DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0693
GODS REPRESENTED IN ROMAN TIMES. 655
was to art, appears from the fact that the figure is to be traced only on gems.
A prominent feature in the Roman faith was the world of minor spirits, guard-
ian genii, who came to existence with each individual house, family, state, and
people. In comparison with these, the more poetical rural genii, such as fauns,
Silvanus, etc., were of less importance. Even each god was supposed to have
its genius; but so impalpable was this faith, that it was late before these beings
took form. Usually they were represented by a snake; but, in time, took on
human shape, sometimes bearded, sometimes youthful, and often carrying a
cornucopia. After Aurelian's time, the genius of Rome was represented on
the Forum in gold, gilded bronze, or silver. To supply the extensive demand
for such genii, shops and factories existed in great numbers behind the Tem-
ple of Castor. Near of kin to these genii, were the Lares and Penates, or
household gods. The former are spoken of as winged, and ma)' have had many
attributes ; but their usual form was that of a youth with his tunic girded short
about him, and flying out.12-t+ They were, moreover, often supplied with a
drinking-horn in one hand, and a saucer or vase in the other. These small
images, preserved in numerous repetitions, were usually of wood or of bronze
in the country, and of stone in the city. They were kept in small chapels,
where the family came together for morning prayer. On festive occasions
they were almost buried in flowers, and received their share of every meal.
After the first plateful had been eaten, silence was observed, and the portion
for the Lares was put upon a small plate {patella) on the hearth ; then it was
poured into the flames, with the ejaculation Dii propitii, after which the meal
was continued. But these Lares do not appear to have awakened any great
artistic creative power.
The foreign gods worshipped in Rome seem to have been either adopted
directly from their various lands, or to have been variations on types developed
by the Greeks. Among the most interesting recent excavations in Rome, are
those made in 1883, in the Via di S. Ignazio, leading to S. Maria Sopra Min-
erva, uncovering much of the ancient Iseum and Serapeum, where Egyptian
deities and art prevailed.I2-»5 This temple was not only "built in the Egyptian
style of architecture, but with materials brought over piece by piece from one
or more Egyptian temples." "Tiberius condemned the priests here employed
to crucifixion, burned down the shrine, and threw the statue of the goddess
into the Tiber." Nero, however, restored it ; and succeeding emperors did
not fall behind him in devotion to the foreign gods, collecting in this temple
many works of genuine Egyptian as well as of Grasco-Roman art, treating of
Egyptian subjects. Here a genuine sphinx of Queen Hatasoo, now in the Bar-
raco collection, and a very fine one of Amasis, were found; as well as two
grand lions, now reposing at the foot of the Capitol. Among the other treas-
ures of this Egyptian shrine in the very heart of Rome, were the Nile of the
Praccio Nuovo, and the Tiber of the Louvre.
was to art, appears from the fact that the figure is to be traced only on gems.
A prominent feature in the Roman faith was the world of minor spirits, guard-
ian genii, who came to existence with each individual house, family, state, and
people. In comparison with these, the more poetical rural genii, such as fauns,
Silvanus, etc., were of less importance. Even each god was supposed to have
its genius; but so impalpable was this faith, that it was late before these beings
took form. Usually they were represented by a snake; but, in time, took on
human shape, sometimes bearded, sometimes youthful, and often carrying a
cornucopia. After Aurelian's time, the genius of Rome was represented on
the Forum in gold, gilded bronze, or silver. To supply the extensive demand
for such genii, shops and factories existed in great numbers behind the Tem-
ple of Castor. Near of kin to these genii, were the Lares and Penates, or
household gods. The former are spoken of as winged, and ma)' have had many
attributes ; but their usual form was that of a youth with his tunic girded short
about him, and flying out.12-t+ They were, moreover, often supplied with a
drinking-horn in one hand, and a saucer or vase in the other. These small
images, preserved in numerous repetitions, were usually of wood or of bronze
in the country, and of stone in the city. They were kept in small chapels,
where the family came together for morning prayer. On festive occasions
they were almost buried in flowers, and received their share of every meal.
After the first plateful had been eaten, silence was observed, and the portion
for the Lares was put upon a small plate {patella) on the hearth ; then it was
poured into the flames, with the ejaculation Dii propitii, after which the meal
was continued. But these Lares do not appear to have awakened any great
artistic creative power.
The foreign gods worshipped in Rome seem to have been either adopted
directly from their various lands, or to have been variations on types developed
by the Greeks. Among the most interesting recent excavations in Rome, are
those made in 1883, in the Via di S. Ignazio, leading to S. Maria Sopra Min-
erva, uncovering much of the ancient Iseum and Serapeum, where Egyptian
deities and art prevailed.I2-»5 This temple was not only "built in the Egyptian
style of architecture, but with materials brought over piece by piece from one
or more Egyptian temples." "Tiberius condemned the priests here employed
to crucifixion, burned down the shrine, and threw the statue of the goddess
into the Tiber." Nero, however, restored it ; and succeeding emperors did
not fall behind him in devotion to the foreign gods, collecting in this temple
many works of genuine Egyptian as well as of Grasco-Roman art, treating of
Egyptian subjects. Here a genuine sphinx of Queen Hatasoo, now in the Bar-
raco collection, and a very fine one of Amasis, were found; as well as two
grand lions, now reposing at the foot of the Capitol. Among the other treas-
ures of this Egyptian shrine in the very heart of Rome, were the Nile of the
Praccio Nuovo, and the Tiber of the Louvre.