OCR GCSE Classical Civilisation (J199) — Myth and Religion
The Romans believed that if they neglected to feed their deceased ancestors every year, hungry spirits would rise from their graves and wail in the streets. To prevent this, they celebrated the Parentalia, a nine-day festival from the 13th to the 21st of February.
This festival was dedicated to the Manes, the collective and deified spirits of the ancestors. When properly honoured, these spirits acted as protective household deities.
A Vestal Virgin opened the festival with a sacrifice on the 13th of February. For the first eight days, families held private rituals at their ancestral tombs, which had to be located outside the sacred boundary of the city, known as the pomerium.
At the tombs, families would leave specific offerings to "feed" the dead. According to the Roman poet Ovid in his work Fasti, these offerings included bread soaked in wine, loose violets, and mola salsa (a sacred mixture of toasted spelt flour and salt).
During the nine days of the festival, Rome essentially shut down as all temples were closed. Marriages were strictly forbidden, and no public business could take place because it was considered an ill-omened time for new beginnings.
The festival concluded on the 21st of February with the Feralia, a public day of communal meals and final offerings to pacify the spirits. The very next day, families held the Caristia, a joyful domestic feast focused on celebrating family lineage and resolving any personal quarrels.
While the Parentalia was peaceful and family-oriented, the Roman equivalent of a terrifying haunted house was reserved for May. The Lemuria took place over three nights on the 9th, 11th, and 13th of May.
This archaic festival was designed to exorcise the Lemures, who were restless and malevolent ghosts. These spirits were often those who had died prematurely or lacked a proper burial, and they needed to be actively driven out of the home.
According to Ovid, this festival originated from the Remuria, a rite established by Romulus to appease the ghost of his murdered brother, Remus. Just like the Parentalia, temples were closed and weddings were considered incredibly unlucky.
However, the rituals of the Lemuria were performed entirely inside the home at midnight. The head of the household had to walk through the house barefoot, ensuring he had no knots or tied items on his clothing that could interfere with the magic.
After purifying his hands in spring water, he made the mano fico (the 'fig' hand gesture) to ward off evil. He then threw nine black beans over his shoulder without looking back, chanting nine times that he was redeeming himself and his family with the beans.
The Romans believed the hungry spirits would follow him and gather the beans as a ransom instead of taking a living soul. Finally, he washed his hands again and clashed bronze pots or cymbals together to create a terrifying noise, shouting, "Ghosts of my fathers, go forth!" nine times to complete the banishment.
In Roman law, the paterfamilias was the oldest living male in a household, holding absolute power over his family. Alongside his legal authority, he acted as the chief priest for his wider clan, or gens.
His religious duty was to maintain the essential relationship between the living and the dead to ensure the pax deorum, or peace with the gods. His role shifted entirely depending on which festival was taking place.
During the Parentalia, he acted as a nurturer, leading the family to the tombs and acting as a peacemaker at the Caristia feast. Conversely, during the Lemuria, he acted as a solitary protector, performing the spooky midnight exorcism alone to defend his household from supernatural threats.
To fully understand the significance of these festivals, you must analyse their contrasting religious and social functions.
| Feature | Parentalia | Lemuria |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 13th–21st February | 9th, 11th, and 13th May |
| Type of Spirit | Manes (benevolent ancestors) | Lemures (hostile, restless spirits) |
| Core Purpose | To remember and honour the dead. | To exorcise dangerous spirits from the home. |
| Atmosphere | Peaceful, reflective, and family-oriented. | Private, fearful, and protective. |
| Key Rituals | Leaving food at tombs; Caristia feast. | Midnight walk, throwing beans, clashing bronze. |
| Primary Participant | The whole family, led by the paterfamilias. | The paterfamilias, performing the ritual alone. |
Students often confuse the types of spirits honoured in each festival; remember that the Manes are benevolent ancestors worshipped at the Parentalia, while the Lemures are terrifying ghosts exorcised during the Lemuria.
In 'Analyse' or 8-mark questions, examiners expect you to contrast the social function of the Parentalia (maintaining family continuity) with the purely religious, protective function of the Lemuria.
Make sure to explicitly name Ovid's Fasti as your literary source when describing the specific grave offerings like loose violets and bread soaked in wine.
When describing the Lemuria ritual, highlight the repetition of the number nine (nine beans, nine chants) as a key feature of Roman funerary magic.
Parentalia
A nine-day Roman festival held in February to honour deceased parents and ancestors.
Manes
The collective spirits of the dead who were treated as protective, deified ancestors when properly honoured.
Pomerium
The sacred boundary of the city of Rome, outside of which all tombs had to be located.
Mola salsa
A sacred mixture of toasted spelt flour and salt, prepared by the Vestal Virgins and used in sacrificial offerings.
Feralia
The public festival on the final day of the Parentalia, focusing on communal meals and the pacification of spirits.
Caristia
A domestic feast held the day after the Parentalia ended to celebrate family harmony and resolve quarrels.
Lemuria
A private, three-night festival in May designed to exorcise hostile and restless spirits from the home.
Lemures
Restless and potentially malevolent spirits of those who died prematurely or lacked proper burial.
Mano fico
A protective hand gesture, known as the fig sign, used to ward off evil spirits during magical rituals.
Paterfamilias
The legal head of the Roman household who held absolute power and acted as its primary religious leader.
Gens
The wider Roman family clan or lineage.
Pax deorum
The essential peace and harmony between Rome and the divine or spirit world.
Put your knowledge into practice — try past paper questions for Classical Civilisation
Parentalia
A nine-day Roman festival held in February to honour deceased parents and ancestors.
Manes
The collective spirits of the dead who were treated as protective, deified ancestors when properly honoured.
Pomerium
The sacred boundary of the city of Rome, outside of which all tombs had to be located.
Mola salsa
A sacred mixture of toasted spelt flour and salt, prepared by the Vestal Virgins and used in sacrificial offerings.
Feralia
The public festival on the final day of the Parentalia, focusing on communal meals and the pacification of spirits.
Caristia
A domestic feast held the day after the Parentalia ended to celebrate family harmony and resolve quarrels.
Lemuria
A private, three-night festival in May designed to exorcise hostile and restless spirits from the home.
Lemures
Restless and potentially malevolent spirits of those who died prematurely or lacked proper burial.
Mano fico
A protective hand gesture, known as the fig sign, used to ward off evil spirits during magical rituals.
Paterfamilias
The legal head of the Roman household who held absolute power and acted as its primary religious leader.
Gens
The wider Roman family clan or lineage.
Pax deorum
The essential peace and harmony between Rome and the divine or spirit world.
