Temple of Vesta and the House of the Vestal Virgins

By Gwyne Henke

The Goddess Vesta

• Hearth and home

• Mimics hut

• Door faces east (fire+sun=life)

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Forum_Romanum/_Texts/Huelsen*/2/32.html

Style of Temple

• 20 Corinthian pillars

• Smoke vent

• 46 ft wide

• favissa (trapezoidal pit) inside

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/romanforum/vesta.html

Contents of Temple

• Sacred Fire

• Palladium From Troy by Aeneas?

• No Vesta images

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Vesta

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/

Rebuilding of the Temple• June 15th: Ashes to Tiber

• Fire of Nero (AD 64)Rebuilt by Julia Domna

• By Renaissance, extremely damaged

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/romanforum/vesta.html

The Vestal Virgins

• Tend to the flame

• Girls recruited at 6-10 years

• Vow of cellibacy

• After 30 years, can marry

http://www.historyandwomen.com/2010/05/vestal-virgins-of-rome.html

http://thepinesofrome.blogspot.com/2012/01/numa-pompilius-and-vestal-virgins.html

House of the Vestals

• Behind Temple of Vesta

• East Forum

• 3 story palace

• Numa Pompilius

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vestalvirgins11.jpg

The End

Right:http://www.the-romans.co.uk/home.htm

Left: http://cnes.cla.umn.edu/courses/Rela35073MT1/