Flamines

The flamines (singular flamen in Latin) are Roman priests dedicated to the worship of only one god. They 15, selected for some by large the Pontife, are elected by the Plèbe for others. They then dedicate their life with a particular god. One could know this god by looking at the second part of the title:

flamen dialis : the flamine which had more the high ranking of the hierarchy. Responsible for the worship of Jupiter.
flamen martialis : responsible for the worship of Mars
flamen quirinalis : devoted to the worship of Quirinus
flamen undervalue : 12 priests elected by the plebs, responsible for the worship of minor divinities.

The flamines carried the apex, a conical leather bonnet blanc.
The flamines enjoyed a great prestige but in return they had many very constraining interdicts.

The flamines preserved the crowned flame on their premises, symbol of their function.

Minor flamines

Flamen Carmentalis , in charge of the worship of Carmentis
Flamen Cerialis , in charge of the worship of Cérès
Flamen Falacer , in charge of the worship of Falacer
Flamen Floralis , in charge of the worship of Flora
Flamen Furrialis , in charge of the worship of Furrina
Flamen Palatualis , in charge of the worship of Palatua
Flamen Pomonalis , in charge of the worship of Pomone
Flamen Portunalis , in charge of the worship of Portunus
Flamen Volcanalis , charged with worship of Vulcan
Flamen Volturnalis , in charge of the worship of Volturnus

Origin of the name

Two theories clash:

the first says that the name flamine (flamen in Latin) comes from filamen in reference to the wool yarn which was on their apex.
the other says that the word comes from flare which wants to say to blow on the fire of the furnace bridge, the flamines being the guards of crowned fire.

Georges Dumézil in his works on the Indo-Europeans suggests an origin much older than these etymologies combining of the Latin words. Making the bringing together of the word flamine with the word Sanskrit Brahman designating a member of the Hindu sacerdotal caste, he sees in flamine/Brahman a sacerdotal designation going back to the origins of the Indo-European culture.

To become flamine

The first would have been created by Numa Pompilius, successor mythical of Romulus. Very quickly, it is the person in charge of the Roman worship, large the Pontife which had the role to indicate among the patricians the three flamines raise : * the flamen dialis , the flamen martialis and the flamen quirinalis . The 12 others resulted from the plebs. They had in load: Carmenta, Cérès, Falacer, Flora, Furina, Palatua, Pomone, Portunus, Volcanus, Volturnus and two other divinities not identified by the historians.

Interdicts

They must carry the apex as soon as they leave on their premises. Even if they are appointed for lives, they can be dislocated of their function in the event of odd. Each flamine must respect food interdicts and behaviors, this to avoid any stain to him. It cannot divorce, his wife being her more faithful help, and if it becomes widowed, it must give up its function.

The flamen dialis, a case with share

The flamine with the service of most powerful of the gods must also respect the greatest number of interdicts. It cannot move away from Rome, nor to ride a horse. It does not have the right to touch dogs or to utter coarseness. Its hair and its nails are cut according to severe religious practices. It can neither touch a death nor to carry node on him. Even its bed must obey strict rules (coated feet of silt, and the flamine does not have the right découcher about it more than three days).
N the other hand, it sits at the Senate, during its displacements it is preceded by a Licteur, like the high-ranking magistrates.

His wife, the flaminica is vêtue dresses with the bright colors. She must also respect a long list of prohibited: she should not thus reveal her ankles (cannot go up on a scale), nor to be capped with a comb out of wooden or to use iron scissors, etc

Evolution of the flamines

With the wire of time, the station of flamine evolves/moves. Towards 86 av. J. - C., the station of flamen dialis is abolished (certain think that it is because it did not find taking), before being restored later 75 years by Auguste. At this time, the flamen dialis does not sit any more at the Senate, but can exert a magistrature civile.
In 44 av. J. - C., new stations of flamines are created to meet the needs induced by the deification for the emperors. In Rome, the flamines perpetui are dedicated to the worship of a césar, whereas their wives, the flaminicae are devoted to the empress. In the provinces, the flamen augustalis is in charge of the worship of divinized Auguste. The flamen municipal officiates in the center of a city (all the large cities of the Empire will end up having to them flamine particular). This last station is not a station with life, but a one year mandate.
Enfin the religious affairs of the curies are managed by the flamines curiales . And all the sacerdotal brotherhoods will also end up having to them flamine.

See too

External bonds

Complete article, resulting from the '' Dictionnaire of Greek and Roman Antiquities '' of CH. Daremberg and E. Saglio (1877), with illustration

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