Who Were the Vestal Virgins? The Temple of Vesta and Roman Mythology

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9 Apr 2024

Vestal Virgins

Most people worshipped Hestia in their homes, but one of the most famous temples of the Ancient Age was erected in her honor: the Temple of Vesta. In this temple located in Rome, priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins (Vesta being the Latin name for Hestia) served. Six priestesses served the goddess in the Temple of Vesta. These priestesses, selected from the finest families in Rome, were required to be beautiful and have no physical flaws. Additionally, both of their parents had to be alive when they began their duties. The education of the Vestal Virgins started between the ages of six and ten. The Vestal Virgins were a significant part of Roman culture. Therefore, being chosen for this role was a great honor for both the girl herself and her family.

Who Were the Vestal Virgins? The Temple of Vesta and Roman Mythology - Ancient History
"Vestal Virgins" by French painter Jean Raoux, 1727. Oil on canvas. Palais des Beaux-Arts, France.
To become a Vestal priestess, a young girl undergoing training had to take a vow of chastity and pledge to serve in the temple for thirty years. During the ceremony marking the beginning of her service, she would be escorted to the temple and welcomed by the other Vestal Virgins. There, she would be dressed in white garments and her hair would be cut. The training lasted for ten years. After that, the new priestess would actively serve for ten years. During this time, she would fulfill responsibilities such as maintaining the continuity of Vesta's Flame and sprinkling sacred water over the fire every day. Once their active service ended, the retired priestesses would assist in the training of new priestess candidates for ten years. The ancient Romans believed that if the Flame of Vesta were to extinguish, it would bring ill fortune to Rome. As the task of tending the flame was of utmost importance, failure was severely punished; a priestess who allowed the flame to extinguish would be beaten with rods.

Service Duration of the Priestesses

After serving in the temple for thirty years, the priestesses could choose to continue their lives as ordinary citizens, marry, and have children if they wished. However, most of the Vestal Virgins chose to continue serving the goddess throughout their remaining lives. Ultimately, serving Vesta was the only way of life they knew. The Vestal Virgins were treated differently from ordinary Roman women. Because they were not under the protection of any man, they enjoyed some of the rights that men did. For example, Vestal priestesses could attend court hearings and write wills to leave their property to whomever they wished.

Breaking the Vow of Chastity

The greatest offense a Vestal Virgin could commit was to break her vow of chastity. Doing so meant betraying both the goddess and the city of Rome; Romans believed that the fate of the city depended on the loyalty of the Vestal Virgins. A priestess caught breaking her vow of chastity would be buried alive. This burial was a ceremony that required careful attention. The disgraced priestess would be wrapped in a thin cloth made of thick linen, which immobilized her and stifled her cries. She would then be placed on a litter used for transporting the dead and carried from one end of the city to the other in a procession. At the burial site, prayers would be recited by a priest while the burial cloth was unwrapped.

Who Were the Vestal Virgins? The Temple of Vesta and Roman Mythology

Temple of Vesta, Rome.

The priestess would be lowered into a previously prepared burial chamber and placed on a bed. This burial chamber contained only enough food, water, and light to last for one day. Once the burial chamber was sealed, it would be filled with soil. Those involved in the burial ceremony would meticulously smooth the soil to ensure that no one would suspect it was a burial site. It was believed that a Vestal priestess who fell into disgrace and was not properly buried in accordance with tradition would never reach the Afterlife. It was believed that her sacrifice would appease the gods and prevent harm from coming to Rome.

References:
"All About Classical Mythology" by Dr. Nancy Conner.

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