women in roman religion

* Private and public act: personalized household altars and sacrifices, adding airay temples and cults within the city.

* Responsibility for maintaining these household shrines fell on them.

* Women engaged in a degree of public religion.

* Attending festivals.

* Joining cults (females only).

* Marking major life passages (puberty).

* Religious ceremonies.

* Engrained part of their lifestyle (and for few higher-class women); religion had the power to drastically change life.

Vestal Virgins

* 6 women in the only full-time priesthood of ancient Rome.

* Selected by Pontifex Maximus (Rome's chief high priest).

* Served goddess Vesta, goddess of the hearth.

* Maintained eternal sacred fire, Rome's safety and success.

* Fire accessible to the public for household flames - guardians of Rome's domestic life.

* Initially chosen from aristocratic families, later included freewomen.

* Took 30-year vow of chastity, duties: tending sacred fire, care for Rome's sacred objects.

* Participation in Vestalia - Vestes annual festival.

* Faced severe punishment for breaking vows or neglecting duties.

* Grew in influence over time - invited by emperor to major religious ceremonies and festivals.

* Rumored to have supernatural powers.

* Upon completing service, receive state pensions.

* Allowed to marry.