Sacellum
Encyclopedia
In ancient Roman religion
, a sacellum is a small shrine. The word is a diminutive
from sacer ("belonging to a god"). The numerous sacella of ancient Rome
included both shrines maintained on private properties by families, and public shrines. A sacellum might be square or round.
Varro
and Verrius Flaccus
describe sacella in ways that at first seem contradictory, the former defining a sacellum in its entirety as equivalent to a cella
, which is specifically an enclosed space, and the latter insisting that a sacellum had no roof. "Enclosure," however, is the shared characteristic, roofed over or not. "The sacellum," notes Jörg Rüpke, "was both less complex and less elaborately defined than a temple proper."
The meaning can overlap with that of sacrarium, a place where sacred objects (sacra) were stored or deposited for safekeeping. The sacella of the Argei
, for instance, are also called sacraria. In private houses
, the sacrarium was the part of the house where the images of the Penates were kept; the lararium was a form of sacrarium for the Lares
. Both sacellum and sacrarium passed into Christian usage.
Other Latin words for temple or shrine are aedes, aedicula
, fanum, delubrum and templum, though this last word encompasses the whole religiously sanctioned precinct.
had its own sacellum overseen by the celeres, originally the bodyguard of the king, who preserved a religious function in later times. These were related to the ritual of the Argei
, but probably there were other rites connected with these sacella.
A case tried in September of 50 BC indicates that a public sacellum might be encompassed by a private property, with the expectation that it remain open to the public. It was alleged that the defendant, Ap. Claudius Pulcher, a censor at the time, had failed to maintain public access to a sacellum on his property.
from the Abbey of Saint Gall, sacellum is glossed as Old Irish nemed, Gaulish nemeton
, originally a sacred grove
or space defined for religious purposes, and later a building used for such.
In Christian architecture, rooflessness ceases to be a defining characteristic and the word may be applied to a small chapel marked off by a screen from the main body of a church, while an Italian sacello may alternatively be a small chapel or oratory which stands as a building in its own right.
Religion in ancient Rome
Religion in ancient Rome encompassed the religious beliefs and cult practices regarded by the Romans as indigenous and central to their identity as a people, as well as the various and many cults imported from other peoples brought under Roman rule. Romans thus offered cult to innumerable deities...
, a sacellum is a small shrine. The word is a diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
from sacer ("belonging to a god"). The numerous sacella of ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
included both shrines maintained on private properties by families, and public shrines. A sacellum might be square or round.
Varro
Varro
Varro was a Roman cognomen carried by:*Marcus Terentius Varro, sometimes known as Varro Reatinus, the scholar*Publius Terentius Varro or Varro Atacinus, the poet*Gaius Terentius Varro, the consul defeated at the battle of Cannae...
and Verrius Flaccus
Verrius Flaccus
Marcus Verrius Flaccus was a Roman grammarian and teacher who flourished under Augustus and Tiberius.-Life:He was a freedman, and his manumitter has been identified with Verrius Flaccus, an authority on pontifical law; but for chronological reasons the name of Veranius Flaccus, a writer on augury,...
describe sacella in ways that at first seem contradictory, the former defining a sacellum in its entirety as equivalent to a cella
Cella
A cella or naos , is the inner chamber of a temple in classical architecture, or a shop facing the street in domestic Roman architecture...
, which is specifically an enclosed space, and the latter insisting that a sacellum had no roof. "Enclosure," however, is the shared characteristic, roofed over or not. "The sacellum," notes Jörg Rüpke, "was both less complex and less elaborately defined than a temple proper."
The meaning can overlap with that of sacrarium, a place where sacred objects (sacra) were stored or deposited for safekeeping. The sacella of the Argei
Argei
Argei may refer to:* Argei , ritual figures in ancient Roman religion, and also their shrines* Argei - olive oil manufacturer...
, for instance, are also called sacraria. In private houses
Domus
In ancient Rome, the domus was the type of house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. They could be found in almost all the major cities throughout the Roman territories...
, the sacrarium was the part of the house where the images of the Penates were kept; the lararium was a form of sacrarium for the Lares
Lares
Lares , archaically Lases, were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries or fruitfulness, hero-ancestors, or an amalgam of these....
. Both sacellum and sacrarium passed into Christian usage.
Other Latin words for temple or shrine are aedes, aedicula
Aedicula
In religion in ancient Rome, an aedicula is a small shrine. The word aedicula is the diminutive of the Latin aedes, a temple building or house....
, fanum, delubrum and templum, though this last word encompasses the whole religiously sanctioned precinct.
Cult maintenance of sacella
Each curiaCuria
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
had its own sacellum overseen by the celeres, originally the bodyguard of the king, who preserved a religious function in later times. These were related to the ritual of the Argei
Argei (dolls)
The rituals of the Argei were ancient religious observances in ancient Rome that took place on March 16 and 17 and again on May 14 or 15. By the time of Augustus, the meaning of these rituals had become obscure even to those who practiced them...
, but probably there were other rites connected with these sacella.
A case tried in September of 50 BC indicates that a public sacellum might be encompassed by a private property, with the expectation that it remain open to the public. It was alleged that the defendant, Ap. Claudius Pulcher, a censor at the time, had failed to maintain public access to a sacellum on his property.
