Ancient Roman rituals

devotion to a deity, person or thing

Ancient Roman ceremony

type of religious offering, obejct displayed or deposted in a sacred place

thumb|400px|Egyptian Drachm of Antoninus Pius (dated year 2 of his reign or 139 AD) showing his portrait and [[Tyche holding a rudder while reclining on couch for lectisternium (35 mm, 25.45 g)]]

thumb|227x227px|Romans sacrificing a pig, a sheep, and a bull during a suovetaurilia Lustratio was an ancient Greek and ancient Roman purification ritual. It included a procession and in some circumstances the sacrifice of a pig (sus), a ram (ovis), and a bull (taurus) (suovetaurilia). The name is the source of English "lustration" (a purification).

In ancient Roman religion, the devotio was an extreme form of votum in which a Roman general vowed to sacrifice his own life in battle along with the enemy to chthonic gods in exchange for a victory. The most extended description of the ritual is given by the Augustan historian Livy, regarding the self-sacrifice of Decius Mus. The English word "devotion" derives from the Latin.

In ancient Roman religion, a ' (plural '; ) is a vow or promise made to a deity. As the result of this verbal action, a is also that which fulfills a vow, that is, the thing promised, such as offerings, a statue, or even a temple building. The is thus an aspect of the contractual nature of Roman religion, a bargaining expressed by , "I give that you might give."

thumb | right | alt=Photograph of a statue depicting two people | Ancient Roman marriage (Baths of Diocletian Museum, Rome) In ancient Rome, '''' was a traditional patrician form of marriage. The ceremony involved the bride and bridegroom sharing a cake of emmer, in Latin far or panis farreus'', hence the rite's name. Far is often translated as "spelt", which is inaccurate as the grain used was Triticum dicoccum (emmer), not Triticum spelta. The Flamen Dialis and pontifex maximus presided over the wedding, and ten witnesses had to be present. The woman passed directly from the hand (manus) of

In ancient Roman religion, a supplicatio is a day of public prayer during times of crisis or a thanksgiving for receipt of aid. During days of public prayer, Roman men, women, and children traveled in procession to religious sites around the city praying for divine aid. Supplications might also be ordered in response to prodigies (prodigia); participants wore wreaths, carried laurel twigs, and attended sacrifices at temple precincts throughout the city.