Flamen 347423 214461215 2008-05-23T17:44:20Z 75.33.80.62 [[Image:Flamen Louvre Ma431.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Bust of a flamen, [[3rd century]], [[Louvre]]]] A '''flamen''' was a name given to a [[priest]] assigned to a state-supported god or goddess in [[Roman religion]]. There were fifteen '''flamines''' in the Roman Republic. The most important three were the '''flamines maiores''' (or "major priests"), who served the three chief Roman gods of the [[Capitoline Triad#Archaic Triad|Archaic Triad]]. The remaining twelve, two of whom are unknown, were the '''flamines minores''' ("lesser priests"). The fifteen flamines were part of the [[pontifex|Pontificial College]] which administered state sponsored religion in [[Rome]]. When the office of flamen was vacant, a [[pontifex]] could serve as a temporary replacement, although only the [[Pontifex Maximus]] is known to have substituted for the [[Flamen Dialis]]. The official costume of a flamen, of great antiquity, was a hat called an ''apex'' and a heavy woollen cloak called a ''laena''. The laena was a double-thick wool cloak with a fringed edge, and was worn over the flamen's toga with a clasp holding it around his throat. ([[Maurus Servius Honoratus]], ''Commentary on the Aeneid of Vergil'' iv.262; [[Cicero]] ''Brutus'' 57). The ''apex'' was a leather skull-cap with a chin-strap and a point of olive wood on its top, like a spindle, with a little fluff of wool at the base of the spindle ([[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]] ''Commentary on the Aeneid of Vergil'' ii.683, viii.664, x.270). ==History and etymology== By the time of the religious reformation of [[Augustus]], the origins and functions of many of the long-neglected gods resident in Rome was confusing even to the Romans themselves. The obscurity of some of the deities assigned flamines (for example [[Falacer]], [[Palatua]], [[Quirinus]] and [[Volturnus]]) suggests that the office was ancient. Many scholars assume that the flamines existed at least from the time of the early Roman kings, before the [[Roman Republic]]. This scholarly opinion is in agreement with the belief of the Romans themselves, who credited the foundation of their priesthood to [[Numa Pompilius]], the second king of Rome. The origin of the word ''flamen'' is as obscure as are some of the assigned gods. [[Indo-European studies|Indo-Europeanist]] [[Georges Dumezil]] attempted to link it to the [[Sanskrit]] word ''[[brahman]]'', but this etymology is controversial. [[Sophus Bugge]] suggested in [[1879]] that flamen is from an older *''flădmen'' and related to the Germanic [[blót]]. Both would be derived from a [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] word *''bhlād(s)men''.<ref>[http://runeberg.org/svet/0137.html Hellquist, Elof. "blota". ''Svensk etymologisk ordbok'', 1922].</ref> The flamines were circumscribed by many [[taboo]]s: see Smith. ==Flamines maiores== The three '''flamines maiores''' were required to be [[patrician]]s. The '''[[Flamen Dialis]]''' oversaw the cult of [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]], the sky deity and ruler of the gods. The '''[[Flamen Martialis]]''' oversaw the cult of [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]], the god of war, leading public [[wiktionary:rite|rites]] on the days sacred to Mars. The sacred [[spear]]s of Mars were ritually shaken by the Flamen Martialis when the [[Roman legion|legions]] were preparing for war. The '''[[Flamen Quirinalis]]''' oversaw the cult of [[Quirinus]], who presided over organized Roman social life and was related to the peaceful aspect of Mars. The Flamen Quirinalis led public [[wiktionary:rite|rites]] on the days sacred to Quirinus. A fourth ''flamen maior'' was added after 44 BC dedicated to [[Julius Caesar]]. When the [[Imperial cult (Ancient Rome)|imperial cult]] got underway, further flamines were appointed to worship the divine [[Roman emperor]]s. ==Flamines minores== The twelve '''flamines minores''' could be [[plebs|plebeians]]. Some of the deities they worshipped were rather obscure, and only ten are known by name: * '''Flamen Carmentalis''', who worshipped [[Carmentis]] * '''Flamen Cerialis''', who worshipped [[Ceres (mythology)|Ceres]] * '''Flamen Falacer''', who worshipped [[Falacer]] * '''Flamen Floralis''', who worshipped [[Flora (goddess)|Flora]] * '''Flamen Furrialis''', who worshipped [[Furrina]] * '''Flamen Palatualis''', who worshipped [[Palatua]] * '''Flamen Pomonalis''', who worshipped [[Pomona]] * '''Flamen Portunalis''', who worshipped [[Portunes]] * '''Flamen Volcanalis''', who worshipped [[Vulcan (god)|Vulcan]] * '''Flamen Volturnalis''', who worshipped [[Volturnus]] There were two other ''flamines minores'' during republican times, but the gods or goddesses whom they worshipped are not known. The obscurity of the gods worshipped by the ten ''flamines minores'' makes any speculation about the gods of the remaining two doubtful. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Flamen.html William Smith's ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities'', 1875]: "Flamen" {{Roman religion}} [[Category:Ancient Roman religion]] [[Category:Ancient Roman titles]] [[Category:Religious occupations]] [[Category:Divination]] [[bg:Фламен]] [[ca:Flamines]] [[da:Flamen]] [[de:Flamen (Religion)]] [[es:Flamen]] [[fr:Flamines]] [[it:Flamine]] [[la:Flamen]] [[hu:Flamen]] [[mk:Фламен]] [[nl:Flamen (religie)]] [[pl:Flamen]] [[pt:Flamen]] [[sv:Flamen]]