Roman Religion Test 2

Auspices

signs of approval/disapproval of the gods for a future public action

Auguraculum

place previously defined and inaugurated by augurs where magistrates took auspices

Pullarius

the keeper of the sacred chickens

auspicia impetrative

auspices requested from the gods; taken with rules fixed in advance; reserved for public activities

auspcia oblativa

unsolicited auspices; appeared as the gods willed; stumbles or falls; hitches in a ceremony

divination

determining the will of the gods; way to answer questions

extispicy

reading of the entrails of sacrificial victim for signs

Sibylline books

collections of prophecies of the Sibyl of Cumae

Pythia

priestess of Apollo who reported his words; sat in inner sanctuary; drank sacred water

Magic

considered "illicit" religious activities; considered "un-Roman"; based on coercion rather than entreaty of the gods; included human sacrifice, potions, curse tablets, voodoo dolls, spells, necromancy, divination tablets

Defixiones

curse tablets, calling for the punishment of an enemy

Temple of Mars Ultor

Temple dedicated by Augustus to Mars the Avenger, commemorating the victory over the assassins of Julius Caesar at Philippi.

Ara Pacis

altar of Augustan Peace awarded to Augustus after successful military campaigns

pontifex maximus

held by Augustus; waited until his predecessor died before being elected

Apollo

Augustus moved a temple of Apollo into the city from outside of the pomerium; housed the Sibylline books; said to have helped Augustus win battle of Actium

Vesta

Augustus built a new shrine to Vesta in his house on the palatine; made the state hearth also his own.

flamen Dialis

Augustus appointed one in 11 BCE after there hadn't been one in years; loosened the restrictions

secular games

sponsored by Augustus in 17 BCE; Augustus participated in it; had lots of stuff going on.

lares augusti

the august lares; Augustus changed the name of the lares to his own but could also say they were "revered"

vicomagistri

locally chosen magistrates who oversaw the shrines of the lares agusti; mostly freedman

genius

that of master worshipped by slaves; no evidence that Augustus' genius was worshipped but it was an idea

Belvedere Altar

damaged altar found on the palatine near Augustus' house; could have been dedicated by vicomagistri; has several scenes including depictions of victory, Aeneas ?, and Augustus handing the lares to attendants

Vicus Sandalarius Altar

from block of the sandal makers; near forum of Augustus; has him as an augur with chicken and symbols (victory, corona civica, and lares)

fasti

days lawful for public business (also name of calendars)

nefasti

days unlawful for public buisness

intercisi

-Half-and-half days

-Part of the day lawful for public business, part of the day not

kalends

first day of the month

ides

13th or 15th day of the month

nones

5th or 7th day of the month

Saturnalia

December 17th; end of the year party where masters and slaves switched places

Lupercalia

February 15th; fertility ritual where the Luperci would strike women with leather straps

Vestalia

June 9th; vestals made mola salsa and cleaned the storage area of the temple of vesta

Robigalia

April 25th; warding off of blight from crops where sacrifice made to Robigo

Parilia

birthday of Rome; April 21st where flocks of goats and sheep would be purified

Vinalia

April 23rd; opening of new jars of wine

Cerealia

April 19th; growth of cereals and other products of the fields

Janus

moth of January came from him; two-headed god of beginnings; Told Ovid he was originally Chaos

Carmentalia

11 or 15 of January; knowing the right formula of prayer; honor of nymph Carmenta; mostly for women; Carmentis gives a prophecy about the future of Rome

Temple of Concord

Tiberius restored on 16th of January 10 CE; renamed Augustan Concord

Ara Pacis

Ovid speaks of it on January 30th; Altar given to Augustus for military accomplishments

Germanicus

Ovid addresses him in the Fasti; adopted son of Augustus' successor Tiberius; possibly addressed him as a way to try and come back to Rome; interested in astronomy; died from illness in 19 CE but curse tablets found in his house.

Mars

depicted as more peaceful by Ovid; Raped Rhea Silvia the mother of Romulus and Remus; month of March named after him (the first month)

Matronalia

Mars tells Ovid about rape of Sabines; the Sabine women step in between their fathers and the Romans and stops the fighting so the Matronalia is celebrated because they stopped the wars; and because Rhea Silvia was happy to be a mother by mars; and spring was a time of fertility; a public temple to Juno (mother of Mars) was built on the Kalends of march.

Numa

depicted as witty towards Jupiter but Jupiter found him funny and rewarded him with tokens of empire.

Jupiter

found Numa to be funny and worthy to speak with the gods.

Ancile

shield given to Numa by Jupiter; duplicated so no one would know the real ancile

Salii

dancing preists who carried the shields; said to chant Mamurius because the person who made the duplicate shields would only make them if his name was included in chants.

Temple of Veiovis

shrine of Veiovis on the Capitoline was dedicated on March 7th; name means "young Jupiter"; statue of young Jupiter with arrows and goat in shrine.

Anna Perenna

March 15th festival; Ovid writes about Anna from the Aeneid; sister of Dido who became an exile and got lost at sea; encounter Aeneas and Achates; Raped by Numicus and made into a nymph.

Dido

The founder and first queen of Carthage; lover of Aeneas who killed herself

Aeneas

legendary figure from the Anead.

Anna

Dido's sister

Liberalia

March 17th coming of age day where boys took the toga of manhood; associated with Bacchus; old women sold cakes on the street.

Quinquartus

March 19th festival of Minerva; combining warfare and crafts.

Venus

goddess of love; her Greek counterpart is said to be what gave the month of April its name.

Veneralia

April 1st; festival to honor Venus Verticordia "changer of hearts"; naked women wash her statue and burn insence also have poppy, milk and honey drink.

Megalensia

April 4th; annual festival in honor of Magna Mater; sacrifices, plays and chariot races; Galli carried her statue through Rome.

Magna Mater/Cybele

brought to Roman from Asia Minor (modern Turkey); established in Rome in 204 BCE on Palatine Hill; popular with the non elites & foreigners in Rome

Ceres

goddess of agriculture; daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades and Ovid tells the story; traveled far and wide in search of Persephone.

Cerialia

April 12th; honored the goddess Ceres; women clothed in white carried torches and reenacted her search for Persephone; foxes with burning tails released into Circus Maximus.

Fordicidia

April 15; a pregnant cow was sacrificed to promote fertility in the fields

Parilia

took place on Rome's birthday (April 21st); associated with flocks and herds; carry ashes from the Fordicidia calf and bean stock and leap over a fire for purification.

Vinalia

Opened wine jars that had been filled in the fall; wine offered to Jupiter first possible association with Venus; Ovid says Aeneas offered Jupiter wine in exchange for help.

Robigo

deity of crop bight; dog and sheep sacrificed so mildew would not attack the crops; Ovid depicts him as female and a threat.

Robigalia

Ovid is only source to mention the flamen Quirinalis; Flamen asks Robigo to attack weapons instead of crops; dog sacrifice