Vestal Virgins in Ancient Rome, 2015

“The House of the Vestal Virgins” by Bradley Weber is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A striking departure from the patriarchal Roman world was the cult of Vesta and the only female Romans to participate in religion: the Vestal Virgins. While representing the female sphere in Roman religion with more freedom than any other women in Rome, the Vestals served Rome as virgins first. As unique as the cult of Vesta was, the virgins were merely vessels for the Roman state to worship Vesta. Their bodies became an allegory for the state, and their lives were insurance for its welfare.