The Priestess of Vesta

[MarkusS]

Came back from a trip to rome today and while there i had a few hours time left before my train left for Lucca. I decided to take the bus and use my freetime to visit the Forum Romanum and the Vesta Temple there.

The Vesta cult is one of the most interesting aspect of our ancestors and i feel really impressed by it.

The godess vesta was the godess of the household. She was incredible important in roman mythology and had her own temple in the center of Roma. This temple contained a large fire which was never allowed to be extinguished. The vesta priestess cared for the fire.

They were not just priestess they hold incredible power. They were chosen as young girls and brought into the temple. They got teached in highest morals and values. They had to remain virgins and no man was allowed to touch them. If the laws were broken extreme punishment would be implemented

Their renomee was so high that they sometimes were the last hope for people who were put on death sentence. A vesta virgin virtually could change any penalty. Her word would even stand above the emperor in this case.

Lets say teh emperor wants someone executed and out of luck the prisoner meets a vesta virgin...just seeing her would stop the punishment.

 

[viraat_85]

Young girl? Looks like an adult guy to me.

 

[war&peace]

Her dress is like Muslim women

 

[MarkusS]

Her dress is like Muslim women

No its not.

The one pictured is a leading vesta priestess. An elderly women who did lead the entire cult.

 

[war&peace]

No its not.

The one pictured is a leading vesta priestess. An elderly women who did lead the entire cult.

You mean christianity is a cult?

 

[MarkusS]

You mean christianity is a cult?

Vesta priestess were not christians. They served in the roman empire before christianity was introduced and served the godess Vesta

What do you learn in schools where you come from? clapping your hands and singing?

 

[war&peace]

Vesta priestess were not christians. They served in the roman empire before christianity was introduced and served the godess Vesta

What do you learn in schools where you come from? clapping your hands and singing?

You can see from flags, born in Pakistan partly schooled Pakistan and UAE and then moved to USA for unversity education....anything else.

 

[Anubis]

Vesta priestess were not christians. They served in the roman empire before christianity was introduced and served the godess Vesta

What do you learn in schools where you come from? clapping your hands and singing?

What makes you think this is significant enough to be taught in any country other than Italy or Europe in general??

 

[Joe Shearer]

What makes you think this is significant enough to be taught in any country other than Italy or Europe in general??

An exposure to culture other than that of one's own little village. I understand that for some of us it is a little painful, expanding our minds to visualise the ways and habits of others.

 

[Anubis]

An exposure to culture other than that of one's own little village. I understand that for some of us it is a little painful, expanding our minds to visualise the ways and habits of others.

I do not disagree with that..but you cannot expect the schools to teach so much detail about a foreign culture..specifically a culture that is historically so detached from us...I do not think it is necessary for our schools to teach about the priestess of a cult that died so long ago...a general idea of Roman mythology or maybe an in depth idea about Roman history is acceptable...do you think they would even consider teaching the mythology of the Arab god Hubal..or our very own Dhakeswari?

 

[Joe Shearer]

I do not disagree with that..but you cannot expect the schools to teach so much detail about a foreign culture..specifically a culture that is historically so detached from us...I do not think it is necessary for our schools to teach about the priestess of a cult that died so long ago...a general idea of Roman mythology or maybe an in depth idea about Roman history is acceptable...do you think they would even consider teaching the mythology of the Arab god Hubal..or our very own Dhakeswari?

Point accepted, but a good school would instil curiousity. I was in a Bengali medium school till Class VII; how come I knew about vestal virgins?

It wasn't a big-time school either; big-time schools, that should read. One was the Jalpaiguri Jilla School, where I paid the princely sum of Re. 1 and As. 4, for the privilege of studying in a beautiful school by the banks of the Teesta; the next was the Barrackpore Government High School, established by Miss Eden at the edge of the Viceregal Estate, which is more than 150 years old. My fees were eye-wateringly high at this school, well into the double digits.

 

[MarkusS]

What makes you think this is significant enough to be taught in any country other than Italy or Europe in general??

Rome is the foundation of the world we know today. Western culture which dominates the world. You use the alphabeth right now. You use the republican system. The word itself is latin.

The Vestalian virgins are worldfamous because their unique power. They also survived even today as did much of theod roman ways. They basicly formed the basis for this:

I dod not learn about "Hubal", because it was largely irrelevant for human history. But i learned about sumerian gods like Ishtar. I learned about egypts gods like Osiris, Amun Ra and Horus and the mythology. I learned about Aztec Quetzalcoatl as well as japanese Amaterasu.

We even had some hours about indian history and Hinduism. I admitt it wasn´t much. Maybe 2 weeks but we even wrote a test about it. About the basics of their religious system. Like their gods Kali, Shiva, Brahman and Ganesha.

I believe its important to learn about the great parts of human history. I like to learn even more so even beyond that.

 

[livingdead]

What makes you think this is significant enough to be taught in any country other than Italy or Europe in general??

I agree with you.. its all good that I know more about west than they know about my history/culture, but if one starts to 'demand' it, it gets annoying and I usually ask them to recite bollywood song or specific question about Indian history before we go any further...
nobody is proud of one's ignorance but euro-centrism is stupid.

 

[MarkusS]

I agree with you.. its all good that I know more about west than they know about my history/culture, but if one starts to 'demand' it, it gets annoying and I usually ask them to recite bollywood song or specific question about Indian history before we go any further...
nobody is proud of one's ignorance but euro-centrism is stupid.

So you say we should skip Hindusim out of our schools because it has nothing to do with italy and europe in general?

 

[livingdead]

So you say we should skip Hindusim out of our schools because it has nothing to do with italy and europe in general?

what you do is upto you... I however do not expect every italian I meet to know about hinduism... I am always up for telling them if they show interest.. I dont call them ignorant or stupid. If they know it however they earn some points..