Trial of the Vestal Virgins (114–113 BC)

Last updated
Denarius of Lucius Cassius Longinus, 63 BC. The obverse depicts Vesta. On the reverse, a voter is casting a ballot inscribed V, for uti rogas ("as you propose"). Vesta and the voter are allusions to the election of Longinus Ravilla as prosecutor in the Vestals' case of 113. L. Cassius Longinus, denarius, 63 BC, RRC 413-1.jpg
Denarius of Lucius Cassius Longinus, 63 BC. The obverse depicts Vesta. On the reverse, a voter is casting a ballot inscribed V, for uti rogas ("as you propose"). Vesta and the voter are allusions to the election of Longinus Ravilla as prosecutor in the Vestals' case of 113.

Aemilia, Licinia and Marcia were Roman vestal Virgins, who were prosecuted for having broken the vow of chastity in two famous trials between 115 and 113 BC. [2] The first trial was conducted by the Pontifex Maximus Metellus Delmaticus, who sentenced Aemilia to death in 114 BC. The decision to spare the other two vestals triggered outrage and led to a follow-up trial headed by Cassius Longinus Ravilla. [3] Licinia and Marcia were subsequently put to death as well. The trials were heavily influenced by the political background and network of the participants.

Contents

The individuals

Aemilia was a member of the patrician gens Aemilia. Licinia was a member of the plebeian gens Licinia and the daughter of Gaius Licinius Crassus. In 123, her dedication of an altar was cancelled by the pontiffs because it had been made without the approval of the people. Marcia was a member of the plebeian gens Marcia and possibly the daughter of Quintus Marcius Rex, praetor in 144 BC.

The trials

In December 114 BC, the vestals Aemilia, Marcia and Licinia were tried for incestum . [4] Reportedly, Aemilia had initially been seduced by Lucius Veturius. After this, she arranged for Marcia and Licinia to have sexual relations with Lucius Veturius' male friends. Aemilia and Licinia had multiple lovers, while Marcia had a monogamous relationship. The three vestals were prosecuted after being reported to the authorities by their slave Manius, who had helped in exchange for manumission he never received. According to Manius, the affairs of the vestals was widely tolerated within the Roman aristocracy. The trial was a great scandal in contemporary Rome. Aemilia was found guilty and sentenced to death by the Pontifex Maximus Lucius Caecilius Metellus Dalmaticus. Licinia and Marcia were both acquitted.

Denarius of Quintus Cassius Longinus, 55 BC. Libertas is portrayed on the obverse. The reverse is a depiction of the Temple of Vesta, where Longinus Ravilla held the trial in 113. On the left is a voting urn, and a ballot (tabella) is on the right. It is inscribed A C for Absolvo Condemno ("acquitted" or "condemned"), a further reference to the trial. Q. Cassius Longinus, denarius, 55 BC, RRC 428-3.jpg
Denarius of Quintus Cassius Longinus, 55 BC. Libertas is portrayed on the obverse. The reverse is a depiction of the Temple of Vesta, where Longinus Ravilla held the trial in 113. On the left is a voting urn, and a ballot (tabella) is on the right. It is inscribed A C for AbsolvoCondemno ("acquitted" or "condemned"), a further reference to the trial.

The acquittal of Marcia and Licinia created public outrage in Rome because of Manius' testimony that the sexual crimes of the vestals had been an open secret and tolerated among the aristocracy, and the public interpreted the outcome as a case of corruption among the elite. The case against Licinia and Marcia was therefore reopened the following year by the tribune Sextus Peducaeus, who took the unusual step of transferring the case from the pontiff to Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla, who was known for his severity. Licinia was defended by the orator Lucius Licinius Crassus. [6]

The second trial ended in a guilty verdict for both Licinia and Marcia who were both sentenced to be executed by being buried alive. During the trial, several men were implicated as the alleged lovers of the vestals and prosecuted. This involved several prominent people and the process has by some been interpreted as political. Among those men implicated were the orator Marcus Antonius, who was acquitted. [7]

After the trial, several rituals were conducted to clean the holy fire of Vesta from the pollution which was believed to have soiled it because of the crimes. Upon consultation with the Sibylline books, a new temple to Venus Verticordia was constructed, [6] and a rare instance of human sacrifice was carried out, in this case two couples, one Greek and one Gallic, buried alive in the Forum Boarium. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vestal Virgin</span> Priestesses of the Roman goddess of the hearth Vesta

In ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins or Vestals were priestesses of Vesta, virgin goddess of Rome's sacred hearth and its flame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (consul 115 BC)</span> Roman princeps senatus and consul in 115 BC

Marcus Aemilius Scaurus was a Roman statesman who served as consul in 115 BC. He was also a long-standing princeps senatus, occupying the post from 115 until his death in late 89 or early 88 BC, and as such was widely considered one of the most prestigious and influential politicians of the late Republic.

Aemilia Lepida is a Latin feminine given name that was given to the daughters of various Aemilius Lepiduses, men belonging to the Lepidus branch of the Aemilia gens (family) that was founded by the Marcus Aemilius Lepidus who served as consul in 285 BC. The Aemila Lepidas who appear in Roman historians were principally known for their engagements and marriages, with those in the late Republic and early Empire related to the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

Lucius Marcius Philippus was a politician and senator in the late Roman republic. He was governor of Syria from 61 to 60 and later served in the consulship of 56 BC. He was also step-father of the emperor Augustus.

