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