Living on Religion: Professionals and Personnel

Horster, Marietta

doi:10.1002/9780470690970.ch24

Cited by 9 publications

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“… 5. Horster (2007: 337-38) points to AE 1925 (Rome, 120 ce); CIL 9.2087 (Beneventum); AE 1966 (Bath, 220 ce). For independent haruspices, who used their ritual skill of entrails reading as a source of income without being employed by the state, see Haack 2002. …”

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The Cost of Baptism? The Case for Paul’s Ritual Compensation

Bell

2020

Journal for the Study of the New Testament

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Historical materials offer evidence for the compensation of ritual workers in antiquity: individuals offering ritual services were compensated in various ways, including through monetary payment. Paul’s letters document his expertise in ritual activities such as the performance of baptisms, offerings of ritual prescriptions, and various pneumatic practices. Given Paul’s statements regarding the free proclamation of the gospel in the Corinthian and Thessalonian correspondence, scholars have not examined the idea of compensation for ritual activity. Compensation for gospel and ritual should not, however, be conﬂated, as Paul distinguishes between the gospel and baptism (1 Cor. 1.17). The lack of explicit mentions of compensation for rituals in the Pauline correspondence does not negate rewards received, as references to compensation in antiquity are often framed in different forms of exchange, such as in the language of friendship and gifts. The larger evidence for the compensation of ritual workers in antiquity suggests that Paul would have been compensated for ritual services such as baptism.

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The Cost of Baptism? The Case for Paul’s Ritual Compensation

Bell

2020

Journal for the Study of the New Testament

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“…The three main tools displayed in processions are the axe and the hammer, both of which were used in the initial striking of the victim, and the sacrificial knife ( culter ) which was used to slit the animal's throat immediately afterwards, ensuring (in theory) a quick and controlled end to the sacrifice. The popa carried the hammer used to stun the victim, while the cultrarius wielded the knife (although victimarius often is used as a more general term for all sacrificial attendants) (Latte, 1960: 383–4; Gilhus, 2006: 116; Kraft, 2009: 63 n. 208; Horster, 2007: 333–4) 6…”

Section: The Role Of the Victimariusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When we consider the role, position and responsibilities of the victimarii , it is clear that the profession entailed a number of duties that could be viewed as essential to religious life in Roman society, and in this area the aristocracy may be said to have depended on the victimarii . Considering them alongside other officials involved in Roman religion, Marietta Horster (2007: 334–6) has placed these sacrificial attendants slightly lower down the social ladder from the apparitores , those men who served Roman magistrates in positions such as scribae, lictores, viatores and praecones , all of whom were required to perform specialist roles and who, unlike the victimarii , were paid a fixed salary at the expense of the state 38 . A far more detailed exploration of the social position and significance of the apparitores , provided by Nicholas Purcell (1983), demonstrated the potential for advancement that came with such offices and the draw that such opportunities had for those originally from outside the city of Rome, as well as stressing that the aristocracy took care to prevent their gaining too great a degree of prominence (Purcell, 1983: esp.…”

Section: Social Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

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VICTIMARIIIN ROMAN RELIGION AND SOCIETY

Lennon¹

2015

Pap. Br. Sch. Rome

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This paper brings together literary, epigraphic and iconographic evidence for the victimarii -the attendants responsible for slaughtering sacrificial animals in ancient Rome. It aims to explore the problematic status of victimarii in Roman society, and argues that the often hostile views of the aristocracy have led to the continued marginalisation of this prominent group within scholarly discussions of religion and society. It argues that when the various strands are considered together a far more positive view of victimarii within Roman society emerges, suggesting that this was in some respects one of the most respectable of professions among the slave and freedman communities.Il saggio raccoglie la tradizione letteraria, epigrafica e iconografica relativa ai victimarii -gli addetti all'uccisione degli animali sacrificali nella Roma antica. Lo studio mira a esplorare lo status problematico dei victimarii nella società romana. In particolare si sostiene come la frequente ostilità dell'aristocrazia abbia avuto come conseguenza la sostanziale marginalizzazione di questo gruppo di spicco della società romana nell'ambito del dibattito accademico sulla religione e sulla società romane. Il saggio inoltre mette in evidenza come, considerando unitariamente i vari filoni di fonti a disposizione, emerga una visione molto più positiva dei victimarii all'interno della società romana, suggerendo in questo modo come questa professione fosse per certi versi una delle più rispettabili tra le comunità degli schiavi e dei liberti.In ancient Rome the victimarii were responsible for the practical side of animal sacrifice and were a frequent feature of iconographic scenes depicting the religious procession to the altar. During religious festivals victimarii were responsible for leading and controlling the sacrificial victims, the act of slaughter itself, and the post-sacrificial dissection of animals either for the ritual meal or for the practice of extispicy, the inspection of the internal organs for the purpose of divination. As such, their presence in reliefs immediately signals the theme of sacrifice, even when the victims themselves are not in view. The safety and success of the ritual and everyone involved in it depended to a large extent on the victimarii performing their duties swiftly and effectively. Yet despite the frequency with which they appear across reports and depictions of religious processions and sacrifices, and the relative importance of their role, the victimarii typically have been relegated to the fringes of modern studies of Roman religion, animal sacrifice and visual representation. Discussion of their duties and position typically has been summative, with little attention paid to * Much of the research for this paper was carried out at the British School at Rome in 2013, thanks to a Mougins Museum Rome Award. Special thanks must go also to Mark Bradley, John Drinkwater, Will Leveritt and the anonymous readers for Papers of the British School at Rome for their invaluable suggestions and help in bringing thi...

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“… 5 On the identity and status of victimarii , including popae and cultrarii , see Siebert 2003; Fless 1995: 70–7; Horster 2011; Rüpke 2008; and Weinstock 1958. Inscriptions attest that victimarii had a collegium (e.g., CIL 6.971).…”

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Hammers, Axes, Bulls, and Blood: Some Practical Aspects of Roman Animal Sacrifice

Aldrete

2014

J. Rom. Stud.

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Animal sacrifice was a central component of ancient Roman religion, but scholars have tended to focus on the symbolic aspects of these rituals, while glossing over the practical challenges involved in killing large, potentially unruly creatures, such as bulls. The traditional explanation is that the animal was struck on the head with a hammer or an axe to stun it, then had its throat cut. Precisely how axes, hammers, and knives were employed remains unexplained. This article draws upon ancient sculpture, comparative historical sources, and animal physiology to argue that the standard interpretation is incomplete, and, in its place, offers a detailed analysis of exactly how the killing and bleeding of bovines was accomplished and the distinct purposes of hammers and axes within these rituals.

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Living on Religion: Professionals and Personnel

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

The Cost of Baptism? The Case for Paul’s Ritual Compensation

The Cost of Baptism? The Case for Paul’s Ritual Compensation

VICTIMARIIIN ROMAN RELIGION AND SOCIETY

Hammers, Axes, Bulls, and Blood: Some Practical Aspects of Roman Animal Sacrifice

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