{"id":4673,"date":"2019-10-15T21:43:30","date_gmt":"2019-10-15T21:43:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/?p=4673"},"modified":"2019-10-13T21:45:30","modified_gmt":"2019-10-13T21:45:30","slug":"roman-superstitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/roman-superstitions\/","title":{"rendered":"Roman Superstitions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Salvete Omnes, This week I would like you to think about your superstitions while we visit ancient ones&#8230;Superstitions were an important staple in many ancient cultures, and the Romans were no exception. In the\u00a0religions of ancient Rome, an\u00a0<b>omen<\/b>, plural\u00a0<i>omina<\/i>, was a\u00a0sign\u00a0intimating the future, considered less important to the community than a\u00a0<i>prodigium<\/i> but of great importance to the person who heard or saw it.\u00a0<sup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup>Omina could be good or bad.<\/p>\n<p>Common Superstitious Activities and Accounts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A<b> Bulla<\/b>, an\u00a0amulet\u00a0worn like a locket, <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4674 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/Roman_boy_wearing_bulla.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"243\" height=\"331\" \/> were enigmatic objects of lead, sometimes covered in gold foil, if the family could afford it. A bulla was worn around the neck as a locket to protect against evil spirits and forces. Bullae (plural) were made of differing substances depending upon the wealth of the family.<\/li>\n<li>A <b>haruspex<\/b>\u00a0(plural\u00a0<b>haruspices<\/b>)\u00a0was a person trained to practice a form of\u00a0divination\u00a0called\u00a0<b>haruspicy<\/b>\u00a0(<i>haruspicina<\/i>), the inspection of the entrails (<i>exta<\/i>\u2014hence also\u00a0<b>extispicy<\/b>\u00a0(<i>extispicium<\/i>)) of\u00a0sacrificed animals, especially the\u00a0livers\u00a0of sacrificed\u00a0sheep\u00a0and\u00a0poultry.\u00a0 In Italy, divination was practiced by the Etruscans, the Romans and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Umbri\">the Umbrians<\/a>. The Etruscans were well known for the practice of divining by the entrails of sheep. The continuity of the Etruscan tradition among the Romans is indicated by several ancient literary sources, perhaps most famously in the incident related by\u00a0Suetonius <sup id=\"cite_ref-6\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup>in which a <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.getty.edu\/iris\/beware-the-ides-of-march\/\">haruspex named Spurinna<\/a>\u00a0warned\u00a0Julius Caesar\u00a0to beware the\u00a0Ides of March.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p>Et immolantem <strong>haruspex<\/strong> Spurinna monuit, caveret periculum, quod non ultra Martias Idus proferretur.<\/p>\n<p>Again, when he was offering sacrifice, the <strong>soothsayer<\/strong> Spurinna warned him to beware of danger, which would come not later than the Ides of March.<a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Tintinnabulum_Pompeii_MAN_Napoli_Inv27839.jpg\" aria-label=\"800px Tintinnabulum Pompeii MAN Napoli Inv27839 262x350\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4675 alignright\"  alt=\"\" width=\"262\" height=\"350\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/800px-Tintinnabulum_Pompeii_MAN_Napoli_Inv27839-262x350.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/800px-Tintinnabulum_Pompeii_MAN_Napoli_Inv27839-262x350.jpg 262w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/800px-Tintinnabulum_Pompeii_MAN_Napoli_Inv27839-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/800px-Tintinnabulum_Pompeii_MAN_Napoli_Inv27839.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 262px) 100vw, 262px\" \/><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li>A\u00a0 <i><b>fascinus<\/b><\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0<i><b>fascinum<\/b><\/i>\u00a0was the embodiment of the divine\u00a0phallus. The word can refer to the deity himself (<b>Fascinus<\/b>), to phallus\u00a0effigies\u00a0and\u00a0amulets, and to the spells used to invoke his divine protection. <sup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup>Pliny\u00a0calls it a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.loebclassics.com\/view\/pliny_elder-natural_history\/1938\/pb_LCL418.31.xml\"><i>medicus invidiae<\/i><\/a>, a &#8220;doctor&#8221; or remedy for envy (<i>invidia<\/i>, a &#8220;looking upon&#8221;) or the\u00a0evil eye.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Headaches they believed could be cured by taking an herb found growing near the heads of statues and wrapping them around one&#8217;s neck.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p>\u00a0By pouring vinegar upon the hinges of a door, a thick liniment is formed, which, applied to the forehead, will alleviate headache<\/p>\n<p>cardinibus\u00a0ostiorum\u00a0aceto\u00a0adfus<i>i<\/i>s\u00a0lutum\u00a0fronti\u00a0inlitum\u00a0capitis\u00a0dolorem sedare (Pliny&#8217;s Natural History Book XXVIII Chapter XII)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;Left side&#8221; or &#8221; Left handedness&#8221; In early Roman times, the left side retained a positive connotation, as the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/augur\">Augures <\/a>proceeded from the eastern side.The negative meaning was subsequently borrowed into Latin from Greek, and ever since in all Roman languages. The expression \u201cgetting up on the wrong side of the bed\u201d supposedly evolved from getting up on the &#8220;right side\u201d, which in turn grew out the Roman belief that the left side was evil. The the Latin word for &#8220;left&#8221; is \u201c<strong><em>sinister<\/em><\/strong>\u201d and first &#8220;footmen&#8221; were hired by Roman nobles to makes sure guests entered their houses right foot first.