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In ancient Roman religion, Strenua or Strenia was a goddess of the new year, purification, and wellbeing.〔Robert E.A. Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'' (Cambridge University Press, 2009), p. 101.〕 She had a shrine ''(sacellum)'' and grove ''(lucus)'' at the top of the Via Sacra.〔Varro, ''De lingua latina'' 5.47; Festus 290; William Warde Fowler, ''The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic'' (London, 1908), p. 278.〕 Varro said she was a Sabine goddess. W.H. Roscher includes her among the ''indigitamenta'', the lists of Roman deities maintained by priests to assure that the correct divinity was invoked in public rituals.〔W.H. Roscher, ''Ausführliches Lexikon der griechischen und römischen Mythologie'' (Leipzig: Teubner, 1890–94), vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 227.〕 The procession of the Argei began at her shrine.〔Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', pp. 92, 100.〕 On January 1, twigs from Strenua's grove were carried in a procession to the citadel ''(arx)''.〔Fowler, ''Roman Festivals,'' p. 278.〕 The rite is first noted as occurring on New Year's Day in 153 BC, the year when consuls first began assuming their office at the beginning of the year. It is unclear whether it had always been held on that date or had been transferred that year from another place on the calendar, perhaps the original New Year's Day on March 1.〔Fowler, ''Roman Festivals,'' p. 278; Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', p. 101.〕 The name ''Strenia'' was said to be the origin of the word ''strenae'' (preserved in French ''étrennes'' and Italian ''strenne''), the new-year gifts Romans exchanged as good omens in an extension of the public rite:〔Ovid, ''Fasti'' 1.71ff, 175.〕 From almost the beginning of Mars' city the custom of New Year's gifts ''(strenae)'' prevailed on account of the precedent of king Tatius who was the first to reckon the holy branches ''(verbenae)'' of a fertile tree ''(arbor felix)'' in Strenia's grove as the auspicious signs of the new year."〔Symmachus, ''Epistula'' 10.35: ''ab exortu paene urbis Martiae strenarum usus adolevit, auctoritate Tatii regis, qui verbenas felicis arboris ex luco Strenuae anni novi auspices primus accepit. … Nomen indicio est viris strenuis haec convenire virtute.'' Translation from Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', p. 100.〕 During the Principate, these ''strenae'' often took the form of money.〔Suetonius, ''Life of Augustus'' 57.1, ''Tiberius'' 34.2, and ''Caligula'' 42; Lawrence Richardson, ''A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome'' (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992), p. 373.〕 Johannes Lydus says that ''strenae'' was a Sabine word for wellbeing or welfare ''(hygieia,'' Latin ''salus''). The supposed Sabine etymology may or may not be factual, but expresses the Sabine ethnicity of Tatius.〔Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', p. 100.〕 St. Augustine says that Strenia was the goddess who made a person ''strenuus,'' "vigorous, strong."〔Augustine of Hippo, ''De Civitate Dei'' 4.16.〕 According to some scholars the Befana tradition is derived by the Strenua cult. ==References== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Strenua」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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