Ex votos

Definition

Ex votos are votive offerings made to deities in fulfillment of a promise or in gratitude for favors received. In Roman culture, these offerings were often small objects or inscriptions that individuals dedicated to gods or goddesses as part of their beliefs about death and the afterlife, reflecting a desire for divine assistance in securing a favorable outcome after death.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Ex votos were commonly found in temples and other religious sites throughout Rome, serving as tangible evidence of an individual's faith and devotion.
2. The offerings could vary widely, including figurines, plaques, or inscriptions detailing the miracle or favor granted by the deity.
3. Ex votos were significant because they highlighted the Romans' belief in the importance of maintaining good relations with the gods, especially concerning matters of life, death, and the afterlife.
4. These offerings not only served personal purposes but also functioned to enhance communal worship and bolster the reputation of temples among the populace.
5. The practice of leaving ex votos persisted well into the Christian era, showing the continuity of devotion and ritual practices even as religious paradigms shifted.

Review Questions

• How did the practice of leaving ex votos reflect Roman beliefs about their relationship with the divine?
  • Leaving ex votos demonstrated how Romans viewed their relationship with the divine as one based on mutual obligation. By making a promise to dedicate an offering in exchange for divine favor, individuals actively participated in a reciprocal system of devotion. This act reinforced their belief that pleasing the gods was essential for securing blessings in life and favorable outcomes in death and beyond.
• Discuss the role of ex votos within Roman funerary practices and what they reveal about attitudes towards death and the afterlife.
  • Ex votos played an integral role in Roman funerary practices by symbolizing ongoing connections between the living and the deceased. By offering votive items to deities, families sought protection for their loved ones in the afterlife and hoped to ensure their well-being. This reflects a broader Roman belief that one's actions in life could influence their fate after death, showcasing an intricate understanding of spirituality and mortality.
• Evaluate how ex votos contribute to our understanding of cultural continuity from ancient Roman religious practices to later traditions, particularly in relation to worship and gratitude.
  • Ex votos illustrate a significant cultural continuity by showing how early Roman religious practices influenced later traditions. Even as Christianity emerged, the act of dedicating offerings in gratitude or fulfillment of promises persisted, indicating a deep-rooted human inclination towards expressing thankfulness. This connection underscores how fundamental themes of worship, devotion, and gratitude have transcended time and adapted within different religious contexts.

Related terms

Votive Offerings: Items presented to deities as a promise for future favors or in thanks for blessings already received.

Lararium: A household shrine in ancient Rome where offerings were made to the household gods known as Lares.

Funerary Practices: Customs and rituals associated with burial and memorialization in ancient cultures, including the Romans, that reflect beliefs about the afterlife.