1 Earliest Rome

5- FESTIVALS AND CEREMONIES
Livy, History V. 13.5-8
5.5b The first 'lectistern iu m '
The lectisternium, a banquet given to, and in honour of, the gods was first cel­
ebrated in the early fourth century B.C. and was incorporated into several
major festivals. It is likely that the custom was introduced to Rome from the
Greek world, where such banquets were well known. Although Livy's descrip­
tion here of the first Roman celebration of a lectisternium does not make its ori­
gin explicit, various features of his account (some of the deities honoured and
the role of the Sibylline Books — see 1.8; 7.5) strongly suggest a Greek back­
ground.
See further: Vol. 1, 63; Taylor (1935); Gagé (1955) 168-79; Dumézil
(1970) 567-8*; Ogilvie (1970) 655-8.
When they managed to find neither the cause nor any means of ending the incurable
plague of that winter, 1
the Sibylline Books were consulted by decree of the senate. The
duoviri sacris faciundis 1
celebrated the first lectisternium ever held in the city of Rome, and
for eight days they appeased Apollo and Latona and Diana, Hercules, Mercury and
Neptune, 3
with three couches spread as magnificently as it was then possible to furnish.
The rite was also celebrated in private houses. Throughout the whole city doors stood
ajar, everything was left out in the open to be shared by anyone who wished, and they say
that all visitors - whether known or unknown - were welcomed hospitably, while people
exchanged friendly and courteous words with their enemies, setting aside their quarrels
and disputes. Prisoners too were freed from their chains for those days; and afterwards
they felt'scruples about imprisoning those whom the gods had helped in this way.
130
1. A plague had broken out in die middle of Rome's war against the town of Veii. All the
earliest lectisternia were carried out in response to plague.
2. This priesthood of two men (duoviri) is the earliest form of the quindecimviri sacris faci­
undis.
3. The precise combination of deities is a puzzle. But note that Apollo and Latona (Greek
Leto, Apollo's mother) Is a distinctively Greek pairing; and that Apollo is commonly
associated with healing and protection from plague.
5.5c Goddesses at the banquet
This marble sculpture probably represents two goddesses at a lectisternium.
Although discovered in the region of Praeneste (near Rome - see 4.9), the
deities have been tentatively identified as the two Fortunae (Fortunes) associ­
ated with the neighbouring town of Antium. Height, 0.50 m.
See further: Brendel (1960); Champeaux (1982-7) 1.152-5.