Page 20 - All About History - Issue 72-18

ROMAN EMPIRE

THEBRAIDINGBUNCH

THE The Vestal Virgins often wore their hair in

complicated braids. With the hair divided
Anatomy each, which would then be wound intricately
into sections, six plaits would be made in
together around the head. With two or more
of about ten minutes each day, although it could
slaves doing the work, this would have taken

take over half an hour with only one.

AVESTALVIRGIN AWOOLLEN

ROME, UNKNOWN-394 CE SYMBOL

The vitta was a headband worn
by many Roman women, but
the Virgins’ ones were made
PUREASSNOW position in society. However,
of wool to show their higher
should a Vestal Virgin be
If yousawaVestalVirginoutandabout,theywould
punished for breaking
alwaysbedressedinwhiteasasignoftheirpurity.Chosen
the rules, it would be
whentheywerebetweentheagesofsixandten,thegirls
the first thing they
would be sworn to celibacy for their 30-year stint, with
would be stripped
severepunishmentsiftheybroketheirsacredvows–they
of. The ceremonial
were married to Rome, and any dalliances with citizens
version of this
was considered incest, which was punishable by death.
wascalledan
infula. The veil
they sometimes
wore was called a
suffibulum.
THEETERNALFLAME
ThemostimportantdutyofaVestal
Virginwastoensurethatthefirein
the temple never went out – if it did,
Rome would fall. With six girls and ASACRIFICIAL
women serving at a time, they took LADLE
shiftstowatchoveritandiftheflame
was extinguished, whoever
In sacrifices or other
was on duty would be
religious ceremonies,
stripped and scourged by
a simpulum was often
the pontifex maximus, who
used to draw wine or oil
was usually the emperor.
from deep containers like
amphorae, hence its long
handle. These tools were
often made of bronze,
and their decoration
could be anything
between incredibly plain
and beautifully ornate.

DRESSTO STEPPING OUT
IMPRESS
Vestal Virgins, like the rest
A stola formed the main of the Romans, typically
undergarment for the wore one of three types
Vestal Virgins, but over of shoe: solea or calceus,
the top of this they wore a which were the most
stophium made of white common,orthemitten
sandal. However, there
linen. On many occasions was one distinct difference
© Kevin McGivern or palla. These had to be were white and made from
they also wore a cloak,
in that the Virgins’ shoes
very simple as they had to
display themselves with
had been sacrificed.
the utmost decorum. the skins of animals that
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