vestal virgin

vestal virgin
(in ancient Rome) one of four, later six, virgins consecrated to Vesta and to the tending of the sacred fire on her altar.
[1400-50; late ME]

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In Roman religion, any of six priestesses, representing the daughters of the royal house, who tended the state cult of Vesta.

Chosen between the ages of 6 and 10, they served for 30 years, during which time they had to remain virgins; violation of the vow of chastity was punishable by burial alive. Their duties included tending the perpetual fire in the Temple of Vesta, fetching water from a sacred spring, preparing ritual food, caring for objects in the temple's inner sanctuary, and officiating at the public worship of Vesta. They enjoyed many honours and privileges, including emancipation from their fathers' rule.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • vestal virgin — n. in ancient Rome, any of a small group of virgin priestesses of Vesta, who, sworn to remain chaste, tended the sacred fire in her temple …   English World dictionary

  • Vestal Virgin — In Ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins ( sacerdos Vestalis ), were the virgin holy female priests of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth. Their primary task was to maintain the sacred fire of Vesta. The Vestal duty brought great honor and afforded… …   Wikipedia

  • vestal virgin — noun Date: circa 1583 1. a virgin consecrated to the Roman goddess Vesta and to the service of watching the sacred fire perpetually kept burning on her altar 2. a chaste woman …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • vestal virgin — noun a) a virgin dedicated to the service of the goddess Vesta b) a chaste woman …   Wiktionary

  • vestal virgin — nun, virgin dedicated to the service of the Roman goddess Vesta …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Vestal Virgin — noun (in ancient Rome) a virgin who was consecrated to the goddess Vesta and vowed to chastity …   English new terms dictionary

  • vestal virgin — /vɛstl ˈvɜdʒən / (say vestl verjuhn) noun 1. (among the ancient Romans) one of the four, later six, virgins consecrated to Vesta and to the service of watching the sacred fire kept burning perpetually on her altar. 2. a virgin; a chaste,… …  

  • vestal virgin — noun (Roman mythology) one of the virgin priestesses consecrated to the Roman goddess Vesta and to maintaining the sacred fire in her temple • Topics: ↑Roman mythology • Hypernyms: ↑votary • Hyponyms: ↑Rhea Silvia, ↑Rea Silvia …   Useful english dictionary

  • vestal virgin — noun (C) a young unmarried woman who had duties in one of the ancient Roman temples …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • vestal virgin — ves′tal vir′gin n. myt (in ancient Rome) any of the women, pledged to remain virgins, who tended the sacred fire in Vesta s sanctuary • Etymology: 1400–50 …   From formal English to slang

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