What was the Ver Sacrum?
The ver sacrum (“sacred spring”) was a religious practice among ancient Italic peoples, particularly the Sabines and their offshoots, such as the Samnites. It involved dedicating all offspring—both human and animal—born in a specified spring season to a deity, usually Mars. Georges Dumézil studied this practice extensively, linking it to prehistoric Indo-European migration customs. While originally tied to sacrificial rites, the practice evolved into a method of colonization, influencing Italic expansion throughout history.
Religious Significance
The ver sacrum was a solemn vow (votum) made in times of crisis, such as war, famine, or natural disaster. The vow dedicated all young born in the following spring to a deity, typically Mars, the god of war. Among the Sabines, this sacred period lasted from March 1 to April 30. The tradition shared similarities with the Roman practice of devotio, where individuals were consecrated to the gods in exchange for divine favor in battle.
Some scholars believe that, in early times, the vowed children were sacrificed, a theory supported by ancient sources such as Dionysius of Halicarnassus, who suggested that child sacrifice led to the downfall of the Pelasgians in Italy. However, as Roman civilization developed, literal human sacrifice was replaced by symbolic exile. When these children reached adulthood (usually around 21 or 22), they were expelled from their homeland to seek new territory, guided by religious omens and often accompanied by an animal considered sacred to their patron god.
The Ritual and Its Execution
The youths, known as sacrani, were entrusted to the protection of Mars. With their faces veiled, they were led to the borders of their homeland, often by an animal whose behavior was interpreted as a divine sign. They would then wander until they encountered a place deemed suitable for settlement, where they would either assimilate the local population or conquer the territory.
Ancient writers such as Festus, Livy, Strabo, Sisenna, Servius, and Varro recorded these traditions, highlighting the role of the ver sacrum in Italic expansion and migration. The practice not only allowed for territorial expansion but also reinforced cultural cohesion among these migratory groups.
A statue depicting Mars, located in the Forum of Nerva, in Rome.
Animals and the Naming of New Settlements
Animals that led the sacrani played a crucial role in the naming of new settlements. The animal itself often became the totemic symbol of the new community. Examples include:
- Wolf (hirpus): The Hirpini of Campania were named after a wolf that guided them.
- Woodpecker (picus): The Piceni of present-day Marche took their name from a woodpecker, a sacred bird of Mars.
- Vulture (vultur): The Vultures took their name from the vulture that led them.
- Horse (equus): The Aequi or Aequicolae in Latium were named after a guiding horse.
- Ox (bos): The Samnites established Bovianum, their capital, on the hill where an ox had stopped.
- Mars (Mamers): The Mamertini of Sicily derived their name from Mars himself.
This tradition reinforced the religious and symbolic link between the migrating group and their divine protector, legitimizing their claims to new territories.
Influence on Roman Military Symbols
The ver sacrum may have influenced the insignia of the Roman military. In early Rome, military standards (signa militaria) featured various animal symbols, including the wolf, horse, Minotaur, and boar. These animals, associated with deities, reflected their roles in the ver sacrum and migration traditions.
Gaius Marius later standardized the eagle (aquila) as the principal Roman military standard, but earlier legions had used multiple animal totems. Scholars such as Andreas Alföldi have linked these symbols to Roman gods:
- The eagle with Jupiter
- The wolf with Mars
- The horse with Neptune
- The boar with Quirinus
Dumézil further connected these animal symbols to Indo-Iranian traditions, where gods of war and victory often took animal forms, reinforcing the deep Indo-European roots of the ver sacrum.
The Ver Sacrum and the Founding of Rome
Dumézil argued that one of the two major Roman foundation myths may have originated from a ver sacrum tradition. One version of Rome’s founding recounts that a group of sacrani from Reate (modern Rieti) drove out the indigenous Ligurians and Sicels to establish a new settlement. Another, more widely accepted myth, tells of Romulus and Remus—twins of Mars—who were nurtured by a she-wolf and later founded Rome.
While Dumézil saw echoes of the ver sacrum in these stories, some scholars, such as Arnaldo Momigliano, have rejected this theory, arguing that Romulus and Remus did not lead a ver sacrum but were instead part of a different mythological tradition.
The Last Recorded Ver Sacrum
The last historically documented ver sacrum took place during the Second Punic War following Rome’s devastating defeats at Trasimene and Cannae. This time, however, the vow applied only to cattle. According to Livy, the pontifex maximus Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Caudinus declared that the vow would only be valid with the approval of the Roman people (iussu populi). To ensure the ritual’s effectiveness, he also specified numerous potential invalidating circumstances that would not apply to this particular vow.
This event highlights the evolving nature of the ver sacrum from a human migration tradition to a symbolic religious practice focused on livestock. As Rome became more politically and militarily stable, the original purpose of the ver sacrum—expanding territories through migration—became obsolete, leaving only its religious aspects intact.
Questions and Answers
How did the ver sacrum function as a migratory practice?
Young people dedicated in the ver sacrum were exiled upon reaching adulthood and guided by an animal chosen as an omen. They established new settlements, often named after their guiding animal.
What role did animals play in the ver sacrum?
Animals such as wolves, woodpeckers, horses, and oxen guided migrating groups and became the namesakes of new settlements, reinforcing divine legitimacy.
How was the ver sacrum related to Roman military symbols?
The animal totems from migration traditions influenced Roman military standards, with symbols like the eagle (Jupiter), wolf (Mars), and horse (Neptune) appearing on legionary insignia.
Did the ver sacrum influence the founding of Rome?
Some scholars, including Georges Dumézil, suggest that Rome’s founding myths, particularly the story of Romulus and Remus, may have originated from ver sacrum traditions.
This statue of Jupiter is located at the Hermitage Museum in Russia.
What was the last recorded ver sacrum?
During the Second Punic War, Rome performed a ver sacrum after defeats at Trasimene and Cannae, but it only applied to cattle rather than humans.
How did the ver sacrum evolve over time?
Originally believed to involve human sacrifice, the practice shifted to symbolic exile and later became a religious ritual focused on livestock dedication.
Why did the ver sacrum decline?
As Rome expanded and secured its territories, the practice lost its purpose as a migration tool and gradually became obsolete, surviving only in religious traditions.
