Roman vestals are the priestesses of the cult of Vesta

In ancient Rome, there were priestesses serving the goddess Vesta. Female vestals of Ancient Rome, occupying this position, enjoyed immediate privileges in society, personal immunity and received high salaries. In the mass media, the main emphasis in describing their way of life is placed on the indispensable presence of vestals of virginity, which although it is the main feature of this profession, but does not reveal the majority of its specific features.

The origin of the priestly cult of Vesta and its features

As noted above, the Vestals are the priestesses of the goddess Vesta, whose origins are lost in the ages. It is only known that he is related to the Greek cult of the sacred fire protected by old maidens.

It is assumed that the Vestal Institute was created by Numa Pompilius, who arranged religious dogmas and established such vestal responsibilities as the maintenance and fomentation of sacred fire, the storage of shrines and private treasures, and the sacrifice of the sacrifices to the goddess Vesta.

Terms of selection of candidates for the post of vestal

Continuously the cult was served by six vestals, chosen according to the life rotation by means of a draw of twenty healthy girls aged 6-10 years, who came from patrician families and permanently resided with families in Italy.

In the process of the initiation rite, the young vestal passed through the atrium of Vesta, where she underwent a procedure for circumcising the hair as an offering to the sacred tree, on which the hair was then hung. The age of the sacred tree in Rome in the era of Pliny the Elder has already passed for half a millennium. After that, the dedicated vestal, dressed in all white, received a second name "Beloved", added to her Roman name, and began her training in the sanctuary.

She had to go through the stages of training, service and mentoring, a total of 30 years. After the end of the service the vestal became free and could even get married, but when she was granted the status of a Roman matron, she lost all her rights and privileges.

Vestal rights and duties as priestesses

The maintenance of the sacred fire of Vesta in Rome was regarded as the Light of the Empire, it was extinguished only on the first day of the new year, its fading was considered a catastrophe similar to the imperial collapse. In this case, the fire had to be diluted manually by rubbing the tree against a tree, and the guilty Vestal was punished with scourging. Therefore, the vestals of Ancient Rome in the minds of the Romans were the servants of the goddess, glad for the prosperity of the empire.

Vestals were presented with the richest gifts, which they disposed of at their own discretion. They owned huge estates, which brought them great income; The emperors offered them generous gifts. In addition, when Vestal entered the office, she received a large amount from the family.

The insult of the Vestal - even at the level of domestic rudeness - was punishable by death.

Another image of the vestal is the image of a divine judge. At an accidental meeting with the convicted person, a pardon was imposed.

Virginity as a pledge of divine purity

The basis of the priestly cult of Vesta was the virginity of priestesses, the personification of the immaculate divine purity that surrounds and protects the sacred fire. The Vestals realized this fully, giving a vow of virginity when entering into the service of the goddess.

Punishing the Vestal for violating the vow of celibacy was extremely harsh - it was punished with burial alive. However, in Rome, the execution of the Vestal was considered a grave sin, so the accused was carried through the city, strapped to the seat, in a deaf stretcher. The fact of what was happening around the people was perceived as a grievous grief. At the burial place, a small depression shaped like a tunnel was dug out, upon arrival the vestal was untied by slaves and after reading the prayer the high priest silently descended into the tunnel, where it was then sealed with a one-day supply of food and water.

I must say that cases and justifications of the Vestals were not uncommon. After the trial, they received a prescription, correcting their appearance and manners.

Daily and social life of the vestal

The Vestal House together with the temple of Vesta constituted a single functional complex. It is known that it was an atrium surrounded by two-story porticoes on columns. The premises were built of brick and built in two floors, no different from a simple Roman apartment building. However, the presence of a huge spacious hall for ceremonial receptions suggests that the building was also used for administrative purposes.

Vestals were welcome and obligatory guests at the main celebrations in Rome. During the procession along the streets of the city, the lictor always performed in front of the vestals, performing parade and guard functions. On some occasions the Vestals rode in chariots.

The Image of the Vestal in Art

Vestals in art have been known since the time of the cult's existence. The most famous of them posed to sculptors, and their ready-made statues were installed in the reception rooms, including in the house of the Vestal.

Vestalks are the priestesses and servants of the goddess, so they wore the same clothes, which were a long white tunic and a bandage worn over the head. In such a garment they were often depicted on the canvases by artists.

In literature, too, the image of the Vestal was faithful to his ideals. Fidelity to its culture and the people of Rome is fully revealed in one of the most sensational novels of the last century. The novel "Vestalka" Nikolai Nikonov covered by action for almost a quarter of a century; He was the first to write a book on the life of priestesses in the bosom of the heroic era. This book, written in two parts, has repeatedly been attacked by the public and criticism for its "gloominess" plot and straightforward narrative. However, the symbol of the past militaristic era still became Nikonov, "Vestal" which raised one of the most tragic problems in the history of mankind - the opposition of women and war.