Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE VESTAL VIRGINS
Despite privilege and public acclaim, life as a vestal virgin was no bed of roses. Every year, six physically perfect
patrician girls between the ages of six and 10 were chosen by lottery to serve Vesta, goddess of hearth and house-
hold. Once selected, they faced a 30-year period of chaste servitude at the Tempio di Vesta. During this time their
main duty was to ensure that the temple's sacred fire never went out. If it did, the priestess responsible would be
flogged. The well-being of the state was thought to depend on the cult of Vesta and on the vestals' chastity. If a
priestess were to lose her virginity she risked being buried alive and the offending man being flogged to death.
There are public toilets by the Chiesa di Santa Maria Antiqua.
Via Sacra Towards the Colosseum
ished by Constantine (it's also known as the Basilica di Costantino), it covered an area of
approximately 100m by 65m. Continuing, you come to the
Arco di Tito
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(Arch of Titus), built in AD 81 to celebrate Vespasian and Titus' victories
against Jerusalem.