Women were allowed to play little role in the public religious life of Rome. The most notable of several exceptions to this rule was the Vestal Virgin.
The Temple of Vesta was located in the southwest corner of the Roman Forum. Vesta was the Roman Goddess of the Hearth. The most important job of the six Vestal Virgins was to maintain the fire in a public hearth of the temple. It was said that disaster would strike Rome if the fire ever went out.
The Vestals were chosen between the ages of six and ten, from the finest of Roman families,and served for thirty years, ten as students, ten in service, and ten as teachers. A violation of their vow of chastity led to execution by being buried alive.
They appeared often in public and had special, reserved seats at banquets and games.
After their term of service they could return to the world as private citizens, but few ever did-most remained in service to the Goddess Vesta, the only life they had ever known. In A. D. 394 Theodosius the second closed the temple.
I found this subject matter fascinating to say the least and there is so much more I would like to learn about "The Handmaidens of the Hearth," even though some of the material was difficult and upsetting to read.
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