Temple of VestaAnd the House of the Vestal Virgins

Audrey Palmer

Location

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

Origin/Use

•Vesta is goddess of the hearth

•Considered protector of Rome

•Every Roman household had shrine to her

• Called lares and penates

•Builder of temple unknown

Temple in Ancient Times

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Forum_Romanum/_Texts/Huelsen*/2/32.html

Importance/Use

•Sacred flame perpetually burned in

temple

• Flame = Roman belief of eternity of

city

•Temple built to represent primitive

round hut

•Vestal Virgins tended flame

•Held power in city

•Destroyed in fire of Nero in AD 64

Temple in Modern Times

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Forum_Romanum/_Texts/Huelsen*/2/32.html

BibliographyWorld Book Onlinehttp://worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar584220&st=temple+of+vesta

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/romanforum/vesta.html

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Forum_Romanum/_Texts/Huelsen*/2/32.html