Nephele

Good catch! Actually, I somehow missed that one, as she is included in Broughton's. All that Broughton says about her is that she was "put to death for impurity" in 273 BCE. And (perhaps unsurprisingly) she was a member of a plebeian gens. -- Nephele

It took awhile, but I've come up with his hidden, dark identity. I'll leave you to interpret the anagram name -- which shouldn't be any more difficult than trying to figure out who the 666 reference was in the Book of Revelations... Diophantus Alexandrinus = Putin Shadaux Dans-le-noir -- Nephele

While referencing my two-volume set of Broughton's Magistrates of the Roman Republic, I decided to compile a list of all the female magistrates that I could find mentioned therein. The list evolved into the following article. Considering that there are nearly three thousand male magistrates who receive a mention in Broughton's Magistrates of the Roman Republic, the scant two dozen female magistrates I found would not make much of an impressive list -- except for the fact that their presence at all in a vastly male-dominated field ought to be impressive in itself. While men by and large ruled the political arena of ancient Rome, these women did manage to attain some power through religious office. We're all familiar with the Vestal Virgins, and the special privileges conferred upon them. However, these privileges came with a heavy price -- made shockingly apparent by the fact that, in almost every instance in which a Vestal is mentioned in the historical records compiled by Broughton for his annual magisterial lists, it was a record of a Vestal being condemned to death for some professional or personal transgression. The most frequent indictment of a Vestal was that of "incest" -- with, in the case of a Vestal, "incest" being defined by the State as any sexual activity between the Vestal and another member of the State, since each Vestal was viewed as being a Daughter of the State. Thus we find in Broughton's the earliest mention (for the era of the Republic) of an execution of a Vestal in the year 483 BCE, when either an Oppia or an Opimia (there is some dispute among historians as to her name, although Livy calls her Oppia) was convicted of "misconduct." Those who followed Oppia's fate were Orbinia in 472 BCE (put to death for misconduct), Minucia in 337 BCE (put to death for misconduct), and Caparronia in 226 BCE (this one thwarted her accusers by choosing to hang herself before they had a chance to execute her for "incest"). In 114 BCE three Vestals (scandalously representing 50% of the entire group, since there were only six Vestals perpetually in office throughout the time of the Republic) were all accused of "incest" and tried before the Pontifices. Of the three, only Aemilia was condemned to death at the time, with the other two, Licinia and Marcia, being acquitted. However, the following year, a Tribune of the Plebs named Sextus Peducaeus decided that the two Vestals who had escaped execution deserved to suffer the same fate as their sister Vestal, and so he carried a plebiscite to appoint Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla (who had been Consul in 127 BCE) as special inquisitor into the case of the accused Vestals. And so Licinia and Marcia were subsequently condemned and put to death -- although not without suspicion of political bias in the decision to execute them. The unfortunate Vestal Licinia had previously had a run-in with the Pontifices. In the year 123 BCE, Licinia had taken it upon herself to dedicate an ara (altar), aedicula (small temple), and pulvinar (a couch covered with cushions for the images of the gods) below the rock on the Aventine, which (in the words of Broughton, via Cicero) "were disallowed by the Pontifices on the ground that the dedication had not been ordained by the people." One female magistrate who was not a Vestal yet who also is noted in history solely for her misdeeds, was the Flaminica Martialis named Publilia. A Flaminica Martialis was the wife of the Flamen Martialis, the chief priest serving the god Mars, and who shared some duties with her husband. In the year 154 BCE, Publilia was accused of poisoning her husband, Lucius Postumius Albinus -- who was not only Flamen Martialis (a life-long priestly office), but also Consul. We can only guess as to what may have led Publilia to such an act of desperation. Because divorce was not permitted to a Flamen Martialis and his wife, perhaps Publilia may have seen no other way out of her marriage. Regardless (as Livy relates in the Periochae, 48.12-13), Publilia was tried for murder along with a noblewoman named Licinia, who was also accused of poisoning her husband. Following their hearing, both appeared as though they would be let off relatively lightly, as the Praetor