Priesthoods of RomePriesthoods of Rome(State Religion)(State Religion)
The Priesthoods of RomeThe Priesthoods of Rome
The ceremonies and methods of divinationThe ceremonies and methods of divination Romans gave credit to Numa PompiliusRomans gave credit to Numa Pompilius
Predecessor: Romulus = the god QuirinusPredecessor: Romulus = the god Quirinus Early days: King:Early days: King:
army and religious practicesarmy and religious practices Often out of RomeOften out of Rome Fear gods being offendedFear gods being offended
Read #22 – Institution of PriesthoodsRead #22 – Institution of Priesthoods
Author:Author:
Summary:Summary:
QUESTION:QUESTION:
Which priesthoods were Which priesthoods were introduced?introduced?
The Pontifices - 16The Pontifices - 16 Overall in charge of state religionOverall in charge of state religion
Made judgementsMade judgements Lay down and interpret rulesLay down and interpret rules Regulate the religious calendarRegulate the religious calendar Fix dates of feasts of unfixed dates Fix dates of feasts of unfixed dates
each yeareach year AssemblyAssembly Disciplinary powerDisciplinary power Supervised Supervised rexrex sacrorumsacrorum, , the Vestal the Vestal
Virgins and the flamensVirgins and the flamens Advise the senate when to consult Advise the senate when to consult
the Sibylline booksthe Sibylline books
The PontificesThe Pontifices Regulating the calendarRegulating the calendar
Lunar calendar (355 days)Lunar calendar (355 days) Solar calendar (365 ¼ Solar calendar (365 ¼
days)days) Inserting extra days each Inserting extra days each
yearyear By Julius Caesar’s time – By Julius Caesar’s time –
agricultural festivals agricultural festivals month before or after the month before or after the eventevent
Caesar employed Greek Caesar employed Greek mathematician Sosigenesmathematician Sosigenes
The Pontifex MaximusThe Pontifex Maximus In charge of PontificesIn charge of Pontifices Elected separately by the peopleElected separately by the people Status and powerStatus and power Official residence: the Regia Official residence: the Regia By Caesars day -By Caesars day -
a store house for a store house for religious archives andreligious archives andceremonial gearceremonial gear Regia supposedly built Regia supposedly built
by Numa Pompiliusby Numa Pompilius
Pontifex Maximus and PontificesPontifex Maximus and Pontifices In 13BC August took position of Pontifex In 13BC August took position of Pontifex
MaximusMaximus Pontifices supervised Pontifices supervised rex sacrorumrex sacrorum
Take over any religious Take over any religious observances not observances not covered by Pontificescovered by Pontifices
By Augustus’ time: By Augustus’ time: barely any duties barely any duties left – title automatically left – title automatically went to the emperorwent to the emperor
The Vestal VirginsThe Vestal Virgins Priestesses who saw to the Priestesses who saw to the
state cult of Vestastate cult of Vesta 6 Vestal Virgins at any one 6 Vestal Virgins at any one
timetime Daughters of aristocracyDaughters of aristocracy Originally daughters of kingOriginally daughters of king
Selected when very young Selected when very young (6-10 years old)(6-10 years old)
Serve for 30 yearsServe for 30 years 10 years training10 years training 10 years serving10 years serving 10 years teaching new recruit10 years teaching new recruit
Remaining a virginRemaining a virgin Break vow of chastity Break vow of chastity
= buried alive= buried alive• Records indicate that this Records indicate that this
happened 11 timeshappened 11 times Lovers also executedLovers also executed
The Vestal VirginsThe Vestal Virgins
After 30 years Vestal After 30 years Vestal Virgin could retire and Virgin could retire and marrymarry
Temple of Vesta in Temple of Vesta in Forum beside RegiaForum beside Regia
