Bust of a flamen, 3rd century, Louvre

A flamen was a name given to a priest assigned to a state supported god or goddess in Roman religion. There were fifteen flamines in the Roman Republic. The most important three were the flamines maiores (or "major priests"), who served the three chief Roman gods of the Archaic Triad. The remaining twelve, two of whom are unknown, were the flamines minores ("lesser priests"). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1350x1920, 1671 KB) Description fr: Portrait dun flamine. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1350x1920, 1671 KB) Description fr: Portrait dun flamine. ... // Overview Events 212: Constitutio Antoniniana grants citizenship to all free Roman men 212-216: Baths of Caracalla 230-232: Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east 235-284: Crisis of the Third Century shakes Roman Empire 250-538: Kofun era, the first... The Louvre Museum (French: Musée du Louvre) in Paris, France, is one of the largest, oldest, most important and famous art galleries and museums in the world. ... Roman Catholic priests in traditional clerical clothing. ... Religion in ancient Rome combined several different cult practices and embraced more than a single set of beliefs. ... The Capitoline Triad was comprised of three deities of Roman mythology who were worshipped most famously in an elaborate temple on Romes Capitoline Hill. ...

The fifteen flamines were part of the Pontificial College which administered state sponsored religion in Rome. When the office of flamen was vacant, a pontifex could serve as a temporary replacement, although only the Pontifex Maximus is known to have substituted for the Flamen Dialis. In the Roman Republic, the Pontifex Maximus was the head of the Roman religion. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Motto: SPQR: Senatus PopulusQue Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 8th century BC Mayor Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ... In the Roman Republic, the Pontifex Maximus was the head of the Roman religion. ... Alternate meanings: see Pontifex (disambiguation) In Ancient Rome, the Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the collegium of the Pontifices, the most august position in Roman religion, open only to a patrician, until 254 BC, when a plebeian first occupied this post. ... The Flamen Dialis was an important position in Roman religion. ...

The official costume of a flamen, of great antiquity, was a hat called an apex and a heavy woollen cloak called a laena. The laena was a double-thick wool cloak with a fringed edge, and was worn over the flamen's toga with a clasp holding it around his throat. (Maurus Servius Honoratus, Commentary on the Aeneid of Vergil iv.262; Cicero Brutus 57). The apex was a leather skull-cap with a chin-strap and a point of olive wood on its top, like a spindle, with a little fluff of wool at the base of the spindle (Servius Commentary on the Aeneid of Vergil ii.683, viii.664, x.270). Maurus (or Marius) Servius Honoratius, Roman grammarian and commentator on Virgil, flourished at the end of the 4th century AD. He is one of the interlocutors in the Saturnalia of Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius, and allusions in that work and a letter from Quintus Aurelius Symmachus to Servius show that he... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Maurus (or Marius) Servius Honoratius, Roman grammarian and commentator on Virgil, flourished at the end of the 4th century AD. He is one of the interlocutors in the Saturnalia of Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius, and allusions in that work and a letter from Quintus Aurelius Symmachus to Servius show that he...

History and etymology

By the time of the religious reformation of Augustus, the origins and functions of many of the long-neglected gods resident in Rome was confusing even to the Romans themselves. The obscurity of some of the deities assigned flamines (for example Falacer, Palatua, Quirinus and Volturnus) suggests that the office was ancient. Many scholars assume that the flamines existed at least from the time of the early Roman kings, before the Roman Republic. This scholarly opinion is in agreement with the belief of the Romans themselves, who credited the foundation of their priesthood to Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. Augustus (Latin: IMP•CAESAR•DIVI•F•AVGVSTVS;[1] September 23, 63 BC–August 19, AD 14), known as Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (English Octavian; Latin: C•IVLIVS•C•F•CAESAR•OCTAVIANVS) for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, was the first and among the most important of... A god who, though provided a Flamen (a high honor for a god in the Roman Religion,) we know nothing else about. ... Palatua was a Roman Goddess who was provided a Flamen, the Flamen Palatualis, and was charged with guarding the Palatine Hill. ... In Roman mythology, Quirinus was a mysterious god. ... In Roman mythology, Volturnus was a god of the waters, probably derived from a local Samnite cult. ... This article is becoming very long. ... According to legend, Numa Pompilius was the second of the Kings of Rome, succeeding Romulus. ...