assigned real estate as their bail. However, their relatives thought otherwise and, as a result of their respective families' decision (most likely under the old law of patria potestas whereby the male head of the family exercised absolute life and death control over family members) both Publilia and the noblewoman Licinia were executed. Now we move on to those female magistrates mentioned in Broughton's who, while accused of transgressions, were fortunate enough to have received an acquittal which stuck. We have an Aemilia, who was charged with allowing the sacred fire of the goddess Vesta to die out -- a very serious offense for a Vestal. While the precise date and identification of this Vestal remain uncertain, the story goes that the sacred flame was somehow miraculously re-lit, thus sparing Aemilia from punishment. In 420 BCE a Vestal named Postumia was tried for misconduct, but acquitted. Then, in 230 BCE, another miraculous event spared yet another Vestal: Tuccia, who was condemned, but managed to prove her innocence by completing the impossible task of carrying water in a sieve, thus showing that the gods were on her side. In 73 BCE a Vestal named Fabia was accused by Clodius of "incest" with Catiline. This Fabia also happened to be the sister-in-law of Cicero and, even though she was acquitted by Marcus Pupius Piso Frugi, her brother-in-law Cicero nevertheless brought the entire matter up again a decade later in his speech In Toga Candida, in which Cicero included the alleged indiscretion between Catiline and Fabia along with other, enumerated crimes of Catiline. Around the same time that Fabia had been accused, another Vestal named Licinia (whom I shall designate as "Licinia 2" to distinguish her from the 2nd century BCE Vestal also named Licinia) was also accused by a certain Plotius of "incest" with the general Marcus Licinius Crassus -- but she was fortunately also defended by Marcus Pupius Piso Frugi, and acquitted. Licinia 2 continued happily in her office as Vestal, as a few years later in 69 BCE she is mentioned as having attended the pontifical dinner for the inauguration of Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Niger as Flamen Martialis. A few years after this, in 63 BCE, Licinia 2 was able to use her influence as a Vestal to aide the candidacy of her relative Gaius Licinius Murena for the consulship. Among other female magistrates who received a brief mention in Broughton's, are Valeria in 488 BCE, notable for having been the first priestess of Fortuna Muliebris. For the year 216 BCE, two Vestals named Floronia and Opimia receive only a passing mention. If individual Vestals weren't being noted by the historians for their transgressions (either actual or fabricated), then they were noted for their familial relationships, depending on what their famous (or infamous) male relative might have been up to at the time. The Vestal Claudia receives mention as a pawn in her father's scheme of self-aggrandisement. In the year 143 BCE, the Consul Appius Claudius Pulcher, after having defeated the Salassi (on his second attempt) and having been refused a triumph by the Senate, chose to celebrate one anyway. He craftily got around the veto by having his Vestal daughter ride with him. (Presumably, the dignity of the presence of the Vestal squelched any reprimands from the Senate). Yet another Vestal receiving mention, if only in conjunction with male relatives, was Fonteia. She was a daughter of the Legate Fonteius (who served under Quintus Servilius at Asculum and was killed there around the year 91 BCE), and she was also the sister of Marcus Fonteius who was put on trial around 69 BCE. In the year 69 BCE, a Flamen Martialis, named Publicia, attended the pontifical dinner for the inauguration of Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Niger as Flamen Martialis (presumably this was her husband). This is the same inaugural dinner that was attended by the Vestal Licinia 2, and three other noted Vestals: Arruntia, Perpennia, and Popillia. Perhaps it is fitting to wind up this compilation of female magistrates with a Vestal who may have been one of the oldest living female magistrates. Occia, believed to have been a Vestalis Maxima (Chief Vestal), is recorded by Tacitus to have been a Vestal Virgin for fifty-seven years before her death in the year 19 C.E. One can only wonder at the history, secrets, scandals, and hidden longings in the House of the Vestals, which this venerable lady must have been privy to over all those years. -- Nephele

Hahahaha! I'll bet MPC appreciates this one! And... must... properly label him (can't fight the urge)... with appropriate anagram name: Aias Cruelicus = C. Iulius Caesar Klingan, your classical Tony Blair is pretty neat -- but you need to goth up that boy! -- Nephele

