1980/11/01 by Mary Beard · 5 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Historical and Religious Studies of Rome #Classical Antiquity Studies #Reformation and Early Modern Christianity #Cult #Scrutiny #Subject (documents) #Element (criminal law) #Sociology #History #Gender studies #Aesthetics #Art #Law #Ancient history #Political science
paper · doi:10.2307/299553
openalex publication_date 1980/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
The Vestal Virgins have often been the subject of close scrutiny by classical scholars. Indeed many articles have been devoted to a careful analysis of individual, apparently trivial, aspects of their legal rights, their privileges, their cult obligations and even their dress. In the same tradition I intend in this paper to consider just one element of their priestly position: their sexual status and its relationship to their sacred status. It is however an element which will be seen to have wider implications for their cult as a whole and for ancient religion in general.