Strenua (goddess)

In the ancient Roman religion , Strenua , or Strenia, was the goddess of the New Year, cleansing and wellbeing . It had a shrine (Sacellum) and a grove (Lucus) at the height of the Via Sacra. According to the ancient writer Marcus Terentius Varro , she was a goddess of the Sabines . According to WH Roscher, Strenua belonged to the "Indigitamenta", a list of Roman gods that was kept by the priests to ensure correct worship in public rituals. The procession of the Argei began at their shrine .

On January 1st, branches of Strenua's grove were brought in procession to the citadel (Arx). This custom was first observed on New Year's Day 153 BC. The first year the consuls took office at the beginning of the year. It is unclear whether the procession has always been held on this day or whether it was originally celebrated on a different day, possibly the earlier Roman beginning of the year , March 1st.

The name "Strenia" is believed to be the origin of the word "Strenae" (present in French as étrennes and in Italian strenne), which denotes the New Year gifts that the Romans gave each other and which were a good omen.

During the Principate's time , these strenas often took the form of gifts of money.

According to Johannes Lydos , “Strenae” is a Sabine word for well-being and prosperity (hygieia, Latin: Salus). According to the church father Augustine of Hippo , Strenia is the goddess who makes people "strict", lively and strong.

According to some scholars, the “ Befana ” tradition originated from the cult of Strenua.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Robert EA Palmer: The Archaic Community of the Romans. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2009 (original 1970 edition), ISBN 978-0-521-12476-8 , p. 101.
^ Marcus Terentius Varro , De lingua latina 5.47; Festus 290.
^ ^A ^b ^c William Warde Fowler: The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic. Macmillan, London 1908, p. 278.
↑ R. Peter: indigitamenta . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 2.1, Leipzig 1894, Col. 129-233, here Col. 227 ( digitized version ).
^ Robert EA Palmer: The Archaic Community of the Romans. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2009 (original 1970 edition), ISBN 978-0-521-12476-8 , pp. 92 and 100.
↑ Ovid , Fasti 1, 71ff, 175.
^ Suetonius , Augustus 57,1; Tiberius 34.2; Caligula 42.
^ Lawrence Richardson: A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1992, p. 373.
↑ Augustine, De civitate Dei 4.16.

[Palmer101-1] A ^b Robert EA Palmer: The Archaic Community of the Romans. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2009 (original 1970 edition), ISBN 978-0-521-12476-8 , p. 101.

[2] Marcus Terentius Varro , De lingua latina 5.47; Festus 290.

[Fowler278-3] A ^b ^c William Warde Fowler: The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic. Macmillan, London 1908, p. 278.

[4] R. Peter: indigitamenta . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 2.1, Leipzig 1894, Col. 129-233, here Col. 227 ( digitized version ).

[5] Robert EA Palmer: The Archaic Community of the Romans. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2009 (original 1970 edition), ISBN 978-0-521-12476-8 , pp. 92 and 100.

[6] Ovid , Fasti 1, 71ff, 175.

[7] Suetonius , Augustus 57,1; Tiberius 34.2; Caligula 42.

[8] Lawrence Richardson: A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1992, p. 373.

[9] Augustine, De civitate Dei 4.16.