Roman Superstitions Out of numina and Etruscan nightmares Lamia – boogeywoman ate children Lemures...

Roman Superstitions

•Out of numina and Etruscan nightmares

• Lamia – boogeywoman ate children

•Lemures – Etruscan ghosts of the

dead

•Werewolves - verspilles

Bad Omens• Stumbling on threshold leaving domus or

crossing with left (sinister) foot• Mentioning fire at a banquet• Cock crow during party• Black cat entering domus• Snakes falling from roof into yard• Anything unnatural (e.g. deformed

births/sweating statues)• Odd number at a party and all fall silent• Bearded woman

• Time Specific – e.g. marriage on specific days• Place Specific – e.g. cutting hair or nails at sea or food falling from hand to floor at banquet• Climate Specific – e.g. lightening flashes

Means of Averting Evil: whistle at lightening, charms & spells (e.g. bulla), burning fallen food to household gods, lick finger and pass behind ear to free of bad thoughts

Big Leagues

• Witches – Vergil says they can draw the moon from the sky

• Carmina – spells, usually love or vengence

• Protection from spells: wolf’s head or wolf’s beard nailed to door

Curses - Defixio

• Dedication of enemy to gods of underworld

• Curse scratched onto lead tablet and nailed to tomb, well, cave, etc.

• Defixiones found as far as Africa, Britain,

and Germany, as well as in Italy

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Religious matters

• Augury – especially birds & other omens

‘sacred chickens’ with army

• Hepatoscopy – Extispicy – organs of

sacrificial victims, especially liver