Roman Goddess Juno: Matronalia Festival - 1 March Juno Feast

Roman Goddess Juno:   Matronalia Festival - 1 March Juno, Roman Goddess 2nd Century Restoration LINK | Source photo credited to:  Marie-Lan Nguyen Juno -- protector & special counsellor of Roman state -- queen of gods -- daughter of Saturn -- sister-wife of Jupiter (chief god) -- mother of:  Juventas (Youth), Mars & Vulcan -- patron goddess of Rome & Roman Empire -- referred to as 'Regina' (queen) -- worshipped as triad:  Juno + Jupiter + Minerva -- on the Capitol (Juno Capitolina) in Rome Capitolium pl. Capitolia -- Roman temple dedicated to triad:  Jupiter, Juno & Minerva Juno Moneta -- as Juno Moneta (who warns), guarded finances of empire -- on Arx (one of two Capitoline hills), temple dedicated to Juno Moneta -- Temple to Juno Moneta established 1 June 344 BC  [2] -- on the site of the house of Manlius Capitolinus  [2] -- in fulfilment of vow for victory over Aurunci [2] -- close to Roman mint -- Juno worshipped in other cities & temples built in honour Matronalia -- 1 March - Matronalia (feast of Juno Lucina, Goddess of Childbirth  [2]) - lambs & other cattle sacrificed to Juno -- 7 July - Nonae Caprotinae ('The Nones of the Wild Fig') -- month of June named for Juno -- Juno protecting & guardian spirit of females -- Jono's symbol:  peacock http://www.pantheon.org/articles/j/juno.html [2]  http://decodedpast.com/roman-goddess-juno-month-of-june/10241 Juventas (goddess of youth) -- boys offered Juventas coin first time they wore toga (men's attire) -- Temple of Juventas on Capitol = more ancient than that of Jupiter -- second temple at Circus Maximus http://www.pantheon.org/articles/j/juventas.html Evocatio Rome adopted various Italic cults of Juno after conquest of their cities -- via Roman practise referred to as 'evocatio' -- evocatio:  petition of deity of enemy city to abandon original host & transfer allegiance to Rome -- as incentive, Romans promised Temples & cults to deity -- in time of King Romulus, Titus Tatius (Sabine ally) brought cult of Juno Quiritis to Rome -- 396 BC cult of Juno Regina transferred from Veii to Aventine Hill, Rome -- 338 BC Juno Sospita transferred to Rome Moneta -- fm. monere (to warn) -- moneta associated with coinage due to proximity of Temple to mint Lucina -- according to Roman historians, name derived either from:        Ovid     -- lux (pl. of luces - L. for 'light' - esp. daylight; or        Cicero     -- lucere - 'to shine' - eg moonlight    As Rome expanded wider territory, goddesses of conquered peoples affiliated with Roman goddesses: -- Tanit (Carthaginian) -- Hera (Greek) http://decodedpast.com/roman-goddess-juno-month-of-june/10241 Matronalia Roman religious festival aka  Matronales Feriae ancient festival of Juno celebrated March 1 cult established by Titus Tatius, king of Sabines -- celebration of the birthday of Juno son Mars, the god of war -- Jupitor was not Mar's father:  it was magical flower, lily -- festival = procession of married women to temple to make offerings to Juno -- also, prayers for marital happiness conducted at home -- wives received gifts from husbands -- feast was given for female slaves Feriae = festival, holiday The goddess Juno and the currency of Rome http://historybytez.com/2015/10/07/the-goddess-juno-and-the-currency-of-rome/ Juno http://www.ancient.eu/Juno/ ---------------------- ---------------------- Theodosius the Great ruled the Roman Empire 378-395 {last sole Roman emperor} dramatically expanded Christian power -- at the expense of the state & traditional religion -- declared his preferred version of Christianity the only legal state religion -- settled disputes b/w Christian sects -- merged church & state for over 1,000 years Council of Nicea 325 -- Nicea (now Iznik, Turkey) -- meeting of 300 bishops from across Roman empire -- dispute over Arianism -- Council of Nicea condemned the teachings of Arius -- adopted a creed outlining correct belief about the 'son's' relationship to the 'father' -- ie  Nicean Creed -- council determined god =  3  parts:  'father', Jesus 'the Son', and 'the Holy Spirit' / trinity of equal proportions -- controversy continued -- 380 - several churches support Arian position:  god = singular entity -- Theodosius strongly opposed Arian position & opposed imperial policy of religious freedom -- Theodosius suppressed Arians and banned their beliefs -- Theodosius had First Council of Constantinople mend schism in Trinitarians' favour -- First Council of Constantinople declared Arian position heresy -- Theodosius enforced the heresy ruling -- motivation for unity = religious & political -- empire needed uniformity / church & state was linked = uniform church doctrine required to avoid conflicts -- new Christian Empire persecuted pagan religions -- Theodosius reiterated a ban on sacrifice & outlawed auspice (divination of actions of birds) - penalty death -- Theodosius destroyed pagan temples -- Theodosius deprived heretics of civil rights -- requirement of citizenship (for first time in history) = orthodoxy -- Theodosius used army to suppress pagan militants -- Theodosius cut all funding to pagans -- Theodosius oversaw a massacre of 7,000 -- Bishop of Milan excommunicated Theodosius -- first instance of church officials overruling & publishing secular officials -- Theodosius forced to do 7 months' penance -- this helped to establish church supremacy over state -- process of linking church & state began with Constantine / Theodosius completed church-state link -- underground religion now ruled empire -- 385 CE - Bishop Priscillian tried & executed for heresy by Theodosius court -- first time civil govt ordered execution of another Christian to serve Christian religious agenda http://www.examiner.com/article/theodosius-merges-church-and-state Theodosius the Great d. 395 Roman Empire - West / East Rule -- sons: 1.  