Temples and Priests Flashcards
templum
Originally described a patch of land which had been set aside and made holy for the gods
Design influenced by
- Etruscans
* Greeks
Describe the design
- rectangular
- built on a high podium
- steps (closer to the gods)
- porch area
- cella surrounded by columns of a colonnade
- underground chamber or extra room behind the cella to store treasure dedicated to the god
Describe the cella
• main room • the statue of the tor to whom the temple was dedicated • no seats or other furniture • no windows •
Temple believed to be
The home of the god; no worship took place inside the temple
Sacrifice took place
At the altar in the open air outside the front of the temple
The Pantheon
- ‘All gods’
- first commissioned in time of Augustus
- present form dates to 126CE - reign of Hadrian
- one grand circular space, curved and vaunted ceiling, central opening to the sky (feel closer)
Priests job
- ensures the various religious rituals were performed correctly
- closely tied to pitiful - priesthoods went to influential elite
College
Committees of priests
Had different functions in the religious life of the state
Introduced by Numa Pompilius
The pontifices general
- most important
- pontifex - bridge builder
- king’s main religious advisors
- new pontifex elected by vote among current pontifices
- 15
The pontifices jobs
- protection of all temples
- regulation of the laws regarding burials and cemeteries
- supervision of the religious calendar
- overseeing of laws regarding wills and inheritance
- consulted on points of religious law
- kept ‘pontifical books’ which recorded all the religious prodigies (thunder from clear skies, statues sweating blood)
Pontifex Maximus
- chief priest - ‘greatest pontiff’
- official residence in the forum ‘domus publica’ between the House of the Vestal Virgins and the Via Sacra
- carried out religious duties from the Regia ‘house of the king’
- part time role
- 63BCE - Julius Caesar elected
- emperor was automatically
- 4th century CE- Pope
flamines
- 15
- priesthoods attached to one particular god (e.g. Flamen Dialis (Jupiter))
- Falacer, Furrina
- Mark Antony was flamen to divus Iulius
College of augurs
- second most important
- interpreted the will of the gods (looked for signs and omens - flight of birds for example or thunder and lighting, behaviour of animals)
- ‘taking the auspices’
- central to war, business and marriage
lituus
Augur’s rod
Used to define the region of land or sky from where he would read omens
Sacred chickens
- taken to military campaigns for augury
- never started battle without taking the auspices
- pieces of cake dropped in front of them- if they didn’t come out to eat, flew away or flapped their wings and cackled it was a bad sign. If they gobbled up the cake and bits fell from their beak, it was a favourable omen
Quindecimviri Sacris Faciundis
- Fifteen men in charge of conducting the rites
* guardians of the Sibylline books- in charge of introducing Greek rites into Roman religion
Septemviri Epulones
- Seven men in charge of feasts
- helped the pontifices oversee arrangements for public sacrifices and the feasts
- introduced in 196BCE
Fetiales
Responsible for the rituals incoming going to eat to ensure that the war was supported by the gods and was therefore a ‘just war’
College of Vestal Virgins
- consisted of the only major female priests of Rome
- 6 priestesses of the goddess Vesta
- tensed the fire in her temple in the Roman forum
- fire was symbolic of the ‘hearth of the state’ and therefore its security - terrible omen if it went out
Describe the temple of Vesta
- round
- smaller
- no cult state
- sacred fire - from the ashes of Troy by Aeneas
- hole in roof
- store-House containing the palladium and fascinum
What was the palladium?
statue of Athena said to have been brought from Troy
What was the fascinum?
Erect phallus believe to symbolise fertility
Selection of Vestal Virgins
- huge honour for girl and fam
- chosen from senatorial families
- between the ages of six and ten
- free of physical and mental defects
- two living parents
After selection
- vow of chastity
- first 10 years as novice, learning trade
- next 10 years performing most of the Vestal’s duties
- last 10 years teaching novices
Vestal duties
- guard the sacred flame to ensure it never went out
- bake mola sansa
- attend certain important state sacrifices
- act ad guardians of important documents (wills, state treaties)
mola sansa
Sacred flour used at state sacrifices
Privileges of a Vestal Virgins
- lictor (escort) to guard them
- seats if honour at the games in Rome
- freedom to own property, make wills and vote
- palatial residence in the forum next to the temple of Vesta - 3 storeys high, open air courtyard, pool
Punishments of Vestal Virgins
- whipped if they let the flame go out
- buried alive if broke vow of chastity
- lover was publicly whipped to death
Tarpeia
- approached Sabine camp offering to let them in the city in exchange for ‘what they bore on their left arms’ hoping for bracelets
- crushed her to death with their shield
- Romans hurled her dead body from a sheer cliff on the Capitoline Hill - called Tarpeian Rock - became place of execution for Rome’s most notorious traitors
Vestal Virgins at Festivals
- ones which promoted fertility and the health of the city
- Vestalia
- Bona Dea - 4th December - associated with fertility, healing and women - secret rites conducted by the wife of a senior magistrate, assisted by Vestal virgins at senior magistrates house. No men. Sacrifice of pig probs
