Vesta was the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family in Roman mythology. Though she is often mistaken as analogous to Hestia in Greek mythology; she had a large, albeit mysterious role in Roman religion long before she appeared in Greece. Vesta was much more important to the Romans than Hestia was to the Greeks. Little is known about the goddess, as unlike other Roman deities, she had no distinct personality, was never depicted and went without mention in myths. Vesta's presence was symbolized by the sacred flame that burned at her hearth and temples. In common historic and modern usage, a hearth (Har-th) is a brick- or stone-lined fireplace or oven used for cooking and/or heating. ... A head of Minerva found in the ruins of the Roman baths in Bath Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ... In Greek mythology, virginal Hestia (ancient Greek ) is the goddess of the hearth, of the right ordering of domesticity and the family, who received the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... The word mythology (from the Greek μυολογία mythología, from μυολογείν mythologein to relate myths, from μύος mythos, meaning a narrative, and λόγος logos, meaning speech or argument) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events and...

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As goddess of the hearth, she was also the symbol of the home, around which a newborn child must be carried before it could be received into the family. Every meal began and ended with an offering to her: Image File history File links Information. ... This page is about computer text editing. ...

Vesta, in all dwellings of men and immortals

Yours is the highest honor, the sweet wine offered

First and last at the feast, poured out to you duly.

Never without you can gods or mortals hold banquet.

Landscape with Vesta temple in Tivoli, Italy, c. 1600.

Every Roman city had a public hearth sacred to Vesta, with a fire that was never allowed to go out. If a new colony was to be established, the coals from the main city's hearth were taken with the colonists so that a fire could be kindled on the new city's hearth. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1256x901, 83 KB) Description: Title: de: Landschaft mit dem Vestatempel in Tivoli Technique: de: Öl auf Holz Dimensions: de: 23,5 × 33,5 cm Country of origin: de: Deutschland und Italien Current location (city): de: Prag Current location (gallery): de: N... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1256x901, 83 KB) Description: Title: de: Landschaft mit dem Vestatempel in Tivoli Technique: de: Öl auf Holz Dimensions: de: 23,5 × 33,5 cm Country of origin: de: Deutschland und Italien Current location (city): de: Prag Current location (gallery): de: N... Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italian town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills. ...

Vestales

Vesta's fire was guarded at her Temples by her priestesses, the Vestales. Every March 1 the fire was renewed. It burned until 391, when the Emperor Theodosius I forbade public pagan worship. One of the Vestales mentioned in mythology was Rhea Silvia, who with the God Mars conceived Romulus and Remus (see founding of Rome). . ... In Ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins (sacerdos Vestalis), were the virgin holy priestesses of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth. ... Events All non-Christian temples in the Roman Empire are closed Quintus Aurelius Symmachus is urban prefect in Rome, and petitions Theodosius I to re-open the pagan temples. ... An engraving depicting what Theodosius may have looked like, ca. ... Look up pagan, heathen in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Rhea Silvia (also written as Rea Silvia), and also known as Ilia, was the mythical mother of the twins Romulus and Remus, who founded the city of Rome. ... Mars was the Roman god of war, the son of Juno and either Jupiter or a magical flower. ... This page describes the ancient heroes who founded the city of Rome. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The Vestales were one of the few full time clergy positions in Roman religion. They were drawn from the patrician class and had to observe absolute chastity for 30 years. It was from this that the Vestales were named the Vestal virgins. They could not show excessive care of their person, and they must not let the fire go out. The Vestal Virgins lived together in a house near the Forum (Atrium Vestae), supervised by the Pontifex Maximus. On becoming a priestess, a Vestal Virgin was legally emancipated from her father's authority and swore a vow of chastity for 30 years. This vow was so sacred that if it were broken, the Vestal was buried alive in the Campus Sceleris ('Field of Wickedness'). It is likely that this is what happened to Rhea Silvia. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... The term Roman religion may refer to: Ancient Roman religion Imperial cult (Ancient Rome), Sol Invictus Mithraism Roman Christianity Category: ... This article is about the social and political class in ancient Rome. ... Allegory of chastity by Hans Memling. ... 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. ... Rhea Silvia (also written as Rea Silvia), and also known as Ilia, was the mythical mother of the twins Romulus and Remus, who founded the city of Rome. ...

Vestalia

Vesta was celebrated at the Vestalia which took place from June 7 to June 15. On the first day of the festivities the penus Vestae (the curtained sanctum sanctorum of her temple) was opened, for the only time during the year, for womens to offer sacrifices in. Such sacrifices included the removal of an unborn calf from a pregnant cow. The sanctum sanctorum is the area inside a Hindu temple complex where the main deity is installed. ... Brick with the emblem of Theodoric the Great, found in the temple of Vesta. ...

Household Worship of Vesta

Vesta was the goddess of the hearth at the centre of atrium and home. It was in the house and home that Vesta was most important as she was the goddess of the hearth and of fire. Vesta was particularly important to women of the household as the hearth was the place where food was prepared and next to it the meal was eaten with offerings being thrown into the fire to seek omens (the future) from the way it burned. Her weakness was that she couldn't fall in love. Looking up inside the 32-story atrium of the Shanghai Grand Hyatt, part of the Jin Mao Building. ...

References

• Hamilton, Edith (1942). Mythology. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-34114-2. 

See also

• Roman religion: Roman festivals, Roman mythology, Founding of Rome, Hestia, Caca, Juturna, Vestal Virgin, Similarities between Roman, Greek, and Etruscan mythologies
• Other: Rhea Silvia, Romanian mythology, Pontifex Maximus, List of deities, Amulius
• The asteroid 4 Vesta