Rome - Domestic Religion

Question 1

What was domestic religion?

Answer 1

roman religion in its purest form i.e. free from foreign influences

Question 2

Define ‘paterfamilias’

Answer 2

head of the family (father) - organising family worship by offering daily prayers and sacrifices to the spirits that were believed to protect the family and the house

Question 3

Name the 5 household spirits

Answer 3

Janus, Vesta, the Lares, the Penates and the Genius

Question 4

What were important events of life?

Answer 4

birth, marriage, coming of age, death

Question 5

Who was Janus?

Answer 5

the original god of the door

Question 6

Who were the 4 deities connected to the door?

Answer 6

Forculus (god of the door), Limentinus and Lima (god and goddess of the threshold), Cardea (goddess of the hinges)

Question 7

What was the significance of the threshold?

Answer 7

A bride entering her new home would cross the threshold, trying to win the favour of the gods and would cover the doorposts with wolf or pig fat. The bride was carried across the threshold, avoiding standing on it which would offend the protecting deities.

Question 8

What is Vesta the goddess of?

Answer 8

the hearth-fire

Question 9

What would the daughters (or wife if no daughters) of the house bake for Vesta?

Answer 9

sacred salt cake

Question 10

What was the significance of the sacred salt cake?

Answer 10

The cake was thrown on to the fire from a special dish after the first meal as an offering to Vesta

Question 11

Why was this sacred salt cake ritual not followed by everyone?

Answer 11

Because there were few houses with a fire place/hearth

Question 12

When did the first festival of Vesta take place?

Answer 12

1st of March

Question 13

What happened at this festival (1st March)?

Answer 13

Vesta’s sacred flame was relit by the Pontifex Maximus

Question 14

When did the Vestalia (second festival of Vesta) take place?

Answer 14

9th-15th June

Question 15

What the the Vestalia include?

Answer 15

A week of celebration leading up to the ceremony of sweeping out the store cupboard of Vesta.
-Vesta = goddess worshipped in home, and her state cult served by women/the Vestal Virgins was symbolic of housekeeping for the state of Rome: keeping home tidy, fire lit, tending to scared relics of the state
-was a special holiday for millers and bakers, and millstones and mill animals were decorated with violets
-helped to prepare for the new harvest = millers and bakers relied on a good harvest as it was more food

Question 16

Who were the Penates?

Answer 16

guardians of the store cupboard who, together with Vesta, were thought to ensure the material prosperity of the household.

Question 17

What was the significance of the store cupboard?

Answer 17

no impure person was allowed to touch the store-cupboard; it was commonly looked after by children who were regarded as being pure in the ritual sense

Question 18

When were the Penates honoured?

Answer 18

at each main meal

Question 19

Who were the Lares?

Answer 19

the guardian spirits of the household and were thought to watch over the safety and prosperity of the family.

Question 20

What did some believe about the origin of the Lares?

Answer 20

-some suggest that they were the spirits of departed ancestors of the family
-however, the most commonly accepted view is that they were originally spirits of the fields

Question 21

What was the lararium?

Answer 21

a small shrine where the Lares were worshipped - it was located in the atrium of the Roman house

Question 22

Describe the appearance of the Lares?

Answer 22

small dancing figures, with short wavy hair; short tunics (dresses); held drinking horns and small plates which they would use for making libations (liquid sacrifices)

Question 23

When were the Lares worshipped?

Answer 23

part of daily routine - after the main course of chief meal offerings of food and wine were made to them (statues of the Lares were sometimes put on the dinner table)
-‘lararium’ shrine was inside of the house, where special offerings were made on special days and on special occasions (birthdays, coming of age ceremonies, weddings)

Question 24

How did wealth affect the worship of the Lares?

Answer 24

The offerings varied depending on the wealth and piety of the householder and the solemnity of the occasion - they were usually simple (flowers, honey, fruit, incense)

Question 25

Who was the Genius?

Answer 25

the protecting spirit of a man (free or slave)

Question 26

What was the genius of the paterfamilias seen as?

Answer 26

the embodiment of the life force of the family which was in the guardianship of the paterfamilias during his lifetime and passed on to his successor on his death.

