by Horatius Piscinus on Sat Apr 17, 2004 3:52 pm
Salvete comreligiones et sodales omnes
The Cerealia of April were Roman rites commemorating the plebeian Temple of Ceres, Liber and Libera, dedicated on the Aventine Hill in 493 BCE. These were not the women rites that Cicero attributed as ?Greek? in origin and which were led by a priestess of Ceres drawn from Campania (Pro Balbo 55). The latter rites were held in late September and October. Around the Cerealia, too, the flamen Cerialis sacrificed to Ceres according to the patrician cultus civile (Cicero De Legibus II.21). It was at such public sacrifices that the litany of Ceres called upon Her indigitamenta - Conditor, Convector, Imporcitor, Insitor, Messor, Occator, Promitor, Reparator, Sarritor, Subruncinator, Vervactor (Serv. Ad Geor. 1.21). Virgil and Tibullus refer to lustriones conducted in rural areas around this same time of year, and then again in Autumn (Georg. I.337-50; II.380-97 Tibullus I.1.15-16; I.1.19-24; II.i.3-4; 17-20). The Ceralia, however, was an urban celebration and originally distinct from what had been the patrician cultus civile. The Temple of Ceres, Liber and Libera was from its inception closely tied with the plebeian movement that brought many social, political and religious changes to Rome. As such the Cerealia became a means of introducing novelties to its rites that were later featured into the cultus civile.
The Cerealia was administered by the Aediles Plebis rather than priests. This went back to the origin of their offices as temple officials. Later when they became city magistrates, a chief function of the aediles was to hold public spectacles to entertain the Gods. Thus it was that theatrical performances were first introduced by C Memmius as the ludi scaenici in 175 BCE (Tact. Hist. 2.55.1 calls these ludi Ceriales). These were held 12-18 April. The ludi Circensis on 19 April consisted of horseraces held in the Circus Maximus (Ovid Fasti 4.679-80). Later still these were replaced by gladiatorial contests (Dio Cassius 47.40.6). Since the season?s shows were meant for the Gods to enjoy, Their images were carried in procession from the temple to the games, similar to the kinds of processions mentioned by Ovid (Amores III 2; Ars Amatoria 1.147). The games would then conclude with a sacrificial feast. Probably only a select group partook in the feast itself, but gifts were distributed to the crowd as well. The frumentatio was an occasional distribution of bread and/or grain from the temple to plebeians. The distribution made at Cerealia included a frumentatio and came to include much more. An aedilis was expected to provide better entertainment and show an increased abundance in Ceres? gifts each year, and by the Late Republic liberal expense by an aedilis could make his career, while a lack thereof would certainly ruin it.
The images of the Gods would then be carried in procession back to the temple and placed before opened doors on couches on the temple steps, with tables set before Them on which to place offerings. The crowds were allowed at that time to approach the temple, some kneeling before the Gods to give thanks. Three couches were set out for this lectisternium with a pair of images on each couch (GRF Cornuficius Longus De etymis deorum fr. 1). Quite possibly these were of Ceres and Tellus, Liber and Libera, and perhaps Consus and Ops. The scene was highly emotive as the crowd pressed forward, some still in a festive mood, others giving heartfelt expression of thanks for favors they had received, while still others would come imploring the Gods for Their aid.
The Temple of Ceres was a haven for the plebeians, offering a refuge for the destitute and legal asylum to others as well. Varro speaks of a cofugium, which is a flight to a God for protection, made into the asylum Cereris, with bread given to ?those who were lacking in wealth? (Nonius 63). The ius auxilii used by a Tribunus Plebis to protect Roman rights was an extension of the asylum Cereris. Some temple precincts offered sanctuary to runaway slaves, such as the sacred grove of Diana Nemorensis at Aricia. The Temple of Ceres, Liber, and Libera may have offered sanctuary to free but poor citizens threatened with slavery, until the law banned enslavement for debt, but does not seem to have taken in runaway slaves. The temple was always associated with the plebeians, whether wealthy or poor, and remained a center for plebeian political activity as well as a center of plebeian religious activity. It was where the plebeian treasury was stored. The aediles plebis could fine individuals who broke the law regarding use of the ager publica. Large donations were made to the temple itself from such fines. Property could be confiscated by the aediles in three instances, and when sold off the funds became a consecratio bonorum to Ceres. These instances were in the case of those held in sacro to Ceres for violating the sacrosanctitas of the Tribunus Plebis, the property of those who attempted tyranny, and in the case of an unjustified divorce. In the latter case a third of a couple?s property went to each, and the remaining third to Ceres. The temple was also the repository for written laws, decrees of the Senate and plebiscites of the Consilium Plebis. Ceres was Legifera, ?the Law Giver? (Virgil Aen. 4.58; Servius Ad Aen. 4.58). While it is known that bread was distributed to those who sought shelter at the temple, it is less certain but a likely possibility that Rome?s grain supply, the annona, was administered from the temple as well. The temple on the Aventine lay outside the pomerium and thus outside the old city proper. At times it was to the Aventine that the plebes had retired from the City during a secessio, in fact the establishment of the Temple of Ceres, Liber and Libera was one result of the first secessio to the Mons Sacra. The temple had been at the very heart of the movement that transformed the aristocracy of privileged patricians into a true republic where the principle of ?equal under the law? has since come to be the foundation of Western political systems. By the second century the plebeian movement had essentially succeeded, its temple officials recognized as city magistrates, all political and nearly all religious offices opened to the plebeians, and the Comitia held as the supreme authority in all political and religious matters. The Cerealia was thus a celebration of the res publica libera and the role that the Temple of Ceres, Liber and Libera had played in creating it.
Valete et vivete in pacis Cereri
M Horatius Piscinus
Sapere aude!