License. Das Weib im Horoskop: Lilith und die Asteroiden Ceres, Pallas Athene... Rivalling Rome: Parthian Coins and Culture. [54], The Vestales were one of the few full-time clergy positions in Roman religion. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Thus they were saved, and when they were grown up, they set upon Tarchetius and overcame him. In addition to the shrine itself and between it and the Velia stood the magnificent Atrium Vestae. The myths depicting Vesta and her priestesses were few, and were limited to tales of miraculous impregnation by a phallus appearing in the flames of the hearth—the manifestation of the goddess. She was rarely depicted in human form, and was often represented by the fire of her temple in the Forum Romanum. If the fire went out, it must be lit from an arbor felix, auspicious tree, (probably an oak). The days of the festival were unlucky. The fecundating power of sacred fire is testified in Plutarch's version of the birth of Romulus,[29] the birth of king Servius Tullius[30] (in which his mother Ocresia becomes pregnant after sitting upon a phallus that appeared among the ashes of the ara of god Vulcanus, by order of Tanaquil wife of king Tarquinius Priscus) and the birth of Caeculus, the founder of Praeneste. Vesta rejected them both, however, and begged Jupiter to allow her to remain forever a virgin. (Greek goddess-name Ἑστία Hestia is probably unrelated). [19][20] The latter's hearth was the focus of the Imperial household's traditional religious observances. This etymology is offered by Servius as well. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. [3] She was the daughter of Saturn and Ops, and sister of Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, and Ceres. The temple’s innermost sanctuary was not open to the public; once a year, however, on the Vestalia (June 7–15), it was opened to matrons who visited it barefoot. [4], Ovid derived Vesta from Latin vi stando – "standing by power". This name originally was given to the whole sacred area comprising the Temple of Vesta, a sacred grove, the Regia (headquarters of the pontifex maximus, or chief priest), and the House of the Vestals, but ordinarily it designated the home or palace of the Vestals. She was very beautiful and attracted the attention of both Apollo and Neptune who fought for her hand. Hades is a greek god so his greek name is hades When was the roman goddess Vesta featured in mythology? Tarchetius instructed one of his daughters to do so, but she refused sending a handmaiden in her place. Dedications in the Atrium of Vesta, dating predominantly AD 200 to 300, attest to the service of several Virgines Vestales Maxime. On the final day occurred the ceremonial sweeping out of the building, and the period of ill omen did not end until the sweepings were officially disposed of by placing them in a particular spot along the Clivus Capitolinus or by throwing them into the Tiber. [33] Servius explains that it would be poor judgement for a virgin bride to kick an object sacred to Vesta – a goddess that holds chastity sacred.

", According to tradition, worship of Vesta in Italy began in Lavinium, the mother-city of Alba Longa and the first Trojan settlement. In Antiquitates rerum humanarum et divinarum, Varro links Vesta to Tellus.

[21], Vesta had no official mythology, and she existed as an abstract goddess of the hearth and of chastity. After disappearing, she conceived and delivered Tullius. [18] In 12 BC, 28 April (first of the five day Floralia) was chosen ex senatus consultum to commemorate the new shrine of Vesta in Augustus' home on the Palatine. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. When the Vestalia ended there was a ceremonial sweeping of the sanctuary and it was considered a time of bad luck and unfriendly omens until the sweepings were disposed of in the Tiber River or in a certain spot agreed upon in the city. This strengthened the connection between the office of pontifex maximus and the cult of Vesta. She immediately informed the king and queen. He says: "They think Tellus... is Vesta, because she is 'vested' in flowers". Vesta's altar was tended by six keepers of her sacred fire, called "vestal virgins", and it was an honor for a Roman family to have a daughter among them. [53] It has been claimed that the shrine of Vesta in Rome was not a templum, because of its round shape. [52], Despite being one of the most spiritual of Roman Shrines, that of Vesta was not a templum in the Roman sense of the word; that is, it was not a building consecrated by the augurs and so it could not be used for meetings by Roman officials. When the handmaid gave birth to twins by the phantom, Tarchetius handed them over to his subordinate, Teratius, with orders to destroy them. She is also found allied with the primitive fire deities Cacus and Caca. Greek Name: Hestia. "Vesta." Mythographers tell us that Vesta had no myths save being identified as one of the oldest of the gods who was entitled to preference in veneration and offerings over all other gods. Vesta (Latin pronunciation: [ˈwɛsta]) is the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family in Roman religion.

[40] In addition, Vesta was present with Janus in all sacrifices as well.