Question 27

Describe the appearance of the genius

Answer 27

a man whose head covered by a toga and he carried an incense box in his right hand and with his left hand he poured a libation

Question 28

What was the genius of the paterfamilias honoured as?

Answer 28

the regular worship at the household shrine - special rites were performed on the birthday of the paterfamilias and on the occasion of his marriage

Question 29

What was the genius often symbolically represented as?

Answer 29

on household shrines as a bearded snake - two serpents are often shown on lararia in Pompeii, one bearded and representing the genius and the other representing the female equivalent, the juno.

Question 30

Why were prayers offered to Juno in relation to childbirth and why?

Answer 30

to protect the mother and child at the time of childbirth because of her special concern for women.

Question 31

What was customary to ensure a safe birth?

Answer 31

for the woman to visit the shrine or temple of one or more of the goddesses of birth

Question 32

Why were wreaths hung on doors?

Answer 32

to convey the happiness of the family, to announce the birth and to protect the child from evil spirits

Question 33

What did the father do after birth and why?

Answer 33

lifted the baby to acknowledge his acceptance of it

Question 34

What would happen if the baby was not accepted?

Answer 34

it would be exposed (cast out to die)

Question 35

What would happen on the 9th day after birth (8th for a girl)?

Answer 35

a ceremony took place in which the child became a member of the family and therefore under the protection of the household gods - the child was given a bulla and they received their name

Question 36

What was a bulla?

Answer 36

small object enclosed in a capsule and was worn on a cord around the child’s neck - some say it was a little green lizard, others that it was an image of a phallus or heart - all regarded it as lucky

Question 37

What was the bulla made of if a family was wealthy?

Answer 37

gold - as it is thought to have some power as a charm to prevent harm

Question 38

Why would Romans hold off until the 8th or 9th day to carry out this ceremony?

Answer 38

due to high infant mortality rates and it would make it more upsetting if the child was named then died a few days later

Question 39

When was a boy considered to become a man?

Answer 39

within the age range of 14-18 years (normally 16)

Question 40

Who would make the decision of when a boy would become a man?

Answer 40

his father

Question 41

What was the Liberalia?

Answer 41

Festival where a boy would become a man - held on the 17th of March to honour Liber (god of vines, wine and fertility.

Question 42

What happened during the Liberalia?

Answer 42

The household gathered in front of the family shrine where offerings were made. The boy removed his bulla and dedicated it to the Lares. As a boy he had worn a white toga with purple border but this was replaced with the pure white toga of a man. He was shaved for the first time. The boy’s name was added to the list of citizens and the day ended with a celebratory meal.

Question 43

When was a girl thought to come of age?

Answer 43

at marriage - Roman law permitted a girl to marry at age 12, although most were in their mid teens

Question 44

Who was a girl’s marriage arranged by?

Answer 44

the groom chosen by her father

Question 45

What did a girl do the night before marriage?

Answer 45

dedicated her bulla to the Lares along with her childhood toys

Question 46

Why were the rituals of birth and coming of age so important?

Answer 46

-prayers/sacrifice were required to alleviate anxiety and ensure a safe pregnancy and delivery, health of mum and baby
-childbirth was dangerous. Miscarriage and morality rates were high in the Roman world because of the lack of medical knowledge
-birth was announced to show family pride or happiness
-Romans wanted healthy children as they were more likely to survive infancy and grow up to be good Roman citizens and even provide for the family.
-the wreath offered protection from evil spirits and also let the neighbours/community know that a baby had been born
-the lifting of the baby = acceptance - h/w if baby not lifted it would be exposed
-once the baby was names = protection of household gods
-babies given a lucky charm (s) to ward off evil spirits - shows superstitious nature of the Romans and also their fear that baby might face danger through illness.
-coming of age ceremonies celebrated the end of childhood - lots of children died in the ancient world - if your child managed to survive it was a cause to celebrate
-boys were ready to undertake the role of men and girls the role of women - to become wives and mothers
-for girls the dedication of the bulla and toys indicated transference to the protection of the husband’s household gods