Temple of Vesta
Location | Regio VIII Forum Romanum |
---|---|
Coordinates | 41°53′30″N 12°29′10″E / 41.8917°N 12.4862°E |
Type | Roman Old kingdom |
History | |
Builder | Unknown builder |
Founded | unknown old Kingdom era |
The Temple of Vesta, or the aedes (Latin Aedes Vestae; Italian: Tempio di Vesta), is an ancient edifice in Rome, Italy. It is located in the Roman Forum near the Regia and the House of the Vestal Virgins. The Temple of Vesta housed Vesta's holy fire, which was a symbol of Rome's safety and prosperity.[1] The temple has a circular footprint, making it a tholos.
Since the worship of
History
Origins
The first Temple of Vesta was built by
The aedes and the Vestals
The Temple of Vesta was tended by the six Vestal Virgins, drawn between the ages of 6 and 10 from freeborn, or traditionally, aristocratic families.[5] They surrendered all legal connections with their birth family, and came under the authority of the pontifex maximus, Rome's chief priest. The Vestal oath of virginity during their 30-year tenure set them apart from other Roman women. While chastity until marriage was considered proper in Rome, long-term celibacy was not, as women were generally expected to marry, and give birth to heirs for their husbands.[6] A Vestal who broke her vow of chastity during her priestly tenure disrupted the relationship between Rome and its gods. The Romans believed that this would lead to disaster, such as pestilence, social breakdown or military defeats.[6]
For minor failures of duty, Vestals could be whipped. For breaking their vow of chastity, a Vestal could be condemned to a
Building
The temple of Vesta was unique in its design, as it was round as opposed to rectangular like many other temples. The circular shape of the Vesta temples were based on the primitive round hut.[3] Some researchers argue that the circular footprint of the Temple of Vesta was meant to symbolize the earth and the domed roof symbolized the heavens.[10] All temples to Vesta were round, and had entrances facing east to enhance the connection between Vesta's fire and the sun as sources of life. The Temple of Vesta represents the site of ancient religious activity as far back as the 7th century BCE.[3]
Archaeologists have found that the Temple of Vesta was built on a circular foundation. Circling the exterior of the temple were twenty fluted columns. Each column was 0.52 meters in diameter, with a base 1.6 meters in circumference. The columns were topped with a Corinthian capital. The radius of the temple was about 6.19 meters. This measured from the outer line of the architrave to the middle of the temple. The interior wall is 0.60 meters thick and the diameter of the inside of the temple is 8.6 meters. The Temple was on a high platform and wide steps lead up to the entrance.[2]
Location
It was one of the earliest structures in the Roman Forum, although its final form was the result of subsequent rebuilding. While most Roman temples held a
Building history
The temple was destroyed and rebuilt many times. The first destruction of the temple was by the
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1805 Illustration of the Temple of Vesta.
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The most prominent feature of the ruins that were once the Temple of Vesta is the hearth.
Fate of the Sacred Flame
The sacred flame was finally extinguished in 394 AD by Theodosius I, on account of the rise of Christianity in the empire.[12]
Modern Day Temple of Vesta
Modern reconstruction
The Temple of Vesta remained reasonably intact until the Renaissance. However, in 1549 AD, the temple was demolished, and its marble was repurposed to build churches and papal palaces.[3] Most of our knowledge about what the original Temple of Vesta looked like come from its depictions on coins and art. One piece of art that depicts the Temple of Vesta is a marble relief in the Uffizi in Florence, Italy.[10] These depictions and others like it allow us to understand what the temple looked like in antiquity.
Modern archaeological investigation began on the site of the Temple of Vesta in the late nineteenth century. The exploration began in 1877 with archaeologist R. Lanciani's excavation of the Temple of Vesta and the publishing of his findings. During his exploration he was able to uncover many parts of the Temple of Vesta, including parts of the entablature and ceiling.[3] Exploration continued from 1898 to 1900 when Giaccomo Boni, director of the Roman Forum, embarked on a new round of excavations. His works were published in 1900 and included measurements and sections of the temple's foundation, photos and drawings of the principal architectural elements, and a restored plan of the building.[3] Finally, in 1930-1931 Alfonso Bartoli reconstructed two and a half of the Temple of Vesta's bays, which can still be seen in the forum today.[3]
See also
- Largo di Torre Argentina – Ancient religious monument in Rome, Italy
- List of Ancient Roman temples
- The round Temple of Hercules Victor in the Forum Boarium was initially thought to be a temple of Vesta.
- The Temple of Vesta, Tivoli
- History of early modern period domes
References
- )
- ^ OCLC 477152057.
- ^ )
- ISSN 0950-4125.
- ^ S2CID 193103816.
- ^ )
- ^ Erdkamp, Paul, in "War, Vestal Virgins, and Live Burials in the Roman Republic", editors, M. Dillon and C. Matthews, Religion and Classical Warfare. II: The Roman Republic, Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2020, p.9
- ^ Lindner, Molly M., Portraits of the Vestal Virgins, Priestesses of Ancient Rome, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbour, 2015, p. 34
- ^ Plutarch, Life of Numa, 10.1, translation, Loeb edition, 1914, [1] available at Bill Thayer's website
- ^ ISSN 0261-3409.
- S2CID 162421099.
- ^ Lanciani, Rodolfo (1897). The Ruins and Excavations of Ancient Rome (1st ed.). University of Michigan Library. pp. 224–232. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
Bibliography
- Brockman, Norbert (2011), Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, vol. 1, ABC-CLIO, ISBN 978-1-59884-654-6
- Gorski, Gilbert J.; Packer, James E. (2015), The Roman Forum: A Reconstruction and Architectural Guide, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-19244-6
- Howatson, M. C. (2011), The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (Third ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-954855-2
- Middleton, John Henry (1886). "The Temple and Atrium of Vesta and the Regia". Archaeologia: 395.
- Middleton, John Henry (1892), The Remains of Ancient Rome, vol. 1
- Stamper, John W. (2005), The Architecture of Roman Temples: The Republic to the Middle Empire, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-81068-X
- Wildfang, Robin Lorsch (2006), Rome's Vestal Virgins, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-39795-7
External links
- Aedes Vestae - Temple of Vesta - Tempio di Vesta, Reconstructed
- Lucentini, M. (31 December 2012). The Rome Guide: Step by Step through History's Greatest City. Interlink. ISBN 9781623710088.
Media related to Temple of Vesta (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons
Preceded by Temple of Saturn |
Landmarks of Rome Temple of Vesta |
Succeeded by House of the Vestals |