<\/li>\n<li>Bees were an omen; godly messengers. However, it depended on their presence and numbers for their meaning. The Roman historian, <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Aft4c9GauRsC&amp;pg=PP27&amp;lpg=PP27&amp;dq=roman+superstitions+for+bees&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=iB0g9OU7Jo&amp;sig=ACfU3U1QlYFJ9pXXq_p80QlaFBmeSJ18Lg&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjsvKTp1pnlAhXBo54KHW26A9oQ6AEwDnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=roman%20superstitions%20for%20bees&amp;f=false\">Appian<\/a>, explains how a swarm of bees was an evil portent of a battle&#8217;s demise.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4676 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/photo-1429552077091-836152271555-232x350.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/photo-1429552077091-836152271555-232x350.jpg 232w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/photo-1429552077091-836152271555.jpg 332w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Lightning, due to its association with a Jupiter, could have a variety of meanings from bad to good depending\u00a0on the interpretation. The association of lightning with a godly message is seen across many civilizations and even <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=Aft4c9GauRsC&amp;pg=PT243&amp;dq=roman+and+lightning+superstitions&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjw9emN2JnlAhXBFjQIHWx4BF8Q6AEIRDAE#v=onepage&amp;q=roman%20and%20lightning%20superstitions&amp;f=false\">today<\/a>. Lightning and thunder were important because the Romans feared these omens as seen in Livy&#8217;s account of an election:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span class=\"mark\">Whilst he was assuming the duties of the consulship<strong> thunder was heard<\/strong>; the augurs were summoned and gave it as their opinion that there was some informality in his election. The patricians spread a report that as that was the first time that two plebeian consuls were elected together, the gods were showing their displeasure. Marcellus resigned his office and Q. Fabius Maximus was appointed in his place; this was his third consulship.<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">This year the sea appeared to be on fire; at Sinuessa a cow brought forth a colt; the statues in the temple of Juno Sospita at Lanuvium sweated blood and a shower of stones fell round the temple.<\/span>\u00a0 (<span class=\"title\">The History of Rome, 23.31)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>cui ineunti consulatum cum <strong>tonuisset<\/strong>,\u00a0uocati\u00a0augures\u00a0uitio\u00a0creatum\u00a0uideri\u00a0pronuntiauerunt;<\/p>\n<p>uolgoque\u00a0patres\u00a0ita\u00a0fama\u00a0ferebant,\u00a0quod\u00a0tum\u00a0primum\u00a0duo\u00a0plebeii\u00a0consules\u00a0facti\u00a0essent,<\/p>\n<p>id\u00a0deis\u00a0cordi\u00a0non\u00a0esse.in\u00a0locum\u00a0Marcelli,\u00a0ubi\u00a0is\u00a0se\u00a0magistratu\u00a0abdicauit,\u00a0suffectus\u00a0Q.\u00a0<span class=\"surname\">Fabius<\/span>\u00a0Maximus\u00a0tertium.\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">mare\u00a0arsit\u00a0eo\u00a0anno;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ad\u00a0Sinuessam\u00a0bos\u00a0eculeum\u00a0peperit;\u00a0signa\u00a0Lanuui\u00a0ad\u00a0Iunonis\u00a0Sospitae\u00a0cruore\u00a0manauere\u00a0lapidibusque\u00a0circa\u00a0id\u00a0templum\u00a0pluit,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ob quem imbrem nouendiale,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ut\u00a0adsolet,\u00a0sacrum\u00a0fuit<\/span><strong>;\u00a0<\/strong><strong>c<\/strong>eteraque\u00a0prodigia\u00a0cum\u00a0cura\u00a0expiata.<\/p>\n<p>(Ab urbe condita 23.31)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li>Often, sacred chickens were taken to battles on land or sea. If they refused to eat or even flew away was considered a bad omen. At both the battle against the Samnites\u00a0(293 bc) and the\u00a0battle of Drepanum the chickens refused to eat. Both consuls attacked anyway. The outcome of both battles was very different (one won the battle; the other lost the battle)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Conclusion<\/p>\n<p>I would love to hear your thoughts or of other superstitions from Rome you have heard of! Thanks for reading!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<img width=\"232\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/photo-1429552077091-836152271555-232x350.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/photo-1429552077091-836152271555-232x350.jpg 232w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/10\/photo-1429552077091-836152271555.jpg 332w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px\" \/><p>Salvete Omnes, This week I would like you to think about your superstitions while we visit ancient ones&#8230;Superstitions were an important staple in many ancient cultures, and the Romans were no exception. In the\u00a0religions of ancient Rome, an\u00a0omen, plural\u00a0omina, was a\u00a0sign\u00a0intimating the future, considered less important to the community than a\u00a0prodigium but of great importance&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/roman-superstitions\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":4676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3691,60854],"tags":[235614,60850,178,99,60861,3746,3754,60855],"class_list":["post-4673","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latin-language","category-roman-culture","tag-ancient-rome","tag-classic-culture","tag-history","tag-latin","tag-latin-language-2","tag-latin-literature","tag-latin-vocabulary","tag-roman-culture-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4673"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4686,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4673\/revisions\/4686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}