Flamen
A flamen is a type of Roman priest tasked with overseeing the rites of one deity out of a specific set of fifteen. They are fundamental to the orthopraxy of Roman Hellenism, with their origins dating back to the early days of the Roman state. There are two types of flamens: archflamens, who rank the highest, and lesser flamens.
Archflamens
The archflamens, or flamines maiores in Latin, are the three highest ranking flamens in the College of Pontiffs. They are tasked with priestly duties concerning the deities Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus. The positions are exclusive to patricians and some of the highest esteemed roles in the hierarchy of Roman Hellenism.
Lesser Flamens
The lesser flamens, known as flamines minores, concern twelve additional deities[note 1] of varying providence. While several of the gods, such as Ceres, Vulcan, and Neptune, are well attested and understood in the Roman world, many of the gods are of such antiquity that their precise origins and functions were unclear even to the ancients.
Flamen Falacer
The Flamen Falacer has the obtuse purpose of tending the rites of Falacer, a deity of such obscurity that he seems to have been virtually forgotten by the time of the late Republic. His exact providence is unclear, and many Romans Hellenists have debated what his rites should entail.
Flamen Fontinalis
The Flamen Fontinalis oversees the rites of the Fons, also called Fontus, god of fountains, natural springs, and clean water.
Flamen Neptunalis
The Flamen Neptunalistends the rites of Neptune, god of the seas, earthquakes, and horses.
Notes
- ↑ Of the twelve, only ten lesser flamens are directly attested. The flamens of Neptune and Fons are speculated to have existed, but are unconfirmed. For the purposes of Imperivm Romanvm, we accept this theory until any such evidence to counter this hypothesis is found.