The Roman Household / Roman Religion Flashcards
(32 cards)
1
Q
Roman Male Names
A
- Three Names signified the Patrician Class
Carius Julius Ceasar or C. Julius Ceasar on official Roman Documents.
2
Q
What was the symbolism of the first, second and thirds name?
A
-First: Praenomen, had a few first names that was circulated. In roman documents only the first letter was used. A = Aulus, Q= Quintus
-Second: Nomen, the clan someone came from (gens). Julius (singular) = Julii Clan (Plural)
-Third: Cognomen, name used to identify individuals from those who had similar names. Usually nicknames or honorific. Cesear = Curly hair, Magnus = Great.
3
Q
Why would a Roman Male have a fourth name?
A
- Agnomen, honorific names bestowed on individuals by the magistrates. P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus (Conqueror of Africa.
- In some cases, also an adoption or marriage. Adopted children would keep their clan’s name but have their adopted fathers name on the end.
4
Q
Roman Female Names
A
- Their names reflect the clan they come from. Julia = Julii clan
- Younger sisters add a lil in their name. Julia (older sister) and Julillia (younger sister)
5
Q
What is a Paterfamilias and what role do they have in the Roman family?
A
- The Males are the Paterfamilias which is the head of the Family.
- They had absolute authority over their household called patria potestas.
6
Q
What is Manus?
A
- Paterfamilias had manus which is complete disciplinary control over their sons.
7
Q
What lessons were taught by the Paterfamilias?
A
- Be the best at everything (very important)
- Obedience
- Respect for the Elders
- Pietas (sense of duty and obligation to family, state and Gods)
- Loyalty
- Courage
- Resilience.
8
Q
What was Roman marriages used for?
A
- Political alliance between two Patrician families.
- Can be engaged at a young age.
9
Q
Why did Romans divorce?
A
- If the two families are not on the same political side anymore and therefore the marriage is not needed.
10
Q
Why were children unwanted?
A
- Sick or malformed
- If they had girls (doweries too expensive)
- If they had boys (threat to power)
- Lifestyles of the parents (merchants moved around a lot)
11
Q
What is Exposure?
A
- When parents leave their child out to die or to be adopted
- They would put their child on their doorsteps for animals to kill it or someone comes by and takes the child.
12
Q
What is a Patron and Client relationship?
A
- Patron is a Patrician and Client is a lower class of Patrician or Pleb
- It is a hereditary agreement and allows both parties to support each other.
13
Q
How do the Patrons and Clients support each other?
A
- The Patron will protect the client in the Judicial system and assemblies, will lend them money, provide food and allow the clients to work on their farming estates.
- The Clients will give the Patron political support, help with doweries, work on a lesser wage and protect the patron in war.
14
Q
What is the Morning Greeting or Salutatio?
A
- Meeting at dawn were the client goes to the patron’s house and ask what is needed for the day and the client can make request.
15
Q
What were the Early Roman Religion beliefs?
A
- Spirits inhabited the nature surrounding them, streams, trees and mountains.
- These spirits did not have human qualities.
16
Q
How did the Etruscans influence Roman religion?
A
- May have been the Etruscans who introduced the personification of Gods
17
Q
Who are the Capitoline Triad?
A
- They are the 3 main Etruscan Gods
- Tini (Chief God), Uni (Tini’s Wife) and Menrva (their daughter)
18
Q
How did the Greeks influence Roman Religion?
A
- Also introduced the personification of Gods.
- The Romans worshipped spirits similar to the Greek Gods and adopted their Gods and their roles, but to suit their own culture.
19
Q
What Similarities does the Greek religion and the Roman religion have?
A
- Gods have same roles
- Have similar stories like Romulus and Remus to the Greeks Castor and Pollux
20
Q
What differences does the Greek religion and the Roman religion have?
A
- Gods have different names
- Romans do not use mythology but rather historical writing (pose)
-Do not use poems life the Greeks.
21
Q
Who are the three main gods of the Roman religion?
A
- Jupiter, Mars and Quirinus.
22
Q
How did the Romans acquire new Gods? And why?
A
- When at war the Romans would ask the foreign Gods to come to Rome.
-They thought it would make the enemy weaker and Rome stronger, but also did not want to offend the Gods by killing their worshipers.
23
Q
What were the Priestly Colleges and Who were a part of it?
A
- They were colleges made up by priest to fulfil their religious obligation to the state.
- There were different parts of the priestly colleges, and they were mainly Patricians but later in 300 BC plebs were a loud to join.
24
Q
Who are the Pontiffs? What was their role?
A
- Apart of the priestly college, there are 16. Nominated for life.
- Plebs allowed to join in 300 BC
- Advise chief Roman Magistrates on all religious matters, interoperated divine law and romans criminal and moral code and looked after the Roman Calander.
- Could not be persecuted.
25
Who is the Pontifex Maximus?
- He was the chief priest, the administrator for all priestly colleges and lived in the Forum.
26
Who are the Fetailes? and what is their role?
- A part of the priestly college, there are 20 of them and are elected for life.
- They interoperate any sacred laws connected to international relations (like war)
- Conduct rituals and accompany the army to the field. They would throw a spear into the enemy's land and claim it was now Roman sacred land.
27
Who are the Flamines? and what is their role?
- There are 15 Flamines who are in charge of the 12 main gods of Rome and their cults.
- 3 main flamines look after the cults of Jupiter, Mars and Quirinus, the other 12 (plebs) look after the smaller cults.
28
Who are the Augers? and what are their roles?
- 16, elected for life.
- The Augers conduct rituals and sacrifices to determine the divine will of the gods before every major event (games, wars, senate meetings)
- Looked into omens and readings of the sacred chickens,
- Could be paid off to by someone to manipulate the outcome of a certain reading
29
Who are the Vestal Virgins? and what was their role?
- Not a part of the priestly colleges and were 6 females chosen from the age of 6-10 and remained until age of 30. They had to remain virgins.
- Their job was to keep the sacred fire of Rome burning and they lived in the Forum with the Pontifex Maximus.
30
What were Roman Festivals?
- Holidays for the Roman people to conduct sacrifices and rituals.
- There were 160 in a year.
31
What type of Roman festivals were there?
- Fariae Stativae: Annual festival; fixed dates for Gods
- Ferie Conceptivae - annual festival; days set by the magistrates
- Fariae Imperativae- Commemorations of past events declared by senior magistrates
32
What were the Games?
- Religious festival in honor of Jupiter (god of war)
- Games included gladiator fighting, chariot races, horse races etc.