List of public sacella and sacraria
The following is an incomplete list of deities or groups of deities who had a known sacellum or sacrarium in the city of Rome.- Sacellum of JanusJanus-General:*Janus , the two-faced Roman god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings*Janus , a moon of Saturn*Janus Patera, a shallow volcanic crater on Io, a moon of Jupiter...
, supposed to have been built by RomulusRomulus- People:* Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome* Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman Emperor* Valerius Romulus , deified son of the Roman emperor Maxentius* Romulus , son of the Western Roman emperor Anthemius...
, which was square, contained the god's image, and had two gates. - Sacellum of the LaresLaresLares , archaically Lases, were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries or fruitfulness, hero-ancestors, or an amalgam of these....
, one of four points in the sacred boundary of Rome (pomeriumPomeriumThe pomerium or pomoerium , was the sacred boundary of the city of Rome. In legal terms, Rome existed only within the pomerium; everything beyond it was simply territory belonging to Rome.-Location and extensions:Tradition maintained that it was the original line ploughed by Romulus around the...
) as established by Romulus. - Sacrarium of MarsMars (mythology)Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
, which held the spear of Mars, in the RegiaRegiaThe Regia was a structure in Ancient Rome, located in the Roman Forum. It was originally the residence of the kings of Rome or at least their main headquarters, and later the office of the Pontifex Maximus, the high priest of Roman religion. It occupied a triangular patch of terrain between the...
. - Sacellum or aedes of HerculesHerculesHercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
, in the Forum BoariumForum BoariumThe Forum Boarium was the cattle forum venalium of Ancient Rome and the oldest forum that Rome possessed. It was located on a level piece of land near the Tiber between the Capitoline, the Palatine and Aventine hills. Here, too, is where the first bridges were built...
. - Sacellum of Caca, the sister of CacusCacusIn Roman mythology, Cacus was a fire-breathing giant monster and the son of Vulcan.-Mythology:Cacus lived in a cave in the Palatine Hill in Italy, the future site of Rome. To the horror of nearby inhabitants, Cacus lived on human flesh and would nail the heads of victims to the doors of his cave...
whom Hercules defeated. - Sacella or sacraria of the ArgeiArgei (dolls)The rituals of the Argei were ancient religious observances in ancient Rome that took place on March 16 and 17 and again on May 14 or 15. By the time of Augustus, the meaning of these rituals had become obscure even to those who practiced them...
- Sacellum of DianaDiana (mythology)In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
, on the lesser Caelian HillCaelian HillThe Caelian Hill is one of the famous Seven Hills of Rome. Under reign of Tullus Hostilius, the entire population of Alba Longa was forcibly resettled on the Caelian Hill...
, where a number of senatorsRoman SenateThe Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
offered annual sacrifices. - Sacellum or delubrum of Minerva capta, "Captive MinervaMinervaMinerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
", a shrine on the Caelian Hill that contained a statue of Minerva plundered from FaleriiFaleriiFalerii was one of the twelve chief cities of Etruria, situated about 1.5 km west of the ancient Via Flaminia, around 50 kilometers north of Rome.- History :According to legend, it was of Argive origin...
when that city was taken by the Romans in 241 BC. - Sacellum of Jupiter Fagutalis, in the LucusLucusIn ancient Roman religion, a lucus is a sacred grove.Lucus was one of four Latin words meaning in general "forest, woodland, grove" , but unlike the others it was primarily used as a religious designation...
Fagutalis ("BeechBeechBeech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
Grove") on the Esquiline HillEsquiline HillThe Esquiline Hill is one of the celebrated Seven Hills of Rome. Its southern-most cusp is the Oppius .-Etymology:The origin of the name Esquilino is still under much debate. One view is that the Hill was named after the abundance of holm-oaks, exculi, that resided there...
. - Sacellum of Naenia;
- Sacellum of Pudicitia PatriciaPudicitiaPudicitia was a central concept in ancient Roman sexual ethics. The word is derived from the more general pudor, the sense of shame that regulated an individual's behavior as socially acceptable...
. - Sacellum of Dea MurciaMurcia (mythology)Murcia was a little known goddess in ancient Rome. Her name occurs as a surname of Venus.According to Livy she had a temple at the foot of the Aventine Hill near to the Palatine Hill...
, at the foot of the Aventine HillAventine HillThe Aventine Hill is one of the seven hills on which ancient Rome was built. It belongs to Ripa, the twelfth rione, or ward, of Rome.-Location and boundaries:The Aventine hill is the southernmost of Rome's seven hills...
.
Provincial and later usage
In a manuscriptManuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
from the Abbey of Saint Gall, sacellum is glossed as Old Irish nemed, Gaulish nemeton
Nemeton
A nemeton was a sacred space of ancient Celtic religion. Nemeta appear to have been primarily situated in natural areas, and, as they often utilized trees, they are often interpreted as sacred groves. However, other evidence suggests that the word implied a wider variety of ritual spaces, such as...
, originally a sacred grove
Sacred grove
A sacred grove is a grove of trees of special religious importance to a particular culture. Sacred groves were most prominent in the Ancient Near East and prehistoric Europe, but feature in various cultures throughout the world...
or space defined for religious purposes, and later a building used for such.
In Christian architecture, rooflessness ceases to be a defining characteristic and the word may be applied to a small chapel marked off by a screen from the main body of a church, while an Italian sacello may alternatively be a small chapel or oratory which stands as a building in its own right.