offered to the gods
What was done to the leftover meat, not given to the god?
it was cut up and shared with the wider community
Who was first to eat in a state sacrifice?
the priests, then the senate, then the elite citizens
What were the benefits of sharing the meat of the sacrifice for the romans?
meat was not a common part of Roman diet so this was rare occasion to eat meat.
in a private sacrifice who was the meat shared between?
the participants