Private household Private household worship elevated to level worship elevated to level of state cultof state cult
The Vestal VirginsThe Vestal Virgins
Duties of a Vestal Virgin represented Duties of a Vestal Virgin represented household tasks once carried out by household tasks once carried out by daughters of the kingdaughters of the king Prime duty: keep the sacred flame burningPrime duty: keep the sacred flame burning Household: fire was source of warmth, cooking Household: fire was source of warmth, cooking
foodfood State: temple of Vesta symbolised the life of the State: temple of Vesta symbolised the life of the
citycity Let the fire go out… punished by whippingLet the fire go out… punished by whipping Flame extinguished 1Flame extinguished 1stst March and rekindled March and rekindled
with ceremonywith ceremony
The Vestal VirginsThe Vestal Virgins
Vestals baked – Vestals baked – mola salsamola salsa Holy water from sacred wellsHoly water from sacred wells Responsible for guarding sacred objectsResponsible for guarding sacred objects Cleaned storehouse and temple of June Cleaned storehouse and temple of June
1515thth Duties paralleled Duties paralleled
daughters of homes of daughters of homes of Roman aristocratsRoman aristocrats
The Vestal VirginsThe Vestal Virgins
Vestal Virgins Vestal Virgins
Statue of chief Vestal VirginStatue of chief Vestal Virgin33rdrd Century AD Century AD
Brought honour to Brought honour to familyfamily
AristocratsAristocrats Unlike male Unlike male
priesthoods – Vestals priesthoods – Vestals were full time and were full time and supported by the supported by the states states
READ PRIMARY SOURCEREAD PRIMARY SOURCE
The Vestal Virgins (Aulus Gellius)The Vestal Virgins (Aulus Gellius)
Author:Author:
Summary:Summary:
The FlamensThe Flamens Supervised by PontificesSupervised by Pontifices 15 flamens – each responsible for a god or 15 flamens – each responsible for a god or
goddessgoddess Jupiter, Mars, Qurinus (Numa Pompilius), Jupiter, Mars, Qurinus (Numa Pompilius),
Flora, Ceres, Vulcan, Pales and eight Flora, Ceres, Vulcan, Pales and eight other obscure agricultural godsother obscure agricultural gods
See to the festivals and temple of his See to the festivals and temple of his divinity – responsible for cultdivinity – responsible for cult
Flamen Dialis (Jupiters)Flamen Dialis (Jupiters)
Most important – Most important – ancient positionancient position
Responsible for Responsible for Cult of JupiterCult of Jupiter
If Pontifex Maximus awayIf Pontifex Maximus away – Flamen Dialis – Flamen Dialis chief religious officialchief religious official
The restrictions of a The restrictions of a Flamen Dialis…Flamen Dialis…
Flamen Dialis (Jupiters)Flamen Dialis (Jupiters) Must be married – Must be married –
must be must be confarreatioconfarreatio Both he and wife had to Both he and wife had to
be once married only be once married only If wife died = no longer flamenIf wife died = no longer flamen Obliged to appear in festival toga and Obliged to appear in festival toga and
wear strange, cone shaped hat wear strange, cone shaped hat If hat fell off while at ceremony he had to If hat fell off while at ceremony he had to
resignresign Fire must not be taken from his hearthFire must not be taken from his hearth No one else may ever sleep in his bedNo one else may ever sleep in his bed
A very important hat
Flamen Dialis (Jupiters)Flamen Dialis (Jupiters) Not allowed to:Not allowed to:
Ride a horseRide a horse Touch a corpse, goats, uncooked Touch a corpse, goats, uncooked
meat, beans or ivymeat, beans or ivy See an armySee an army Swear an oathSwear an oath
Hair must be cut by a free man (never a slave)Hair must be cut by a free man (never a slave) May spend a day outside the city but not the May spend a day outside the city but not the
nightnight From 87BC to 12 BC no one filled the roll. From 87BC to 12 BC no one filled the roll.
