Sagmina

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Sagmina (plural; singular sagmen ) were sacred and ritually pure plants in the Roman religion , which were picked together with the roots and the ball of the earth by the priesthood of the fetials on the capitol ( arx ) ( herba pura or verbena ).

With the help of the Sagmina, one of the fetials was consecrated to Father Patratus by touching the Sagmina on the orders of the Roman king and, during the period of the Roman Republic, on the orders of the praetor maximus . The consecrated Pater patratus, on the one hand, took the oath and made the sacrifice at the formal conclusion of an alliance ( foedus ) that bound the Roman community in the long term. On the other hand, a Pater patratus consecrated in this way was also involved in the formal declaration of war by the fetials. That is why the Sagmina encounter at Festus both in connection with the conclusion of foedera and in connection with the formal declaration of war.

In historical times the Sagmina were transported together with the silex , the sacred stone of Iuppiter Feretrius , in containers ( vasa ) even over long distances from Rome, e.g. B. to be used when concluding a contract. The bearer of the Sagmina was called verbenarius and was a member of the fetials. The sagmina or verbena were not only ritual tools of the fetials, but at the same time also insignia that were supposed to ensure the inviolability of the fetials and ambassadors.

literature

  • Andreas Zack: Studies on "Roman International Law". Declaration of war, decision of war, formation and ratification of international treaties, international friendship and hostility during the Roman Republic until the beginning of the Principate. Edition Ruprecht 2nd edition Göttingen 2007

Remarks

  1. ↑ Compare Pliny Naturalis historia 22.4f.
  2. ↑ Livy Ab urbe condita 1.24; 30.43.9.
  3. ↑ cf. Livy 1.32.
  4. ↑ Festus 424, 426 ed. Lindsay.
  5. ↑ Livy 30,43,9; compare also Gnaeus Naevius Bellum Punicum frg. 1 Strzlecki in connection with the peace agreement between Rome and Carthage 241 BC Chr.
  6. ^ Corpus iuris civilis , Dig. 1.8.8. Pliny Naturalis historia 22.4 f.