Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, post: 4785708, member: 99554&quot;]Let&#039;s talk about this <b>23rd day of August </b>:</p><p>In Roman religion, Vulcan is a very ancient god, of uncertain origin: for some, coming from Ostia, he would be the ancient god of the Tiber; for others, it would be a Mediterranean god who entered the Roman religion through Etruria (cf. the Etruscan god Velchans). It appears in the oldest Roman calendars (known as &quot;of Numa&quot;) and would have been introduced in Rome by Titus Tatius. Another tradition attributes to Romulus the consecration of the Volcano.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.deomercurio.be/Vulcanus_JupiterSaeuleD_Arlon_musee860.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Jupiter Column in Arlon</p><p><br /></p><p>Its oldest place of worship was the Volcanal or Area Volcani, leaning against the Capitol, above the Comitium, containing a sacred tree, which was considered to be contemporary with the birth of Rome, as well as the statues of Romulus and Horatius Cocles. In addition, Vulcan had a temple of more recent construction, outside the Pomerium, on the field of Mars, where the god stood guard in a way outside the city to protect it from fires. During the feast of Vulcanalia, on <b>August</b> <b>23rd</b>, to avoid the fires that threatened the crops, there were sacrifices made in various places of the city to Vulcan, Stata Mater, the Nymphs, Juturne, Ops Opifera and Quirinus, deities of fire, water and fertility. The Romans, rather artificially, interpreted Vulcan as the Greek blacksmith god Hephaestus, whose attributions he adopted.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://www.deomercurio.be/Vulcanus_Apollo_Fortuna_Minerva_Mercurius_HistMusPfalz_3471.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>Vulcan with Apollo, Fortuna, Minerva and Mercury</p><p><br /></p><p>The primitive function of Vulcan - to ward off fires - is however still perceptible in the various altars which were consecrated to him in the city and, in particular, in those which Domitian had erected to fulfill a wish made following the Great fire of 64 AD. Rome burned for nearly six days. Several of the city’s districts were completely destroyed, and many others damaged irreparably. When the flames finally died down, just four of Rome’s districts (fourteen in all) were untouched by the fire – and, apparently, the wrath of Vulcan. </p><p>The god was also associated with volcanoes; the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii took place the day after the Vulcanalia festival ended. Pliny the Younger wrote that the Vulcanalia was the point in the year in which to begin working by candlelight. He also described the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii in 79 AD., on <b>the day after the Vulcanalia</b>. Pliny was in the nearby town of Misenum, and witnessed the events first hand. He wrote : &quot;<i>Ashes were already falling, hotter and thicker as the ships drew near, followed by bits of pumice and blackened stones, charred and cracked by the flames... Elsewhere there was daylight by this time, but they were still in darkness, blacker and denser than any ordinary night, which they relieved by lighting torches and various kinds of lamp.</i>&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/The_crater_of_Vesuvius_in_2012_%28composite_photograph%29.jpg/1920px-The_crater_of_Vesuvius_in_2012_%28composite_photograph%29.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>The crater of mount Vesuvius.</p><p><br /></p><p>Finally, on <b>August 23 rd</b> in 217 AD, the Colloseum is repeatedly struck by lighting, and is set ablaze. It will be out of service for some time. Elagabalus began repairs in 218, and by 223 limited use of the amphitheatre was possible; it was at this point that the new emperor Severus Alexander celebrated its reopening. Restoration was completed by 244, at the end of the reign of Gordian III, after which the amphitheatre was used well into the Christian era.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Colosseum_exterior%2C_inner_and_outer_wall_AvL.jpg/1920px-Colosseum_exterior%2C_inner_and_outer_wall_AvL.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>Now it&#039;s time to show off your coins. Please present us your own examples related to Vulcan, Fire, Volcanoes or Lightings !</p><p><br /></p><p>Marcus Aurelius Corinth</p><p><b>Vulcan</b> with hammer and tool</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1163543[/ATTACH] </p><p>Valerian I Cologne</p><p><b>Vulcan</b> in temple</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1163544[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in