Augustus persuaded someone to finally take it Augustus persuaded someone to finally take it onon
AugursAugurs Second major group – 15 augursSecond major group – 15 augurs Interpret omens or signs sent by the godsInterpret omens or signs sent by the gods Make judgements on Make judgements on
affairs of state and also affairs of state and also on affairs of private on affairs of private individualsindividuals
We covered their duties We covered their duties when we discussed when we discussed divination…YOUR TASK:divination…YOUR TASK:GO OVER YOUR NOTESGO OVER YOUR NOTESON AUGURS DUTIESON AUGURS DUTIES
The QuindecimviriThe Quindecimviri 33rdrd college = 15 priests college = 15 priests Less important than pontifices and augursLess important than pontifices and augurs Quindecimviri sacris faciendis (fifteen men Quindecimviri sacris faciendis (fifteen men
conducting sacred rites)conducting sacred rites) Guard Sibylline booksGuard Sibylline books
Consult and interpret oracles when senate Consult and interpret oracles when senate asked them tooasked them too
Supervise foreign cults that reached RomeSupervise foreign cults that reached Rome
The EpulonesThe Epulones 44thth College = College = EpulonesEpulones or feast organisers or feast organisers By Augustus’ time = 10 EpulonesBy Augustus’ time = 10 Epulones
Organise public feasts at major festivals and Organise public feasts at major festivals and gamesgames• Roman and Plebeian gamesRoman and Plebeian games• Feast shared by all senators Feast shared by all senators
and magistrates at theand magistrates at thefestival of Jupiter festival of Jupiter Optimus MaximusOptimus Maximus
Minor PriesthoodsMinor Priesthoods 4 Major colleges: Pontifices, Augurs, 4 Major colleges: Pontifices, Augurs,
Quindecimviri, EpulonesQuindecimviri, Epulones Small number of groups connected with Small number of groups connected with
special ritualsspecial rituals Salii Salii – danced in honour of Mars– danced in honour of Mars
LuperciLuperci –performed rites of –performed rites of LupercaliaLupercalia ArvalArval Brothers Brothers – old priesthood revived by – old priesthood revived by
Augustus = secure numen for crops by Augustus = secure numen for crops by carrying out series of complicated ceremonies carrying out series of complicated ceremonies each yeareach year
The HaruspicesThe Haruspices Men who interpret the will of the gods from Men who interpret the will of the gods from
entrailsentrails Might occasionally be called on to interpret Might occasionally be called on to interpret
other omens as wellother omens as well Never an official priesthood = no limit on Never an official priesthood = no limit on
numbersnumbers By Augustus’ time = 60By Augustus’ time = 60 Generally of Etruscan descentGenerally of Etruscan descent
Paid for their workPaid for their work Lack of official statusLack of official status Lower standing than other priestsLower standing than other priests
Temple AttendantsTemple Attendants
Full or part time attendantsFull or part time attendants Performed minor sacrificesPerformed minor sacrifices Maintain templeMaintain temple Guard cult statues and gifts from worshippersGuard cult statues and gifts from worshippers
Butchers and flute players paid for dutiesButchers and flute players paid for duties Much lower status than members of the Much lower status than members of the
four college of priestsfour college of priests
Appointment of PriestsAppointment of Priests Four major colleges:Four major colleges:
No doctrines to studyNo doctrines to study Did not tell people what was moral or immoralDid not tell people what was moral or immoral Filled by electionFilled by election Officials of the stateOfficials of the state Part-time job – no pay – had other paid Part-time job – no pay – had other paid
occupationsoccupations Carried social status and political advantageCarried social status and political advantage 56 members in total – held for life56 members in total – held for life
Appointment of PriestsAppointment of Priests Names put forth for nominationNames put forth for nomination Emperor could endorse a candidateEmperor could endorse a candidate Religious fervour not importantReligious fervour not important Julius Caesar Julius Caesar Cicero Cicero What mattered was the performance of required What mattered was the performance of required
rituals – to preserve rituals – to preserve pax deorumpax deorum
Discuss:Discuss:
How are the positions and How are the positions and duties of modern priesthoods duties of modern priesthoods
different to Roman priesthoodsdifferent to Roman priesthoods