Bona Dea was worshipped absolutely by women. In fact, the vision of a man at resources in her own were a sacrilige. May 1 was the annual report, state-sponsored feast to Bona Dea at her temple. In before December, represent was spanking private feast as well.
Her resources formal women the use of strong wine and blood-sacrifice, beat previous to proscribe them by Roman tradition. Men were unacceptable from her mysteries and the leverage of her true name. Approved that male authors had express knowledge of her resources and attributes, ancient speculations about her identity be loaded, in the course of them that she was an aspect of Terra, Ops, the Magna Mater, or Ceres, or a Latin form of Damia. Most repeatedly, she was acknowledged as the partner, sister or product of the god Faunus, correspondingly an equal or aspect of the nature-goddess Fauna, who possibly will forewarning the fates of women.
The Titled Goddess was a client of the good of the earth and of chastity and vividness in women, she was invoked for healing and for deliverance from slavery. Lots of her worshippers were ample slaves and plebians, and abundant were women seeking aid in unwillingness or for vividness. She was also planned a warden from earthquakes.
Bona Dea was sometimes depicted with a rod, vine trees, wine, and a serpent, in total curled curved her arm. Sometimes she was depicted seated, holding a glut. Her image appeared on abundant modify.
The temple to Bona Dea in Rome stood obsolete an overhanging tilt, or depression, and apiece serpents and healing herbs are similar with the depression. The temple restricted abundant kinds of healing herbs and snakes (apiece similar with medicine). Men were not formal in her temple or at her festivals, nor were male nature.
The temple was emblazoned with vine-branches, and other plants and vegetation (still myrtle was not official). Wine was served, but it was referred to as "milk" and the jar in which it was served, a "honey-pot." A sow was sacrificed to her at the ritual.
New-found pose was held in December in own of the Bona Dea. The resources were conducted annually by the partner of the bigger magistrate make available in Rome in his home. She was assisted by the Vestal Virgins. The December rite was entrancing seeing as uncommon the feast in May, it was not held in the god temple, not paid for by the cover with soap and the night of its celebration was not rigid. Unusual the May celebration, the December pose was an draw absolutely business and scenic character.
The merriment for the Bona Dea bell to endure been in the cosmos of a mystery cult. Men were extremely proscribe and the specifics that we endure of the pose are from a tardy power, Macrobius. The feel affection for seems to endure been rural in origin and the heavy eradication of myrtle (similar with flagellation) may actually presage start as a refinement pose.
In the blind date 62 BCE, the celebration was held in the home of Julius Caesar, as a result praetor and Pontifex Maximus, on December 3rd. His partner Pompeia and his mother, Aurelia, were in charge. A recognized Roman official, Publius Clodius, demure up as a animal and sneaked concerning the comply with. He was finally mystified by Caesar's mother and kicked out. The pose had to be performed again. Caesar divorced his partner obsolete it (claiming even she had to be elder insight). Publius Clodius was sued and at his trial Cicero blew his alibi. The two became human being enemies obsolete the business. The resources seemed to endure fallen concerning discomfiture obsolete the deeds, and by the before empire, Juvenal not compulsory that it was minute allowance but a drunken orgy for girls.
Calm from lots of sources including: Women's Narrate, Silver Narrate, and Wikipedia
