Transcript Vesta (hestia)

Vesta (hestia)
Symbols
• Vesta is symbolised by the ‘Sacred Fire’ that
burns at the hearth and temples.
who was she?
Vesta is the Roman name of
Hestia which means ‘hearth’
and comes from the same root
meaning ‘to shine’.
Why was vesta important?
Vesta is one of the most
ancient Roman goddesses
whose worship remained
of an ancient character.
She was considered the
goddesses of the Earth as
well as fire. Later she
became goddesses of
ceremonial or central fire
and was worshipped by
the state. Offerings were
made to her at every
Her connection with the
vestal virgins…
• In Ancient Roman
religion the vestal virgins
were priestesses of Vesta.
The college of the Vestals
and its wellbeing were
regarded as the
fundamentals to the
continuous of security of
Rome. Vestals were
committed to the
priesthood at a young
age, before puberty and
Tasks of vestal virgins
• They were not
allowed to let the
sacred fire of Vesta
die out, otherwise
they will be
punished by
scourging.
• By maintaining
Vesta’s sacred fire,
they functioned as
facts about roman goddess
‘vesta’
• Vesta was the daughter of
Vesta the elder by Saturn. She
was the sister of Ceres and
Juno, Neptune and Jupiter.
• When Jupiter offered to grant
whatever she asked, her only
desires was the ‘preservation
of her virginity’.
• Numa Pompilius, the great
founder of religion in ancient
Rome restores the ancient
rights and worship of this
goddess.
Myths of hestia
• Hestia was one of the children to be
swallowed by her father. Cronus was
tricked into drinking emetic, and
vomited her and her siblings out. She
was the last to leave her fathers belly.
• When the gods Apollo and Poseidon
sought for her hand in marriage, Hestia
refused and asked Zeus to let her
remain an eternal virgin.
• She nearly lost her virginity when
Priapus tried to rape her at a festival.
• When Dionysus came to Olympus
Hestia yielded her seat at the high table
to him.
How is hestia depicted as??
• Hestia was depicted in
Athenian vase
paintings as a modestly
veiled woman.
Sometimes holding a
flower branch.
• In classical sculpture
she was also veiled as
with a kettle as her
attribute.
• Usually depicted with a
Facts on vesta
• Hestia is one of the
three great
goddesses of the
first Olympian
goddesses along
with Demeter and
Hera.
• She was described
as both the oldest
and youngest of the