Honorius - appointed emperor of West  (12 years old)     Master of Soldiers, Flavius Stilicho (half Vandal half Roman, married to cousin of Theodosius)     appointed guardian     / daughter of Stilicho married to 12 year old Honorius in 395    2.  Arcadius - appointed emperor of East Invasions 403 - fear of Visigoth invasion -- Stilicho draws troops from Rhine, Britain & elsewhere to halt advance 404 - Honorius moves residence from Mediolanum (Milan) to saftey of Ravenna 405 - Ostrogoths cross Alps into Italy -- decisively defeated by Stilicho at Faesulae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Faesulae_%28406%29     Radagaisus - Gothic king, pagan - executed after defeat of his 20,000 men (est.) at Florentia (Forence, Tuscany)     -- entire families & other non-combatants accompanied warriors:  total possibly 100,000 persons     12,000 Gothic men drafted into Roman army     so many others sold into slavery that slave market briefly collapsed     *these Goths later joined Alaric I --> conquest of Rome 410     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radagaisus 406 - huge numbers of:  Vandals, Suevi, Alemanni, Alans and Burgundians cross Rhine -- Moguntiacum & Treviri fall -- invaders spread into Gaul - destruction spreads -- Stilicho buys off Visigoths -- demand for 4,000 pounds of gold (1,814 kg) -- senate objects -- Stilicho forces compliance -- senators conspire to depose of Stilicho -- accused of plotting with Alaric (Visigoths leader) to depose of Honorius to make own son emperor of west -- troops at Ticinum stage rebellion against Stilicho -- 408, Stilicho surrenders to emperor at Ravenna & is executed -- disaster:  Stilicho German soldiers go over to Alaric to avoid persecution by Romans -- Alaric no longer satisfied with bribes for peace, marches on Italy -- Rome rescued by another enormous payment by a reluctant Honorius -- Alaric and Honorius briefly co-exist Italy -- 410 Alaric camp attacked by Sarus (another Visigoth leader) -- Alaric took this to be attack on behalf of Honorius; breaks off negotiations & marches Rome -- agents within Rome open gates 24 Aug. 410 CE -- Visigoths descend on Rome & sack city over 3 days -- Alaric moves south, dies unexpectedly & brother in law (Athaulf) takes over -- Emperor Constantine III empire collapsing -- empire broke down:     1.  revolt of officers Spain;     2.  military talent of Constantius Constantius III b. Naissus (now Nis, Serbia) -- career soldier -- rank of magister militum under Honorius -- 'Master of Soldiers' - war theatre commander (emperor remaining supreme commander) -- 411 - battles & defeats usurpers in south of France (Arles):     -- Gerontius, general of Maximus (usurper)     -- Constantine III (usurper) -- Constantine forced to surrender when his troops joined another usurper (Jovinus) -- Constantine, who had become ordained priest, was granted safe passage by Constantius     (but later captured & killed by him) -- 412 - expelled Visigoths (Athaulf) from Italy -- 413 - held first consulate -- 414 - begins military offensive v. Visigoths -- Ataulf appoints Priscus Attalus as emperor -- Constantius blockade on Gallic ports / Visigoths flee from Gaul to Hispania 415 -- Attalus captured & sent to Ravenna -- Constantius does deal with Visigoth king Wallia (successor) -- in exchange for wheat & territory in Aquitaine Visigoths pledge to fight for Romans -- Visigoths = official allies / vassal state (foederati) of Romans -- Vandals, Alans & Suebi stationed in Hispania / agreement made for release of Honorius' sister captured sack of Rome 410 -- Constantius appointed patricius (patrician / noble) -- 417 - 2nd year as consul (highest elected political office of Roman Republic)     -- historically, consuls =         - extensive peacetime powers            (administrative, legislative + judicial)         - highest military command in war         - earlier duties incl. religious duties         - consuls read auguries (birds movement)         - essential before leading armies        Ravenna -- capital city of the Western Roman Empire -- from 402 - to collapse:  476 [wikipedia] Source = wikipedia where not otherwise marked ---------------------- ---------------------- COMMENT Thought it really cool that today is Juno's feast day. I inadvertently sacrificed some oil, having made some donuts for breakfast ... and burnt the oil I'd intended to set aside. Managed to sleep during part of the night (yay!), but I woke up at 3am ... thinking of donuts.  