[31] All these mythical or semilegendary characters show a mystical mastery of fire, e.g., Servius's hair was kindled by his father without hurting him, his statue in the temple of Fortuna Primigenia was unharmed by fire after his assassination. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. X. Vesta was the goddess of the hearth, the home, and domestic life in the Roman religion (idenitified with the Greek goddess Hestia ). [60] Once a year, the Vestals gave the rex sacrorum a ritualised warning to be vigilant in his duties, using the phrase "Vigilasne rex, vigila!" Facts about Vesta in Roman Mythology [22] Finally, Coelia Concordia stepped down as the last Vestalis Maxima ("chief Vestal") in 394. Their existence in Alba Longa is connected with the early Roman traditions, for Romulus' mother Silvia was a priestess. Mark, Joshua J. It has been noted that because they were invoked so often, the evocation of the two came to simply mean, "to pray". The Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum was of great antiquity and underwent many restorations and rebuildings in both republican and imperial times. [70], Plutarch, in his Life of Romulus, told a variation of Romulus' birth citing a compilation of Italian history by a Promathion. 379, Gratian stepped down as pontifex maximus;[16] in 382 he confiscated the Atrium Vestae;[14] simultaneously, he withdrew its public funding. Since Vesta was goddess of the hearth she was also the patron goddess of the bakers of the city and, as the ass turned the millstone to grind the wheat for the bread, the animal became closely associated with the goddess. [15], Roman tradition required that the leading priest of the Roman state, the pontifex maximus reside in a domus publicus ("publicly owned house"). She was the first-born of the titans Kronos and Rhea and, like the others, was swallowed by her father. Both of these items are said to have been brought into Italy by Aeneas. [41][42] It has also been noted that neither of them were consistently illustrated as human. [21] In 391, despite official and public protests, Theodosius I closed the temple, and extinguished the sacred flame. [1] During the Vestalia matrons walked barefoot through the city to the sanctuary of the goddess, where they presented offerings of food. In fact, early templa were often altars that were consecrated and later had buildings erected around them.

Vesta was an important figure in Greek mythology as well. [67][24] The final day (15 June) was Q(uando) S(tercum) D(elatum) F(as) ["when dung may be removed lawfully"] – the penus Vestae was solemnly closed; the Flaminica Dialis observed mourning, and the temple was subjected to a purification called stercoratio: the filth was swept from the temple and carried next by the route called clivus Capitolinus and then into the Tiber. Vesta is always depicted as a fully-clothed woman accompanied by her favorite animal, the ass. 01 Oct 2020. [62] Theirs also the task of preparing the suffimen for the Parilia. [65] As long as the curtain remained open, mothers could come, barefoot and disheveled, to leave offerings to the goddess in exchange for a blessing to them and their family. Then a she-wolf came to them and breastfed them, birds brought them food and fed them, before an amazed cow-herder came and took the children home with him. Angered, the king contemplated her execution; however, Vesta appeared to him in his sleep and forbade it. Vesta, in Roman religion, goddess of the hearth, identified with the Greek Hestia. She had two very famous sisters - Juno, queen of the gods, and Ceres, queen of the harvest. The king visited an oracle of Tethys in Etrusca, who told him that a virgin must have intercourse with this phallus. The king then chose Ocresia to have intercourse with it, for she had seen it first. It was from this that the Vestales were named the Vestal virgins. https://www.ancient.eu/Vesta/. [47] Such objects were kept in the penus Vestae (i.e.

All Roman's and Greeks made daily sacrifices or gifts to Vesta/Hestia. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum, Rome. Her sanctuary was traditionally a circular building, in imitation of the early Italian round hut and symbolic of the public hearth. Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn!

After almost one thousand years of observance in Rome, the sacred fire of Vesta was extinguished and the new Christian faith instituted their own rituals. Entry to her temple was permitted only to her priestesses, the Vestals, who tended the sacred fire at the hearth in her temple. Ancient History Encyclopedia. [25], Concerning the status of Vesta's hearth, Dionysius of Halicarnassus had this to say: "And they regard the fire as consecrated to Vesta, because that goddess, being the Earth and occupying the central position in the universe, kindles the celestial fires from herself. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. After assuming the office of pontifex maximus in 12 BC, Augustus gave part of his private house to the Vestals as public property and incorporated a new shrine of Vesta within it. In Cicero's opinion, the Vestals ensured that Rome kept its contact with the gods. [24] She was the embodiment of the Phallic Mother: she was not only the most virgin and clean of all the gods, but was addressed as mother and granted fertility.

Vesta herself was the goddess of hearth and home. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. "[26] Ovid agreed, saying: "Vesta is the same as the earth, both have the perennial fire: the Earth and the sacred Fire are both symbolic of home. [11], Worship of Vesta, like the worship of many gods, originated in the home, but became an established cult during the reign of either Romulus,[12] or Numa Pompilius[13] (sources disagree, but most say Numa).

Like the goddess Bastet in Egyptian belief, Vesta was of special service to women but was popular with both sexes. The hearth fire in the home of the ancient Romans was not only essential for cooking food and heating water, but also served as the gathering place for the family and, in time, became associated with the spirit of that particular family gathered around that particular hearth. This has been suggested as evidence of their ancient Italic origin, because neither of them were "fully anthropomorphized"[43][39], Counted among the agricultural deities, Vesta has been linked to the deities Tellus and Terra in separate accounts.