Shrine of Venus Cloacina

The sanctuary of Venus Cloacina located southwest of the Basilica Aemilia in the Roman Forum in Rome. Get is only a small round marble base.

The small plant was initially the originally probably Etruscan goddess Cloacina consecrated as a protective goddess of the Cloaca Maxima, the main sewer of ancient Rome. Later this goddess was identified with Venus and called Venus Cloacina.

Origin

The first mentioned on Plautus sanctuary could be due to the Cloaca Maxima, the system. Nevertheless, according to Pliny the Elder comes the sanctuary from the founding days of Rome. For since the debate over the Rape of the Sabines were completed, Romans and Sabines should have laid down their arms in the sanctuary and carried out at this point a purification ceremony. Cloacina was worshiped as the goddess of purity or cleanliness. Your name could therefore cloare also from the Latin verb, clean, be derived. One other tradition, according to the cult fell to Titus Tatius.

Location and design

The 1899-1901 archaeologically investigated sanctuary was on the Via Sacra near the Tabernae novae that were later demolished to make the Basilica Aemilia place. In the immediate vicinity of the Cloaca Maxima waving in the area of Velabrum, the former swamp area between the hills. Coins from the time of the Second Triumvirate, about Lucius Mussidius Longus from the year 42 BC, show a small round and not covered sanctuary, edged only with a balustrade in which two statues were erected. The legend called CLOACIN. Contrary to earlier assumptions, the small sanctuary had no access to underneath the Cloaca Maxima. Get the diameter about 2.40 meters measured, round marble base, which projects rectangular on the northwest side. The coin images after there has found a staircase. The marble base resting on a layer of travertine, beneath which in turn eight layers of foundation of different material, including tuffs are located. This foundation was cut in the construction of the Basilica Aemilia in part.

Legend

Near the sanctuary of the legend to have been killed by her father after Verginia (or Virginia), so as not to have to deliver to the tyrannical decemviri Appius Claudius Crassus and thus the shame.