ARVĀLES FRĀTRES, formed a college or company of twelve priests, and
were so called from offering public sacrifices for the fertility
of the fields. That they were of extreme antiquity is proved by
the legend which refers their institution to Romulus, of whom it
is said, that when his nurse Acca Laurentia lost one of her twelve
sons, he allowed himself to be adopted by her in his place, and
called himself and the remaining eleven “Fratres Arvales.” We also
find a college called the Sodales Titii, and as the latter were
confessedly of Sabine origin, and instituted for the purpose of
keeping up the Sabine religious rites, it is probable that these
colleges corresponded one to the other--the Fratres Arvales being
connected with the Latin, and the Sodales Titii with the Sabine
element of the Roman state. The office of the fratres arvales was
for life, and was not taken away even from an exile or captive.
One of their annual duties was to celebrate a three days’ festival
in honour of Dea Dia, supposed to be Ceres, sometimes held on the
17th, 19th, and 20th, sometimes on the 27th, 29th, and 30th of May.
But besides this festival of the Dea Dia, the fratres arvales were
required on various occasions, under the emperors, to make vows
and offer up thanksgivings. Under Tiberius, the Fratres Arvales
performed sacrifices called the _Ambarvalia_, at various places on
the borders of the ager Romanus, or original territory of Rome;
and it is probable that this was a custom handed down from time
immemorial, and, moreover, that it was a duty of the priesthood to
invoke a blessing on the whole territory of Rome. There were also the
private _ambarvalia_, which were so called from the victim (_hostia
ambarvalis_) that was slain on the occasion being led three times
round the corn-fields, before the sickle was put to the corn. This
victim was accompanied by a crowd of merry-makers, the reapers and
farm-servants dancing and singing, as they marched, the praises of
Ceres, and praying for her favour and presence, while they offered
her the libations of milk, honey, and wine. This ceremony was also
called a _lustratio_, or purification.
ARX signifies a height within the walls of a city, upon which a
citadel was built, and thus came to be applied to the citadel
itself. Thus one of the summits of the Capitoline hill at Rome is
called _Arx_. The _Arx_ was the regular place at Rome for taking
the auspices, and was hence likewise called _auguraculum_; or, more
probably, the auguraculum was a place in the Arx.