DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0283
chap, x.] THE TOWN AND SHRINE OF FERONIA.
to have been identical with. Proserpine,7 and was wor-
shipped by the Sabines, and Latins, as well as by the
Etruscans.8 Hither, on yearly festivals, pilgrims resorted
in great numbers from the surrounding country, many
to perform vows and offer sacrifice—and those who were
possessed with the spirit of the goddess, walked with
naked feet over heaps of burning coal and ashes, without
receiving injury9—and many merchants, artisans, and
husbandmen, taking advantage of the concourse, brought
their goods hither for sale, so that the market or fair held
here was more splendid than any other in Italy.1 From
the numerous first-fruits, and other gifts offered to the
goddess, her shrine became renowned for its riches, and
was decorated with abundance of gold and silver.2 But
it was despoiled by Hannibal on his march through Italy.3
It was however maintained till the fall of paganism in the
fourth century. That the temple itself stood on a height
1 Dion. Hal. III., p. 173. According
to Servius (Ma, VII. 799) Juno, as a vir-
gin, was also called Feronia. Servius
elsewhere (VIII. 564) calls her the
goddess of freedmen, who, in her temple
at Terraclna, placed a pileus, or felt
scull-cap, on their shaven crowns. Here
also was a stone bench, inscribed with
these words: " Benemeriti servi se-
deant, surgentliberi."
8 Dion. Hal. 1. c.; Liv. XXVI. 11.
Varro (de Ling. Lat., V. 74), says she
was a Sabine goddess—Feronia, Mi-
nerva, Novensides, a Sabinis.
s Stab. V., p. 226. The same is re-
lated of the shrine of Apollo on this
mountain. Plin. N. H. VII. 2; Solinus,
II. p. 15 ; Virgil .(En. XI. 785 et seq. ;
Sil. Ital. V. 177 et seq.
1 Dion.;Hal. III.,p. 173; cf. Liv. I. 30.
2 Liv. XXVI. 11 ; Sil. ItaL XIII.
84, et. seq.
3 Liv. 1. c.; Sil. Ital. 1. c. Cramer,
however (Ancient Italy, I. p. 232, 309),
opines that the temple Hannibal rifled
was one to the same goddess at Ere-
tum in Sabina, and quotes Fabretti
(Insc. Ant. p. 452) who states that in-
scriptions have been found near Eretum,
which mention a temple to Feronia at
that place. Livy, however, records a
tradition that Hannibal spoiled this said
shrine in the ager Capenatis, on his road
from Reate to Rome, "turning out of his
way from Eretum," which he must
certainly have done, if Monte Rotondo
be the site of Eretum, as there is every
reason to believe. See Cluver. II. p. 667.
The battle of Eretum, in which the Sa-
bines were defeated by Tullus Hostilius,
was the consequence of that people having
laid violent hands on some Romans, at
the fair of Fanum Feronise. Dion.
Hal. loc. cit. cf. Liv. I. 30.
to have been identical with. Proserpine,7 and was wor-
shipped by the Sabines, and Latins, as well as by the
Etruscans.8 Hither, on yearly festivals, pilgrims resorted
in great numbers from the surrounding country, many
to perform vows and offer sacrifice—and those who were
possessed with the spirit of the goddess, walked with
naked feet over heaps of burning coal and ashes, without
receiving injury9—and many merchants, artisans, and
husbandmen, taking advantage of the concourse, brought
their goods hither for sale, so that the market or fair held
here was more splendid than any other in Italy.1 From
the numerous first-fruits, and other gifts offered to the
goddess, her shrine became renowned for its riches, and
was decorated with abundance of gold and silver.2 But
it was despoiled by Hannibal on his march through Italy.3
It was however maintained till the fall of paganism in the
fourth century. That the temple itself stood on a height
1 Dion. Hal. III., p. 173. According
to Servius (Ma, VII. 799) Juno, as a vir-
gin, was also called Feronia. Servius
elsewhere (VIII. 564) calls her the
goddess of freedmen, who, in her temple
at Terraclna, placed a pileus, or felt
scull-cap, on their shaven crowns. Here
also was a stone bench, inscribed with
these words: " Benemeriti servi se-
deant, surgentliberi."
8 Dion. Hal. 1. c.; Liv. XXVI. 11.
Varro (de Ling. Lat., V. 74), says she
was a Sabine goddess—Feronia, Mi-
nerva, Novensides, a Sabinis.
s Stab. V., p. 226. The same is re-
lated of the shrine of Apollo on this
mountain. Plin. N. H. VII. 2; Solinus,
II. p. 15 ; Virgil .(En. XI. 785 et seq. ;
Sil. Ital. V. 177 et seq.
1 Dion.;Hal. III.,p. 173; cf. Liv. I. 30.
2 Liv. XXVI. 11 ; Sil. ItaL XIII.
84, et. seq.
3 Liv. 1. c.; Sil. Ital. 1. c. Cramer,
however (Ancient Italy, I. p. 232, 309),
opines that the temple Hannibal rifled
was one to the same goddess at Ere-
tum in Sabina, and quotes Fabretti
(Insc. Ant. p. 452) who states that in-
scriptions have been found near Eretum,
which mention a temple to Feronia at
that place. Livy, however, records a
tradition that Hannibal spoiled this said
shrine in the ager Capenatis, on his road
from Reate to Rome, "turning out of his
way from Eretum," which he must
certainly have done, if Monte Rotondo
be the site of Eretum, as there is every
reason to believe. See Cluver. II. p. 667.
The battle of Eretum, in which the Sa-
bines were defeated by Tullus Hostilius,
was the consequence of that people having
laid violent hands on some Romans, at
the fair of Fanum Feronise. Dion.
Hal. loc. cit. cf. Liv. I. 30.