sacred flame extinguished

December 2, 2009, 11:56 AM
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: ancient, christian, concrete, fire, great fire of rome, julia domna, marble, nero, restoration, sacred flame, temple, theodosius, vesta

The Romans attached great importance to sacred or eternal flames. On the first day of every new year (March 1st), flames within every house would be put out and new ones would be lit from the flame in the Temple of Vesta, which dates back to the 4th century BC.

The Temple of Vesta housed a sacred flame as a dedication to the protectress of family and Senate as well as a reminder of the history of worshipping Vesta, which began on the hearths of private homes.

The small temple itself is modeled after Roman houses, shaped like a round hut. Ten of the twenty slender columns supporting the roof remains standing today. An opening in the center of the roof allowed smoke from the sacred flame to escape.

The Temple of Vesta burned down twice in written history. The first time was during the Great Fire of Rome, started by Nero in 64 AD. Then in 191 AD, it burned to its foundations, but Empress Julia Domna, Septimus Severus’ wife, restored it afterwards.

However, during its original restorations, the temple was not rebuilt from scratch. Most of the scorched marble was resurfaced with Roman concrete, concealing all the intricate carvings on the original marble.

In 394 AD, Theodosius I put out the sacred flame. The temple became a Christian church for centuries, and by the 16th century, the temple has been stripped of its marble and contents.