Roman: The Vestal Virgins Flashcards
Who where the vestal virgins ?
A college of six priestesses who represented the only major female priesthood in Rome
Who where they priestesses of ?
The goddess Vesta of the hearth
How was the importance of being a Vestal Virgins highlighted ?
Their accommodation
They lived in the House of the Vestals which was located in the Roman Forum (the hub of both social and political activity in Rome)
- Was being selected good or bad ? 2. Who selected new Vestal Virgins
- It was a prestigious honor to be selected
- Selected by the Pontifex Maxiums
What made a girl elegible for selection ?
- Being between the age of six and ten
- Fit and healthy
- Have two living parents
How do we know the role was a big commitment ?
They had to remain in the post for at least thirty years and take a vow of chastity
Who where Vestals taken from ?
The most prestigious families and the elite
Most of these families would hope that their daughter would have the opportunity to be a Vestal Virgin
What was the role of the vestals ?
Protecting the sacred flame for the safety of the state
What is the back story of the flame and here is it ?
Believed to have been brought from the ashes of Troy to Rome by Aeneas
Houses in the Temple of Vesta
What did the Temple of Vesta hold ?
- Important state documents: Treaties and wills of Romans
- The sacred flame of the state
What did the vestals make ?
Mola salsa which was sprinkled of the heads of sacrificial animals
What is Mola Salsa ?
A mix of slat and flour made by the Vestal Virgins in Rome and sprinkled on the heads of sacrificial victims
What privileges did the Romans honour the Vestal Virgins with ?
- Front row seating at many games
- Freed from their fathers authority
- Able to make a Will
All of the above are things other Roman Women could not do
What where the punishments for the Vestals ?
If the flame went out: whipped
Broke their vow of chastity: buried alive and the male was whipped to death
