Colonies were established by Rome throughout its whole history. They
were intended to keep in check a conquered people, and also to repress
hostile incursions. Many were founded to provide for veteran soldiers; a
practice which was begun by Sulla, and continued under the Emperors.
No colony was established without a _lex_, _plebiscitum_, or _senatus
consultum_. Religious ceremonies always accompanied their foundation,
and the anniversary was observed.
The colonies were divided into two classes, viz. Roman, and Latin
or military. Members of the former class had all the rights of Roman
citizens; those of the latter could not vote in the Comitia at Rome.
The _Latini_, who were once Roman citizens, and who always felt equal to
them, were uneasy in their subordinate position. But by the Julian law,
passed in 90 B. C., they acquired the right of voting at Rome, and were
placed on the same footing as Roman colonists.
THE CALENDAR.
The Roman year began with March. There were twelve months, and each
month had three divisions, the KALENDS, NONES, and IDES. The Kalends
fell on the first of the month; the Nones, on the 7th of March, May,
July, and October; in other months, on the 5th. The Ides came eight days
after the Nones. If an event happened on these divisions, it was said
to occur on the Kalends, Nones, or Ides of the month. If it happened
between any of these divisions, it was said to occur so many days
_before_ the division _following_ the event. The year was reckoned
from the foundation of the city (753 B.C.), and often the names of the
Consuls of that year were added.
RELIGION.
The Romans were religious, and had numerous gods and goddesses: JUPITER
and JUNO, the god and goddess of light; SATURN, the god of seed-sowing;
TELLUS, the goddess of the nourishing earth; CERES, the goddess of
growth; CONSUS and OPS, who presided over the harvest; PALES, the god of
the flocks; and LUPERCUS, the god of fertility. Various festivals
were celebrated in honor of these, as the Saturnalia, in December; the
Tellilia (Tellus), Cerialia (Ceres), and Palilia (Pales), in April; and
the Lupercalia, in February.
VESTA was the goddess of the house, and as every family had an altar
erected for her worship, so the state, as a combination of families, had
a common altar to her in the temple of Vesta. In this temple were also
worshipped the Penates and Lares.
The LARES were special guardians of private houses. Some protected
fields and cities. Images of Lares of diminutive size, clad often in
dog-skins, were ranged along the hearth. The people honored them on the
Kalends of May and other festival days by decking them with flowers, and
by offering them wine, incense, flour, and portions of their meals upon
plates.
The PENATES were kept and worshipped only in the inmost chambers of
houses and temples. Their statues, made of wax, wood, or ivory, were
also kept in the inner hall.
The priestesses of Vesta were six in number, and were called VESTAL
VIRGINS. When a vestal was to be elected, the Pontifex Maximus chose
twenty young girls from high families. Of these one was chosen by lot
to fill the vacancy, and she was bound to serve for thirty years. The
Vestals were preceded by a lictor when in public. They had private seats
in the public shows, and had the power of delivering from punishment
any condemned person they happened to meet. They wore white dresses and
white fillets. Their chief duty was to keep the fire always burning on
the hearth (_focus publicus_) in the temple. They could not marry.
FLAMINES.
The FLAMINES were priests devoted to the service of some particular god.
There were fifteen, and they were chosen first in the Comitia Curiata,
and afterwards probably in the Tributa. The most distinguished of all
the Flamines was the FLAMEN DIALIS (Jupiter). He had the right to a
lictor, to the _sella curulis_, and to a seat in the Senate. If one in
bonds took refuge in his house, the chains were at once removed. This
priest, however, could not be away from the city a single night, and was
forbidden to sleep out of his own bed for three consecutive nights. He
was not allowed to mount a horse, or even to touch one, or to look upon
an army outside of the city walls.
THE SALII. These were priests of Mars, twelve in number, and always
chosen from the patricians. They celebrated the festival of Mars on the
1st of March, and for several successive days.
THE AUGURES.
This body varied in number, from three, in early times, to sixteen
in the time of Caesar. It was composed of men who were believed to
interpret the will of the gods, and to declare whether the omens were
favorable or otherwise. No public act of any kind could be performed, no
election held, no law passed, no war waged, without first consulting the
omens. There was no appeal from the decision of the Augurs, and hence
their power was great. They held office for life, and were a close
corporation, filling their own vacancies until 103 B. C.
THE FETIALES.
This was another body of priests holding office for life, and numbering
probably twenty. They were expected, whenever any dispute arose with
other nations, to demand satisfaction, to determine whether hostilities
should be begun, and to preside at any ratification of peace.