ancient Roman religion Religion in ancient Rome consisted of varying imperial and provincial religious practices, which were followed both by the Roman people, people of Rome as well as those who were brought under its rule. The Romans thought of themselves as high ...

, Stata Mater ("

Mother A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of ges ...

who stops or stabilizes") was a compital

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...

who protected against fires. She had an image ''(simulacrum)'' in the

Forum Forum or The Forum may refer to: Common uses *Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example * Internet forum, discussion board ...

, and her '' cultus'', as

Festus Festus may refer to: People Ancient world *Porcius Festus, Roman governor of Judea from approximately 58 to 62 AD *Sextus Pompeius Festus (later 2nd century), Roman grammarian *Festus (died 305), martyr along with Proculus of Pozzuoli *Festus (h ...

notes, spread from there throughout the neighborhoods ''( vici)'' of the city. The original statue was set up by an Aurelius Cotta who had supervised the installation of new pavement in the Forum at the end of the 80s BC. The goddess's purpose was to safeguard the stonework from fire damage. Only the Lares Augusti outnumber her as recipients of surviving dedications from compital shrines.

In the neighborhoods

The cult of Stata Mater was centered on compital shrines of the ''vici'', and numerous inscriptions to her were made by the heads of neighborhood associations ''(vicomagistri)''. Her popularity attests to the everpresent threat and danger of fire in metropolitan Rome. She is sometimes given the additional title '' Augusta'', perhaps in reference to the reorganization of the regions of Rome under Augustus in 7 BC. One of the outcomes of this redistricting was to create local boards or neighborhood watches ''(vigiles)'' tasked with fire control, as a response to recent arson in the Forum. The dedications mark the success of local fire brigades in putting out fires. One pairs Stata Mater Augusta with Volcanus Quietus Augustus, "the 'Quieted' Vulcan

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

." Stata Mater is perhaps to be identified with the Fortuna Augusta Stata named in an inscription. Her cultivation is an example of localized

Imperial cult An imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor or a dynasty of emperors (or rulers of another title) are worshipped as demigods or deities. "Cult (religious practice), Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejor ...

under

. A ''Vicus Statae Matris'' ("Stata Mater's Neighborhood") was located on the

Caelian Hill The Caelian Hill ( ; ; ) is one of the famous seven hills of Rome. Geography The Caelian Hill is a moderately long promontory about long, to wide, and tall in the park near the Temple of Claudius. The hill overlooks a plateau from wh ...

, and a ''Vicus Statae Siccianae'' in the Transtiberim. W.H. Roscher places ''Stata mater'' among the ''

indigitamenta In ancient Roman religion, the ''indigitamenta'' were lists of deities kept by the College of Pontiffs to assure that the correct divine names were invoked for public prayers. These lists or books probably described the nature of the various deit ...

'', the list of deities maintained by Roman priests to assure that the correct divinity was invoked for rituals. W.H. Roscher, ''Ausführliches Lexikon der griechischen und römischen Mythologie'' (Leipzig: Teubner, 1890–94), vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 223.

References

{{Reflist

External links

*
pedestal for Stata Mater
from

Roman Spain Hispania was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. During the Principate, Hispania Ulterior was divided into two new provinces, Bae ...

Fire goddesses Roman goddesses

In the neighborhoods

See also

References

External links