Roman Priestess

[Sulla]

Hi all I am thinking about doing a painting of a roman priestess. I am open to times and kinds etc. Any one have any ideas? Or information or images of interestesting customs, ceremonies, costumes etc?

[GALLA PLACIDIA]

Like a vestals?

[GALLA PLACIDIA]

more information:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestal_Virgin

[Sulla]

Yes possibly. I guese I should have been more clear. I really do not mind what religion they are from or even time period that much but just something interesting. Nothing jumps out at me off hand but I have not read that much about the religions in the roman empire.

[GALLA PLACIDIA]

Ok:
something like this:

Priests

Religious activities of the Roman state religion were overseen and presided over by priests. They were drawn from members of the ruling class of Rome, and were organised in 'colleges' and sub-groups with particular functions.

For example, there were pontifices (pontiffs), augurs (associated with interpretation of auspices - signs given by the gods through the flight of birds, thunder, lightning, and other natural phenomena), haruspices (originally of Etruscan origin, consulted about prodigies), flamines or individual gods, and fetiales, associated with the declaration of war.

The chief priest was known as the pontifex maximus, a title that was subsequently used by Roman Catholic popes. In the Republican period of Roman history, the priests typically were also politicians, and religious rituals could be - and were - exploited for political advantage.

Religious revival was one of the most important policies pursued by Augustus, the first Roman emperor. In 12 BC he took the office of pontifex maximus for himself, and it remained a prerogative of the emperor, emphasising the link between politics and state religion, until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire.

The image shown here is that of a statue from Rome, depicting Augustus - who is wearing the veil associated with Roman priests.

Roman Religion Gallery
By Dr Nigel Pollard

[GALLA PLACIDIA]

Or:

http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compa ... id=OBJ3326

:?:

[Sulla]

Well the thing is I am wanting to do an interesting image of a woman in period costume. I thought maybe a priestess would have something really interesting to wear and possible an interesting ceremony to perform. So I thought maybe someone would have read about something that jumped out at them as interesting to point me to so I could do more research on it. Maybe something like A Priestess of Delphi by Hon. John Collier
[url:3ktj775n]http://www.hypno-therapists.co.uk/images/collier-oracle.jpg[/url]

[Sulla]

Interesting statue thanks