Vesta (mythology)

Vesta was the virgin goddess of home and hearth in Roman mythology, analagous to Hestia in Greek mythology.

It is indeed an original roman deity (some author suggest received from the sabin cults), presumedly the daughter of Saturn and Opi (or Rea). Vesta protected the familiar harmony and, extensively, the State.

Apollo and Neptune had asked her in marriage, but she refused both, preferring to preserve her virginity, which symbol was the eternally lit fire in her temple.

One of her priestesses was Rea Silvia, that with Mars conceived Romulus and Remus (see The founding of Rome).

In her temple in Rome, below Aventino hill (also called Tempio della Fortuna Virile), her priestesses practiced a sacred prostitution, initating to ars amandi the boys that turned 17, after the first tonsura. The priestesses (Vestales), before turnibg adolescents into adults, had to respect 30 years of absolute chastity (they were also called the Vestal Virgins). They could not show an excessive care of their person, and obviously they could not let the fire extinguish. If a Vestal infringed the vote of chastity before the 30 years, she was condemned to be buried alive in the Campus Sceleris (damned camp); this is what probably happened to Rea Silvia too.

The Vestales were allowed to (or perhaps were forced to) wear a special tunica, a sort of simple habit that they use for the temple and for the everyday's life (while in Rome usually there was a habit for the house and another for the outdoor). By this habit is named the dressing-gown (in italian Vestaglia) and the more generic veste (dress).