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In ancient Roman religion, a supplicatio is a day of public prayer during times of crisis or a thanksgiving for receipt of aid. [1] During days of public prayer, Roman men, women, and children traveled in procession to religious sites around the city praying for divine aid.
Votive paintings in the ambulatory of the Chapel of Grace, in Altötting, Bavaria, Germany Mexican votive painting of 1911; the man survived an attack by a bull. Part of a female face with inlaid eyes, Ancient Greek Votive offering, 4th century BC, probably by Praxias, set in a niche of a pillar in the sanctuary of Asclepios in Athens, Acropolis Museum, Athens Bronze animal statuettes from ...
An altar that received food offerings might also be called a mensa, "table." [18] Perhaps the best-known Roman altar is the elaborate and Greek-influenced Ara Pacis, which has been called "the most representative work of Augustan art." [19] Other major public altars included the Ara Maxima.
In ancient Roman religion, the libation was a religious act in the form of a liquid offering, most often unmixed wine and perfumed oil. [26] The Roman god Liber Pater ("Father Liber"), later identified with the Greek Dionysus or Bacchus, was the divinity of libamina, "libations," and liba, sacrificial cakes drizzled with honey. [27] [1] [28]
The devotio was the most extreme offering a Roman general could make, promising to offer his own life in battle along with the enemy as an offering to the underworld gods. Livy offers a detailed account of the devotio carried out by Decius Mus ; family tradition maintained that his son and grandson , all bearing the same name, also devoted ...
As the result of this verbal action, a votum is also that which fulfills a vow, that is, the thing promised, such as offerings, a statue, or even a temple building. The votum is thus an aspect of the contractual nature of Roman religion, a bargaining expressed by do ut des, "I give that you might give." [1]
Cultus was expected to matter to the gods as a demonstration of respect, honor, and reverence; it was an aspect of the contractual nature of Roman religion (see do ut des). [3] Augustine of Hippo echoes Cicero's formulation when he declares, " religion is nothing other than the cultus of God ."
The gods represented distinctly the practical needs of daily life, and the Romans scrupulously accorded them the appropriate rites and offerings. Early Roman divinities included a host of "specialist gods" whose names were invoked in the carrying out of various specific activities.