House of the Vestal Virgins

Statues of Vestals lining the courtyard, ~3rd century AD

One of the most impressive areas of what remains of the Roman Forum is the House of the Vestal Virgins. The Vestals were highly-respected priestesses whose priority was to honor Vesta, goddess of the hearth, home, and family. Chosen from a lottery of the wealthiest Roman families, Vestals were between 6 and 10 years old when they joined the college. Becoming a Vestal was a 30-year commitment; the first ten years were spent training, the next ten were spent performing their many duties, and the last ten years were spent training their replacements. Throughout Rome's territory, Vestals were charged with tending a sacred fire in the Temples of Vesta. They also prepared ceremonial cakes, kept wills and public records, and participated in certain ceremonies, such as the Vestalia.  Following their retirement, they were free to marry and have children. Often, they were arranged to marry Roman nobles by the pontifex maximus. Not all retired Vestals got married and they enjoyed considerable benefits. Unlike other Roman women, they were not under the authority of their fathers and experience considerable social freedom. They were the only women allowed to own property and have wills. Vestals were considered sacred and harming one was cause for execution; shedding the blood of a Vestal was thought to be punishable by the gods. They were awarded the best seating at public events and traveled in carriages and lictors.

The courtyard and remains of the House of the Vestal Virgins

Once a Vestal was chosen, she was ceremonially led away from her parents by the pontifices. She took up residence in the House of the Vestal Virgins. There were 18 women and girls in the College of Vestal Virgins, with only the six most experienced women actually considered Vestal Virgins. The remaining members were novices and junior priestesses.

Of the House of Vestal Virgins, the courtyard and pond remains, as well as the shell of the former residence. Originally, the building was three stories and had around fifty rooms. There is also evidence of a mill in the House.

Statue of a senior Vestal in the courtyard

As luxurious and blessed the life of a Vestal Virgin was, there were equally severe consequences for not upholding their duties. If the sacred fire of Vesta was extinguished, the Vestal in charge of tending it would be beaten. The most severe penalty was reserved for Vestals who committed incestum, or breaking their religious vow of chastity. Although extremely rare, if a Vestal was charged with incestum, she was buried alive outside the walls of Rome, as to execute her without spilling her blood. She was given light and a few provisions in order to keep her alive long enough to contemplate her sins. Her lover was executed publicly in Rome. There are several stories of Vestals being accused and acquitted, or falsely charged, of incestum for political reasons. An acquittal usually followed a trial by ordeal, as in the case of the Vestal who carried water in a sieve to prove her chastity.

Another cause for scandal among the Vestals was conversion to Christianity. One of the statues in the courtyard of the House of the Vestal Virgins has had the name plate defaced. It may be that this statue represented a Vestal who reportedly denounced her religious order and converted to Christianity. The cult of Vesta existed until 394 AD, following Emperor Theodosius I's far-reaching persecution of paganism, which included further banning sacrifices and pagan festivals (he also banned the ancient Olympics in Greece, not to be resurrected until 1896), destroying temples and altars, and extinguishing the sacred fires at the Temples of Vesta.