Start Date
4-18-2018 9:00 AM
End Date
4-18-2018 10:15 AM
Disciplines
Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity | History of Gender | Women's History
Subjects
Virginity -- Social aspects, Virginity -- History, Women -- Rome
Abstract
This paper discusses the political dynamics of the Roman religious systems, specifically the Vestal Virgins. This work seeks to refute the commonly accepted understanding of the Vestal Virgins as an empowering, religious cult and build an understanding of the cult of Vesta as a political tool that was used by the Roman state to maintain power and traditional values. The location of the Temple of Vesta in the Forum, the political epicenter of the Roman Empire, serves as the foundation for this paper’s assertion that the Vestals were an essentially political tool. Livy’s description of Hannibal’s advance towards Rome and the ensuing conviction and execution of two Vestal Virgins confirms the use of the Vestals as a political tool, in this case for the purpose of placating the Roman people. Plutarch and Aulus Gellius’ descriptions of the exclusive nature of the Vestal priesthood confirms that Rome’s elite families saw the Vestals as an avenue for political advancement. Secondary sources explain and corroborate these primary sources. This paper concludes that Rome was adept at the manipulation of seemingly non-political entities for the purpose of maintaining political and patriarchal power.
Rights
© Copyright the author(s)
IN COPYRIGHT:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
DISCLAIMER:
The purpose of this statement is to help the public understand how this Item may be used. When there is a (non-standard) License or contract that governs re-use of the associated Item, this statement only summarizes the effects of some of its terms. It is not a License, and should not be used to license your Work. To license your own Work, use a License offered at https://creativecommons.org/
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/24816
Included in
Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, History of Gender Commons, Women's History Commons
The Veiled Exploitation of the Vestal Virgins
This paper discusses the political dynamics of the Roman religious systems, specifically the Vestal Virgins. This work seeks to refute the commonly accepted understanding of the Vestal Virgins as an empowering, religious cult and build an understanding of the cult of Vesta as a political tool that was used by the Roman state to maintain power and traditional values. The location of the Temple of Vesta in the Forum, the political epicenter of the Roman Empire, serves as the foundation for this paper’s assertion that the Vestals were an essentially political tool. Livy’s description of Hannibal’s advance towards Rome and the ensuing conviction and execution of two Vestal Virgins confirms the use of the Vestals as a political tool, in this case for the purpose of placating the Roman people. Plutarch and Aulus Gellius’ descriptions of the exclusive nature of the Vestal priesthood confirms that Rome’s elite families saw the Vestals as an avenue for political advancement. Secondary sources explain and corroborate these primary sources. This paper concludes that Rome was adept at the manipulation of seemingly non-political entities for the purpose of maintaining political and patriarchal power.