About this episode

Mary and Charlotte explore the complexities and myths surrounding the Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome.

Few elements of ancient Rome have inspired quite such lurid speculation – by the Romans as well as ourselves – as the vestal virgins. Mary and Charlotte enter the (imaginary) temple of Vesta to separate fact from myth.  The Vestal Virgins were six (at any given time) priestesses who tended the eternal flame at the Temple of Vesta - goddess of hearth, home and family. As their name suggests, they weren’t allowed to have sex, although could retire from duties (and marry) at the age of 30. Maintaining chastity was evidently a challenge of the job - or perceived as one - because several vestals were put to death for breaking their vows over the centuries. In exchange for this life of piety, they enjoyed certain privileges - such as being able to sit in the front row of the colosseum - and were power-brokers in Rome, even looking after Julius Caesar’s will (for any Dune fans, think Bene Gesserit!) Charlotte grills Mary about an early article she wrote on the Vestals in 1980, in which she argued that the role of the virgins wasn’t to adhere to traditional notions of female purity, but actually to challenge them - the vestals shared privileges unique to married women, unmarried…

People in this episode

Host: Mary

Guest: Charlotte

Topics covered

• Vestal Virgins
• ancient Rome
• gender roles
• myth vs fact
• priestesses
• chastity

Keywords

• Vestal Virgins
• ancient Rome
• chastity
• gender roles
• mythology
• priestesses
• Julius Caesar

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Temple of Vesta

Books & works: Dune

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