Death and the Afterlife
Traditional Roman beliefs on Death and the Afterlife:
Ancient Roman people had very specific ideas and beliefs about death and the afterlife. Romans often had traditions that would help a person’s spirit travel form earth to the underworld. Mostly of very high importance was ensuring a proper burial. Along with this other steps were taken such as a coin being placed of the mouth of the deceased, as payment to the demon boatman they believed carried the dead across the rivers of the underworld. Funerals signified the transition between life and afterlife. A funeral was marked by the movement of a group of people and the loud noises that came along with that.
In Ancient Rome, death was treated very seriously and it was …show more content…
To ensure a proper burial Romans belonged to funeral societies. Funeral Societies were called collegia. In order for a roman to be part of the collegia they had to pay monthly dues. This money would pay for the funeral and the right rituals in order to ensure all ranks of society would get the proper send off to the underworld. This fee also ensured that the remains of the roman would have a niche guaranteed in a columbaria. Columbaria were large vaults with niches for urns that contain the remains of the dead. Usually the niches where marked with plaques, portraits and sculpture of those that had passed. Collegia were very important as it was a way to ensure all classes of society would be able to reach the underworld. On the occasion an emperor would even allow funeral allowances to people that couldn’t afford to belong to a collegia, usually those members of society that where very low in social ranking such as slaves. The reason that many people’s remains where put together in a room, columbaria, was due to high land prices making it impossible for the poor to afford a private burial. Maintenance costs and funeral benefits where paid by the weekly fees that members of the collegia
Traditional Roman beliefs on Death and the Afterlife:
Ancient Roman people had very specific ideas and beliefs about death and the afterlife. Romans often had traditions that would help a person’s spirit travel form earth to the underworld. Mostly of very high importance was ensuring a proper burial. Along with this other steps were taken such as a coin being placed of the mouth of the deceased, as payment to the demon boatman they believed carried the dead across the rivers of the underworld. Funerals signified the transition between life and afterlife. A funeral was marked by the movement of a group of people and the loud noises that came along with that.
In Ancient Rome, death was treated very seriously and it was …show more content…
To ensure a proper burial Romans belonged to funeral societies. Funeral Societies were called collegia. In order for a roman to be part of the collegia they had to pay monthly dues. This money would pay for the funeral and the right rituals in order to ensure all ranks of society would get the proper send off to the underworld. This fee also ensured that the remains of the roman would have a niche guaranteed in a columbaria. Columbaria were large vaults with niches for urns that contain the remains of the dead. Usually the niches where marked with plaques, portraits and sculpture of those that had passed. Collegia were very important as it was a way to ensure all classes of society would be able to reach the underworld. On the occasion an emperor would even allow funeral allowances to people that couldn’t afford to belong to a collegia, usually those members of society that where very low in social ranking such as slaves. The reason that many people’s remains where put together in a room, columbaria, was due to high land prices making it impossible for the poor to afford a private burial. Maintenance costs and funeral benefits where paid by the weekly fees that members of the collegia