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In ancient Rome, the Vestals or Vestal Virgins (''Vestales'', singular ''Vestalis'') were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. The College of the Vestals and its well-being was regarded as fundamental to the continuance and security of Rome. They cultivated the sacred fire that was not allowed to go out. The Vestals were freed of the usual social obligations to marry and bear children, and took a vow of chastity in order to devote themselves to the study and correct observance of state rituals that were off-limits to the male colleges of priests.〔For an extensive modern consideration of the Vestals, see Ariadne Staples, ''From Good Goddess to Vestal Virgins: Sex and Category in Roman Religion'' (Routledge, 1998).〕 ==History== Livy, Plutarch, and Aulus Gellius attribute the creation of the Vestals as a state-supported priestesshood to king Numa Pompilius, who reigned circa 717–673 BC. According to Livy, Numa introduced the Vestals and assigned them salaries from the public treasury. Livy also says that the priestessthood of Vesta had its origins at Alba Longa.〔Livy, ''Ab urbe condita'', 1:20.〕 The 2nd- century antiquarian Aulus Gellius writes that the first Vestal taken from her parents was led away in hand by Numa. Plutarch attributes the founding of the Temple of Vesta to Numa, who appointed at first two priestesses; Servius Tullius increased the number to four.〔"Life of Numa Pompilius" (9.5–10 ).〕 Ambrose alludes to a seventh in late antiquity. Numa also appointed the ''pontifex maximus'' to watch over the Vestals. The first Vestals, according to Varro, were named Gegania,〔English pronunciation: .〕 Veneneia,〔 .〕 Canuleia,〔 .〕 and Tarpeia.〔 .〕 In myth, Tarpeia, daughter of Spurius Tarpeius, was portrayed as traitorous. The Vestals became a powerful and influential force in the Roman state. When Sulla included the young Julius Caesar in his proscriptions, the Vestals interceded on Caesar's behalf and gained him pardon.〔Suetonius, "Julius Caesar", 1.2.〕 Augustus included the Vestals in all major dedications and ceremonies. They were held in awe, and attributed certain magical powers. Pliny the Elder, for example, in Book 28 of his "Natural History" discussing the efficacy of magic, chooses not to refute, but rather tacitly accept as truth:〔''Pliny''(1855), "The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 5", (p.280 ).〕 The urban prefect Symmachus, who sought to maintain traditional Roman religion during the rise of Christianity, wrote: The College of the Vestals was disbanded and the sacred fire extinguished in 394, by order of the Christian emperor Theodosius I. Zosimus records how the Christian noblewoman Serena, niece of Theodosius, entered the temple and took from the statue of the goddess a necklace and placed it on her own neck. An old woman appeared, the last of the Vestals, who proceeded to rebuke Serena and called down upon her all just punishment for her act of impiety.〔"The Curse of the Last Vestal", Melissa Barden Dowling, Biblical Archaeology Society, Archaeology Odyssey, January/February 2001 4:01.〕 According to Zosimus, Serena was then subject to dreadful dreams predicting her own untimely death. Augustine would be inspired to write ''The City of God'' in response to murmurings that the capture of Rome and the disintegration of its empire was due to the advent of the Christian era and its intolerance of the old gods who had defended the city for over a thousand years. 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「vestal virgin」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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