Lucius Licinius Crassus was a Roman orator and statesman who was a Roman consul and censor and who is also one of the main speakers in Cicero's dramatic dialogue on the art of oratory De Oratore, set just before Crassus' death in 91 BC. He was considered the greatest orator of his day by his pupil Cicero.

Quintus Mucius Scaevola "Pontifex" was a politician of the Roman Republic and an important early authority on Roman law. He is credited with founding the study of law as a systematic discipline. He was elected Pontifex Maximus, as had been his father and uncle before him. He was the first Roman Pontifex Maximus to be murdered publicly, in Rome in the temple of the Vestal Virgins, signifying a breakdown of historical norms and religious taboos in the Republic.

Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla was a Roman politician. He served as consul in 127 BC and censor at the following lustrum in 125 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcia gens</span> Ancient Roman family

The gens Marcia, occasionally written Martia, was one of the oldest and noblest houses at ancient Rome. They claimed descent from the second and fourth Roman Kings, and the first of the Marcii appearing in the history of the Republic would seem to have been patrician; but all of the families of the Marcii known in the later Republic were plebeian. The first to obtain the consulship was Gaius Marcius Rutilus in 357 BC, only a few years after the passage of the lex Licinia Sextia opened this office to the plebeians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaius Porcius Cato (consul 114 BC)</span> Roman senator and general

Gaius Porcius Cato was a Roman politician and general, notably consul in 114 BC. He was the son of Marcus Porcius Cato Licinianus and grandson of Cato the Censor.

Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus, younger brother of the more famous Lucius Licinius Lucullus, was a supporter of Lucius Cornelius Sulla and consul of ancient Rome in 73 BC. As proconsul of Macedonia in 72 BC, he defeated the Bessi in Thrace and advanced to the Danube and the west coast of the Black Sea. In addition, he was marginally involved in the Third Servile War.

Mamercus Aemilius Lepidus Livianus was a Roman politician and military commander who was consul in 77 BC.

Licinia is the name used by ancient Roman women of the gens Licinia.

Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer was a Roman politician who was consul in 60 BC and in the next year opposed Pompey, Caesar, and the so-called First Triumvirate's political programme. He was a member of the powerful and influential plebeian noble family, the Caecilii Metelli. Prior to 62 BC, he was an ally of Pompey and had served as urban praetor in 63, augur by 63 BC, possibly aedile in 67 BC, and plebeian tribune in either 72 or 68 BC.

The lex Calpurnia de repetundis was a Roman law sponsored in 149 BC by the tribune of the plebs Lucius Calpurnius Piso. It established the first permanent criminal court in Roman history, in order to deal with the growing number of crimes committed by Roman governors in the provinces. The lex Calpurnia was a milestone in both Roman law and politics.

Lucius Caecilius Metellus Delmaticus was a Roman politician and general. He was a son of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Calvus and brother of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus. He was consul in 119 BC; during his year, he opposed Gaius Marius' election procedures law. As consul and proconsul from 119–117 BC, he campaigned against the Dalmatians. For his victories, he triumphed in 117 BC, earning his cognomen and dedicating two temples – also contributing to repairs for the Temple of Castor and Pollux – from the spoils of war.

Censorinus was a friend and contemporary of Publius Crassus, son of the triumvir Marcus Crassus. His gens name was almost certainly Marcius, and he may have been the son of the Gaius Marcius Censorinus who was monetalis around 88 BC. If so, his father and uncle Lucius were staunch supporters of the popularist faction of Cinna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucius Cassius Longinus (proconsul 48 BC)</span> Roman general and politician

Lucius Cassius Longinus was the brother of the Gaius Cassius Longinus, a leading instigator in the assassination of Julius Caesar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fonteia gens</span> Ancient Roman family

The gens Fonteia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned toward the end of the third century BC; Titus Fonteius was a legate of Publius Cornelius Scipio during the Second Punic War. The first of the Fonteii to obtain the consulship was Gaius Fonteius Capito, consul suffectus in 33 BC.

Gnaeus Servilius Caepio was a Roman politician who was consul in 141 BC; his colleague was Quintus Pompeius. He was the elder brother of one of his immediate successors in the consulship, Quintus Servilius Caepio, and the homonymous son of the consul of 169 BC.

References

  1. ↑ Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, p. 440.
  2. ↑ Friedrich Münzer: Marcius 114). In: Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft (RE). Band XIV,2, Stuttgart 1930, Sp. 1601 f.
  3. ↑ Gruen, Erich S. (1968). "M. Antonius and the Trial of the Vestal Virgins". Rheinisches Museum für Philologie. 111 (1): 59–63. ISSN   0035-449X. JSTOR   41244355.
  4. ↑ Gruen, Erich S. (1968). "M. Antonius and the Trial of the Vestal Virgins". Rheinisches Museum für Philologie. 111 (1): 60. ISSN   0035-449X. JSTOR   41244355.
  5. ↑ Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, p. 452.
  6. 1 2 PD-icon.svg  Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Licinia (2)". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology .
  7. ↑ Gruen, Erich S. (1968). "M. Antonius and the Trial of the Vestal Virgins". Rheinisches Museum für Philologie. 111 (1): 63. ISSN   0035-449X. JSTOR   41244355.
  8. ↑ Stern, Gaius (2020). "Devotio and Human Sacrifice in Archaic Italy and Rome". Acta Antiquae Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 60: 373–374.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.