You're very welcome, Crispina -- and welcome to UNRV! Looking forward to seeing that pic of C. Hortensius Frutex! -- Nephele

Thanks, gang! I would've prepared an acceptance speech, but as soon as I started thinking of names to mention in it, I got distracted by thoughts of anagramming and blanagramming 'em all. I shall wield a light whip (and you may read into that any kinky subtext you choose). -- Nephele, a.k.a. The Nomina Domina

No, but I can Google it. -- Nephele

The Force is strong in these young Jedis. But this video has probably destroyed any chance they may have ever had of getting breathing girlfriends. -- Nephele

I know where I'll be spending a lot of time, now. Because, you know, I'm the Nomina Domina. Thanks for the two cool new forums! -- Nephele

All Roman garden gnomes (and other guardians of the garden) belong to the gens Hortensia, a name which is believed to have been derived from the Latin word hortus, meaning "garden". Since the nomen gentilicium follows the praenomen, I suggest your call your Roman garden guardian: Gaius Hortensius Frutex. The cognomen "Frutex" has a double meaning. In a "garden" context, it means "shrub"; but as a cognomen/nickname it also means "blockhead" (which, really, is what that concrete head is). -- Nephele

See, G-Man? Toldja The Augusta would like 'em. And, yet again, I must yield to my obsessive-compulsive need to anagram appropriate Roman names for these pics. And must also quote the pic in order to label it properly. If I'm over-loading the bandwidth, then either Primus Pilus or Moonlapse can spank me. Wheee! Martacus Atrocious Primo = Marcus Porcius Cato Maior P.S. Congrats on your promotion, G-Man! Can't wait to see your Gallery up and running! -- Nephele

I think those are all examples of passive-aggressive behavior, if I'm not mistaken. I don't use any of those lines, because I'm aggressive-aggressive. -- Nephele

Must... give... Roman anagram names... Oceaneus Pimpus Magnus & Carpus Coitus Macro = Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus & Marcus Porcius Cato -- Nephele

He has been creatively and entertainingly surreal, in a world where such qualities are often unappreciated and misunderstood. In other words, he is commendably nuts. -- Nephele

Satanicus Mourn = Marcus Antonius And young Vasillia Lurid (a.k.a. Livia Drusilla) looks hawt! -- Nephele

Would have been funny to do a whole bunch of them together like they're at a party ... "The Rave of The Sabine". Hahaha! At this rate, I'll be changing my computer screen's wallpaper every other day! This is fun for UNRV! I'm sure there's no other site that has Roman themed photoshopping like this -- not even FreakingNews.com -- Nephele

Ohhhh... She's gorgeous! I must find her gothic name in anagram! Vasillia Lurid = Livia Drusilla As for The Augusta, I wouldn't worry too much. Heheh, I think The Augusta is a closet goth. We both got "bat" for our "Animal in You" personality test results. Thanks for the pic, G-Man! More! More! -- Nephele

A wonderfully entertaining and informative little book I've recently read is Working IX to V: Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns, and Other Prized Professions of the Ancient World, by Vicki Le

Loyola Academy in Illinois may have its rules regarding student conduct, and school officials may or may not have handled the situation equitably for all concerned... But unfortunately your school may be experiencing a backlash from the situation currently revolving around a high school in Jena, Louisiana in which school officials bungled their own response to racially charged incidents. It's too bad you're caught in the middle of all this, FVC. Personally, I'm on the side of the girl who didn't consent to Pierre showing around to his buddies that topless pic of her. Pierre's probably lost a girlfriend now, as well (and deservedly so) for being such an ass. -- Nephele

?Que? Who 'bribed' you to vote the way you did? THOSE TWO? DoL and I are an evil influence. -- Nephele

You berry bad man, Jerry. Berry bad. NO SOUP FOR YOU!! -- Nephele

No. He just needs to be leashed and... disciplined. -- Nephele

Well, you ARE a Patrician, and I but a lowly Plebe. How can I say no? Probably not til tomorrow though. -- Nephele

And to delight me! More! More! Heheh, I DARE you to goth up Livia from I, Claudius. Oh, and do Marcus Antonius from HBO's Rome, please! I want to see that bad boy lookin' goth. -- Nephele