A Day In the Life: The Vestal Virgins Antiquity Architectural - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A Day In the Life: The Vestal Virgins’ Antiquity

Hayley Fooshee Lynn Le Sasha Simasek Taylor Starlin Architectural History in Rome Friday, 8 June 2018

The Vestal Virgins

History

• Began by Numa

Pompilius in 717 BC

• Governed by the

pontifex maximus

• Chosen between the

ages of 6-10 years old

• Live in the House of

the Vestals attached to the Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum

• Four Vestals serve 30

year commitments

• Chief Vestal - Vestila

Maxima Selection Process and Requirements

• Free from mental and

physical defects

• Two living parents
• Daughter of a free-

born resident of Rome

• Patrician or Plebeian

birth

• Led away from

families and placed under the protection

• f Vesta
• Virtuous and pure in

nature

• Chosen by the

pontifex maximus Terms of Service

• Committed to serve

for 30 years

• Sworn to live service

in celibacy

• 30-year service

divided into three stages: student, servant, and teacher

• Retired after 30 years
• f service and

replaced with a new Vestal

• Permitted to marry

after the end of service

The Vestal Virgins

Privileges

• Presence at

numerous public events

• Reserved honor

seating at games and performances

• Transported in a

carpentum

• Escorted for personal

protection

• Entrusted with wills &

testaments,

• Ability to free the

condemned

• Assigned salaries from

the public treasury Pensions Job Description

• Protecting and

maintaining the sacred fire of Vesta, the goddess of hearth and home

• Collecting water from

the sacred spring

• Preparing food used

in sacred rituals

• Protecting the wills

and testaments of important Romans

• Guarding sacred
• bjects such as the

Palladium Punishments

• Scouring or beating if

the fire of Vesta was extinguished

• Subject to public

shame and offense if anything negative happened to the Roman state

• Live burial if caught

breaking the vow of celibacy

The Festival of Vesta

• Real name of the festival is

Vestalia

• It was a religious festival
• It was held from June 7th to

the 15th

• On the first day the of the

festival, the sanctum of the Temple of Vesta was opened for the first time during the year

• The women would offer

sacrifices

• Mothers could come and leave
• fferings to the goddess in

exchange for a blessing

• On the 9th, the animal

consecrated to Vesta, a donkey, was crowned with garlands of flowers and bits

• f bread
• On the last day, the temple

was subjected to a purification which is when the filth was swept from the temple and then carried into the Tiber River

THE TEMPLE OF VESTA

LOCATION

• Numa Pompillius
• Regia (royal residence)
• House of Vestals

ARCHITECTURE

HESTIA AND THE SACRED FIRE OF VESTA

• The flame originated from Hestia
• The sacred fire represents two things
• What happens when the fire goes out

The Roman Forum

This place, which is located in the city of Rome, had important ancient government

• buildings. The citizens

referred to this space as a marketplace. The Temple of Vesta is located at the forum.

The Colosseum

Back then the Vestal Virgins were able to go through the un- numbered gates of the colosseum. This allowed them to go in with the Magistrates, Emperor, Wealthy Patricians, Senators, and the Visiting Dignitaries.

The Virgins were given their own box that was seated on

• pposite sides of the
• Emperor. They had

such power, that if they met a prisoner they were able to remit his sentence.

History of Punishment

When becoming a Vestal Virgin, you made a vow to yourself and to the community of

• Rome. The timeline
• f being

disobedient included at first, being stoned to

• death. It wasn't

until after the 5th king of Rome, said they should be buried alive.

Life after 30 years...

For Roman men, the ultimate trophy wife was of a former Vestal

• Virgin. With their rights

and pensions, Roman men sought out after the former Virgins to be apart of their wealth. A virgin named Licinia, had been put on trial for a man trying to marry her before she was retired. The jury saw him as greedy for the wealth of the virgin.

The Baths of Caracalla

Since the baths were used by all of the Romans, rich or poor, a slave or an emperor, the baths were a place of being unified. Statues of Vestal Virgins have been found during excavations

• f the baths. They are

now placed in the Vatican Museum.

Pompeii

Not far from Rome, the city of Pompeii housed another temple to the goddess Vesta. The wealthy citizens of Pompeii participated in the festival of Vesta using their homes, businesses, their forum, and theater as celebratory locations honoring Vesta’s favor. Not much honor is found here today.

Pompeii’s Theater Theater View Facing the Stage

View Into the Theater and Colonnade View Into Colonnade and Courtyard

Residence’s Interior Pompeii Street Indoor Dining Room Entryway Mosaic

House of the Vestals

This residence, which

• nce housed the city’s

most honored citizens and important documents, is now

• vershadowed by more

popular relics of antiquity.

House of the Vestals

Modern Day Vestals

These images depict one artist’s interpretations of modern day Vestal Virgins. While stating that these women are imitating the Vestals, they are uncovered, showing off their physical appearance.