Open AccessThe Vestal Virgins’ Socio-political Role and the Narrative of Roma Aeterna
Author(s) -
Karolina Wyrwińska
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
krakowskie studia z historii państwa i prawa
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2084-4115
pISSN - 2084-4131
DOI - 10.4467/20844131ks.21.011.13519
Subject(s) - misfortune , narrative , politics , power (physics) , subject matter , eternity , history , state (computer science) , subject (documents) , ancient history , art , literature , law , political science , physics , algorithm , quantum mechanics , library science , computer science , curriculum
Roman women – priestesses, patrician women, mysterious guardians of the sacred flame of goddess Vesta, admired and respected, sometimes blamed for misfortune of the Eternal City. Vestals identified with the eternity of Rome, the priestesses having a specific, unavailable to other women power. That power gained at the moment of a ritual capture (captio) and responsibilities and privileges resulted from it are the subject matter of this paper. The special attention is paid to the importance of Vestals for Rome and Romans in various historic moments, and to the purifying rituals performed by Vestals on behalf of the Roman state’s fortune. The study presents probable dating and possible causes of the end of the College of the Vestals in Rome.