The origin of the word flamen is as obscure as are some of the assigned gods. Indo-Europeanist Georges Dumezil attempted to link it to the Sanskrit word brahman, but this etymology is controversial. The flamines were circumscribed by many taboos: see Smith. Indo-European studies is a field of linguistics, dealing with the Indo-European languages. ... Georges Dumézil (March 4, 1898 - October 11, 1986) was a French comparative philologist best known for his analysis of sovereignty and power in Indo-European religion and society. ... The Sanskrit language ( , ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. ... Brahman (Devanagari: ब्रह्म ) in the Vedantic schools of Hindu philosophy, is the signifying name given to the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality of all things in this universe. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Flamines maiores

The three flamines maiores were required to be patricians. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

The Flamen Dialis oversaw the cult of Jupiter, the sky deity and ruler of the gods. The Flamen Dialis was an important position in Roman religion. ... Jupiter et Thétis - by Jean Ingres, 1811. ...

The Flamen Martialis oversaw the cult of Mars, the god of war, leading public rites on the days sacred to Mars. The sacred spears of Mars were ritually shaken by the Flamen Martialis when the legions were preparing for war. Mars was the Roman god of war, the son of Juno and either Jupiter or a magical flower. ... Hunting spear and knife, from Mesa Verde National Park. ... A modern reconstruction of a Roman centurion around 70 A modern reconstruction of a Roman miles, (10-240) The Roman legion (from Latin , from lego, legere, legi, lectus — to collect) is a term that can apply both as a transliteration of legio (conscription or army) to the entire Roman army...

The Flamen Quirinalis oversaw the cult of Quirinus, who presided over organized Roman social life and was related to the peaceful aspect of Mars. The Flamen Quirinalis led public rites on the days sacred to Quirinus. In Roman mythology, Quirinus was a mysterious god. ...

A fourth flamen maior was added after 44 BC dedicated to Julius Caesar. When the imperial cult got underway, further flamines were appointed to worship the divine Roman emperors. Gāius Jūlius Caesar (IPA: ;[1]), July 12 or July 13, 100 BC – March 15, 44 BC) was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in world history. ... The Imperial cult in Ancient Rome was the worship of the Roman Emperor as a god. ... Roman Emperor is the term historians use to refer to rulers of the Roman Empire, after the epoch conventionally named the Roman Republic. ...

Flamines minores

The ten flamines minores could be plebeians. Some of the deities they worshipped were rather obscure: In Ancient Rome, the plebs was the general body of Roman citizens, distinct from the privileged class of the patricians. ...

• Flamen Carmentalis, who worshipped Carmentis
• Flamen Cerialis, who worshipped Ceres
• Flamen Falacer, who worshipped Falacer
• Flamen Floralis, who worshipped Flora
• Flamen Furrialis, who worshipped Furrina
• Flamen Palatualis, who worshipped Palatua
• Flamen Pomonalis, who worshipped Pomona
• Flamen Portunalis, who worshipped Portunes
• Flamen Volcanalis, who worshipped Vulcan
• Flamen Volturnalis, who worshipped Volturnus

It is known that there were two other flamines minores during republican times, but the gods or goddesses whom they worshipped are not known. The obscurity of the gods worshipped by the ten flamines minores that are known makes any speculation about the gods of the remaining two doubtful. In Roman mythology, Carmenta was the goddess of childbirth and prophecy, associated with technological innovation as well as the protection of mothers and children, and a patron of midwives. ... Ceres, in Roman mythology, equivalent to the Greek Demeter (see which for more details), daughter of Saturn and Rhea, wife-sister of Jupiter, mother of Proserpina by Jupiter, sister of Juno, Vesta, Neptune and Pluto, and patron of Sicily. ... A god who, though provided a Flamen (a high honor for a god in the Roman Religion,) we know nothing else about. ... In Roman mythology, Flora was a goddess of flowers and the season of spring. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Palatua was a Roman Goddess who was provided a Flamen, the Flamen Palatualis, and was charged with guarding the Palatine Hill. ... In Roman mythology, Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees. ... In Roman mythology, Portunes (alternatively spelled Portumnes or Portunus) was a god of keys and doors and livestock. ... Vulcan, in Roman mythology, is the son of Jupiter and Juno, and husband of Maia and Venus. ... In Roman mythology, Volturnus was a god of the waters, probably derived from a local Samnite cult. ...

External link

• William Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 1875 :Flamen"