So I got up at 3am, surfed 'food porn,' made donuts and eventually had breakfast at something like 5:30am. These turned out quite nice (if you don't mind a dense donut).  If there's a 'next time' I'll be adding heaps more sugar to the mix. It's just a thick, sticky yeast dough (with x3 eggs) that's spooned into hot oil, after resting for 30 minutes. As nice as the latest food experiments have been, I need to stop looking at fattening 'food porn,' as it leads to food cravings, cooking experiments and stacking on weight.  Not sure how I'll mange this:  either I cook and I cook the artery-clogging foods I tend to crave, or I don't cook at all.   There's no middle ground, and certainly no enthusiasm for low-fat meals.  Really enjoyed checking out the Roman info. Don't like Theodosius.  Cannot understand why he would want to endorse (and enforce) some phony foreign religious doctrine that he's effectively placed above the state. It's anger provoking to see churches built over Roman temples. It looks as though Christianity incorporates pagan-style trinities: 1.  the Jesus figure, the Virgin Mary figure & the god figure; 2.  the god, 'son of god' & 'holy spirit' symbols. Guessing it's probably to make the break-away foreign religion eventually adopted by Rome (and imposed on Europe) maybe appeal to the pagan European populations of the time. Not sure why they'd bother with this in Europe, when Europe was largely 'converted' by force. Maybe it's an attempt to legitimise the religion by fitting it in with existing traditions and cycles, to prevent lapse to older traditions (were the new religion to innovate new traditions)? It appears that incorporating a bunch of extraneous traditions may help gain and/or retain followers: Syncretism "Catholicism in Central and South America has been integrated with a number of elements derived from indigenous and slave cultures ... while many African Initiated Churches demonstrate an integration of Protestant and traditional African beliefs." "Catholicism in South Korea has been syncretized with traditional Mahayana Buddhist and Confucian customs that form an integral part of traditional Korean culture. As a result, South Korean Catholics continue to practice ancestral rites and observe many Buddhist and Confucian customs and philosophies."  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretism However interesting religion is from a historic and cultural perspective, it's easy to forget that religion is mass delusion and/or fraud. Incredulously, in this day and age, religion is still kowtowed to by the state. Despite: 1.  the notion that the state that is officially separated from religion; 2.  despite what is otherwise presumably the age of reason, enlightenment, modernity etc. Giving religion any state/official credence is participating in a fraud and participating in keeping the masses ignorant, while enabling charlatans to wield political and social power. The state ought to deny superstition instead of being complicit in bolstering it by engaging in public relations lip service displays, by granting political concessions, by granting practical concessions (tax benefits, program funding etc), or by granting special protections (eg. those that result in various lawsuits and payouts on account of what amounts to pursuit of superstition), or facilitating state-imposed erection of unwanted (and incompatible with state culture) religious structures. Instead of embracing reason, modernity and freedom from superstition, the state reinforces & validates superstition by entering into dialogue with adherents of superstition, paying lip service to superstition or otherwise playing a part in legitimising superstition.  In the process, the 'non-religious' state's taking the lot of us down the path of oppression-by-religion, thanks to the new global state religion:   universal 'human rights' ideology.  An ideology that is modern religion, oppression and facilitation of oppression by religion, all wrapped in one. The new religion is much like the former religion:  it's just a political tool to manipulate the gullible masses that are dominated, deceived and eventually brainwashed to serve the interests of those at the top. I was going to delete this because it sounds so negative, but I'll let it stand because it's what I think. Now I'm off to check out some falafel recipes.  I'm hanging to make some decent falafel for a change.  So far, all my attempts have been lame:  the mix usually falls apart on me.  If I try to bind it, it tastes like crap. This lady looks like she knows what she's doing -- here.  Wish I had one of those falafel gadgets.  Makes it look so easy.   One more shot at it can't hurt. Hey, this craving is sort of healthy:  falafels, hummus and salad in flat bread.  Maybe I should live on nothing but falafel.  I think that any time I hit on something I think I'd like to have every day.  But I don't live alone, so the same meal every day until I get sick of it is out of the question ...   lol  :)