Who were the Vestal Virgins, and what was their job? - Peta Greenfield

Travel back to Ancient Rome to find out what life was like for the Vestal Virgins, the priestesses who kept vigil over the flame of Vesta.

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In ancient Rome, Vestal Virgins were tasked with keeping vigil over the flame of Vesta, the virgin goddess of the hearth. The flame represented two things: the continuation of Rome as a power in the world and the continuing virginity of Vesta’s priestesses. But what was life really like for these Vestal Virgins? Peta Greenfield goes back in time to find out.

Lesson by Peta Greenfield, animation by Kozmonot Animation Studio.

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[sor]

Is it just me or is literally everything in the ancient world was punishable by death.

[pakhus]

imagine starving to death with no light, no water, no air, no way out.


Just because a random person labelled you "impure"

[lemon-vymj]

“Imagine dying just because a flame went out”

[badonkadonkeater]

“Impure” literally spells “I’m Pure, ”

[Burner]

15 yrs olds: I was born in the wrong generation

Ancient romans: am i a joke to you

[benjaminvo]

This takes "You had one job" to a whole other level

[carolinegcooke]

When the video ended, I legit went “THAT’S IT!?” 😂 The ending is so depressing

[khare]

Vestal virgins were very important at that time and they had very strong social and political hold. Societies find ways to take revenge from such people. It could be politically motivated as well.

[jol]

that one guy saying that one of the virgins were the one, is like that one player in among saying a random color and everyone be like "ok"

[snigdhasarkar]

Guys, can we take a moment to appreciate how good the animation was!??

[FrostFireTiger]

I'm always curious how these types of rituals get started. At the very beginning someone had to start the fire, proclaim its importance, and set the practice of the virgins to maintain it.

[nehkuril]

"The romans believed that if the flame goes out, the city's in danger"
Wooow! No, if the fire spreads😐😐👏👏👏

[traintrainer]

Vestal virgins: were supposed to be pure

Elagabalus: *marries one*

[Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

The art and narrator seem nice but the reality of the situation is really messed up, especially when you think about how real people had to to though this.. :'-(

[goblin-teeth]

This is so upsetting. Someone should make a whole movie about a Vestal Virgin due to be sacrificed.

[henrycomputer]

I was expecting a history lesson but I'll settle for a tragic story

[gypsylee]

LOL Disney version of the Vestal Virgins. They were also very powerful and could override the legal system eg. If someone was being put to death they could stop it.

[esmeraldagreen]

The vestal virgins were turned into nuns when the emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as the state religion.

[CherriesJubilee]

There is so much in error about this video. In the nearly 1000 years that the Vestals served, there was only a handful who were condemned. More importantly, the Vestals were revered by the Roman public, were the only women not governed by a man, were the only Roman women who could own property in their own right, and make a will. They lived in near royal luxury paid for by the state and were they stored the wills and legacies of the elite, including the Emperor Augustus. The priestess Licinia, in fact, was accused of impiety (having an affair) with Crassis, which put both of them at risk. The famous orator Cicero was their lawyer and they were both acquitted. Presumably, the person who accused them was given their punishment as that was how things were done in those days. After 30 years they were free to marry, though most didn't as they wanted to maintain the freedoms they had enjoyed as priestesses. This video plays on the most exploitative moments of a very long story.

[muhammadabrar]

This is one of the things we refer to when we say "History of Misogyny and femicide"