Origins of the Parilia

The origins of the Parilia are not entirely certain.  The original festival itself is believed to predate the founding of the city.  It is believed to have evolved from very early pagan celebrations of spring and fertility.  It was originally a celebration of the deity Pales.  The identity of Pales is somewhat obscure as well.  It is unknown whether the deity was male or female, of even if it was intended to be a single deity or pair of deities.  In the Fasti, Ovid invokes Pales as a singular female deity.  Some identify certain statues of an elderly woman leaning on a shepherd staff as Pales, but others hesitate to make this claim, and believe no representations of Pales actually exist.  Offerings were often made "sive deo sive deae."  The association of the Parilia with Pales is, in fact, in doubt.  However, references to the Parilia as the Palilia reinforce the association.

There was also a certain goddess named Diva Palatua.  She may well be the namesake of the Palatine, or of the Palilia.  She was a very old goddess and had her own named flamen, the flamen Palatualis.  However, this flamen performed sacrifices at the Septimontium, not the Parilia, so connections between this goddess and the Parilia are questionable.

Some believe Pales lends his/her name to the Palatine hill.  While there is little or no evidence to substantiate this claim, it would help to explain the very old roots of this festival.  It would also help to explain how the festival became associated with the foundation of the city.  If true, this day to celebrate the namesake of one of the central hills of Rome is also the birthday of Roma, the personification the city itself, and the foundation of the city.

To add to the already festive mood, in 121 AD, Hadrian inserted games to be held during the Parilia.  He did this to commemorate the founding of his new temple to Venus and Roma, and he renamed the festival the Romaea, the Festival of Rome.  Hardian's actions represent a growing trend in the state cult of Rome.  This was to increasingly make the festivals and ceremonies center on the place of Rome itself.  Many of the foundational myths upon which practices are based are important because of their location, namely Rome.  This festival is no different.  However, one thing which distinguishes this festival is that it was adopted as the birthday of the city of Rome.  One wonders how or why such a festival could be exported beyond the city itself.  But, military calendars show the festival was indeed celebrated outside the city, and in much the same way.  But again, with the limited supply of sacrificial offerings involving the October horse and the unborn calf from the Fordicalia, the army's celebration of the Parilia may have been much close to the rural celebration rather than the one conducted by the official cult in Rome.
 
 
 
 

{Main}
[Myths, Ceremonies]