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In ancient Roman religion, the god Consus was the protector of grains. He was represented by a grain seed. His altar (ara) was located at the first meta of the Circus Maximus. It was either underground, or according to other sources, covered with earth, which was swept off during the two Consualia, his festivals on August 21, December 15, and on July 7 when the pontiffs held a sacrifice there. He was thus a chthonic god.
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In ancient Roman religion, the October Horse was an animal sacrifice to Mars carried out on October 15, coinciding with the end of the agricultural and military campaigning season. The rite took place during one of three horse-racing festivals held in honor of Mars, the others being the two Equirria on February 27 and March 14.
In Roman mythology, the Battle of the Lacus Curtius was the final battle in the war between the Roman Kingdom and the Sabines following Rome's mass abduction of Sabine women to take as brides. It took place during the reign of Romulus, near the Lacus Curtius, future site of the Roman Forum.
The Altar of Consus was an ancient Roman altar dedicated to the gods Consus and Mars, as well as the lares, which were ancient Roman household guardians. It was located beneath the Circus Maximus. The altar may have also served as the first turning post of the Circus Maximus. It is possible the subterranean location of this altar is connected to the Roman practice of storing wheat underground and specifically paralleled by the ancient mundus of Ceres supposedly instituted by Romulus at the founding of the city. This is in turn associated with the modern interpretation of Consus as an agrarian deity. Dionysus of Halicarnassus wrote that some ancient Romans believed the altar was located underground because they thought that the god Consus corresponded to Poseidon, who was also a god of earthquakes. He also claims that other Romans believed that the altar was dedicated to an unamenable god who presided over hidden councils. This explanation is associated with the ancient connections between Consus and secrecy and hidden councils. Tacitus mentions the altar as a landmark of his conjectural reconstruction of the pomerium, the sacred border of the city of Rome proper, as originally established by Romulus's sulcus primigenius.
Rape of the Sabines may refer to either of two oil paintings by the Italian Baroque artist Pietro da Cortona, created c. 1629-1630. One is in the Capitol Museum, Rome. The other is listed in 19th century catalogues of the art collection at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire. Both pictures depict the legendary rape of the Sabine women.
References
- ↑ Plutarch. "Life if Romulus", in Plutarch's Lives, trans. Aubrey Stewart and George Long. London and New York: George Bell and Sons, 1894. XV
- 1 2 Livy. The History of Rome by Titus Livius: The First Eight Books, trans. D. Spillan. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1853.
Sources
- H. H. Scullard, Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic (London: Thames and Hudson, 1981), 177–8, 181, 205, 207.
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