Venus Obsequens and Venere Ericina
In 295 BC aedilis Quintus Fabius Gurge let built a temple for the cult of Venus Obsequens (or "obedient", respectful of the rules); to finance the construction of the Temple, Quintus Fabius used the fines he had made pay to many Roman matrons who having taken part in the Vinalia Rustica, celebrations of August 19, had committed stuprum or had illicit sexual relations.
In Vinalia Rustica were celebrated the rituals that favored a good harvest; it was a feast dedicated to Jupiter but Venus was also celebrated because the rites required the use of wine, the venenum which was the drink of the Gods; the venenum was the magic potion that contained the venus, the quintessence of the enchanting charm of Venus.
The Venusian wine power was not measurable for the Romans, a cup might have been necessary or even a few drops could have been enough to propitiate the gods, because wine was a ritual drink and daily use could only be done by stretching it with water. In that 295 BC the matronae had not been able to contain themselves and for this they were tried and condemned, even if it was a light sentence if we consider that still in the VII sec. A.D. women were forbidden to drink wine and, if caught by their husband drinking it, he could inflict a just punishment.
Quintus Fabius Gurges with the proceeds of the fines paid by the matrons, the Templum Venus Obsequens ad Circum Maximum had built for the worship of Venus full of grace, and a servitium was attached to the temple that was the place where sacred prostitution took place.
No trace has remained of the Temple of the third century, while it is know another Temple dedicated to Venus Obsequens built when Posidonia was founded (current area of S. Venera); here the temple was frequented by both the Matronae and the Veneriae (prostitutes) who, however, used different spaces for their rituals, avoiding any contamination.
When during the Second Punic War Quintus Fabius Maximus asked for the protection of Venus, who had a sanctuary in Erice, he promised that he would dedicate a temple to her in Rome: Fabius Maximus won and in 215 BC on the Capitol a temple was dedicated to Venus Ericina.
Thirty years later, Lucius Porcius Licinius asked for the protection of Venus in the war against the Ligurians and, having been granted the vote, in 181 BC a second temple dedicated to Venus Ericina was built, but this time outside the walls. the Temple was surrounded by a portico and here sacred prostitution was practiced, but in Rome many of the connotations that the custom had in the original Greek rite were lost, probably it became only an offer of one's body for the goddess and the gain was at the temple; this type of offer in Rome was made only by prostitutes. The Venus Ericina of Porta Collina was the patron goddess of prostitutes and her Temple was outside the walls "so that adolescents and married women do not find themselves confronted in the city with the passions aroused by Venus" (Vitr., 1.7.1 ).
Historians believe that the Temple was located in the area between the current Via XX Settembre, Via Piave and Corso d’Italia; the Acrolithus Ludovisi and the Throne Ludovisi were found, at the end of the nineteenth century, in this area.
The characteristics of the Acrolithus led scholars to believe that it was the image of Venus that was brought to Rome from Sicily, but it is more likely that the statues both came from the Sanctuary of Persephone in Locri.
In so-called Throne Ludovisi the central bas-relief represents the birth of Venus, while the two figures on the sides represent the two types of women dedicated to the Venus cult, symbolizing sacred love and profane love.
The Temple of Venus Ericina was dedicated on April 23, the day on that Vinalia Priora were celebrated and the new wine was consecrated to Jupiter expressing the fecundity of Venus; on that day the professae (the registered prostitutes) went to the temple that almost certainly also housed hierodules, heirs of the ancient priestesses who practiced sacred prostitution.
by M.L. ©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (Ed 1.0 - 05/12/2019)