The Capitoline (2 threads, 1883 posts)
    Gold Launch Discussion: Rome (122 posts)
    General Thread

    ...
    26 Members have made 122 Posts here to date.
    Google
    AncientWorlds.net Web
    Next: You can sit by me!
    Prev: FeAudrey at the Races
    Lectisturnium???
    New Avatar2.jpg
    Author: * Heraklia Aelius - 27 Posts on this thread out of 7,748 Posts sitewide.
    Date: Jul 25, 2002 - 22:38

    I'm trying to figure out this Ludi Romani thing, and chose Senex's description to help out. He mentions the Lectisturnium held on September 13, with the following linked description:

    LECTISTERNIUM. Sacrifices being of the nature of feasts, the Greeks and Romans on occasion of extraordinary solemnities placed images of the gods reclining on couches, with tables and viands before them, as if they were really partaking of the things offered in sacrifice. This ceremony was called a lectisternium. Three specimens of the couches employed for the purpose are in the Glyptotek at Munich. The woodcut here introduced exhibits one of them, which is represented with a cushion covered by a cloth hanging in ample folds down each side. This beautiful pulvinar (Sueton. Jul. 76; Corn. Nep. Timoth. 2) is wrought altogether in white marble, and is somewhat more than two feet in height. At the Epulum Jovis, which was the most noted lectisternium at Rome, and which was celebrated in the Capitol, the statue of Jupiter was laid in a reclining posture on a couch, while those of Juno and Minerva were seated on chairs by his side; and this distinction was observed in allusion to the ancient custom, according to which only men reclined and women sat at table (Val. Max. ii.1 §2). Nevertheless it is probable that at a later period both gods and goddesses were represented in the same position: at least four of them, viz. Jupiter Serapis and Juno or Isis, together with Apollo and Diana, are so exhibited with a table before them on the handle of a Roman lamp engraved by Bartoli (Luc. Ant. ii.34). Livy (v.13) gives an account of a very splendid lectisternium, which he asserts to have been the origin of the practice.

    Umm . . . have I got this right that we have one helluva dinner party at Jupiter Optimus Maximus and have statues of the dei and deiesses just lounging around the tables? I'd never heard of this, does anyone know more?


    NEXT: You can sit by me!
    PREV: FeAudrey at the Races
Rome - Rome, Season 1 - The Stolen Eagle


Copyright 2002-2011 AncientWorlds LLC | Code of Conduct and Terms of Service | Contact Us! | The AncientWorlds Staff