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Roman Funerals
The corpse was bathed and
perfumed and dressed in the richest robes in preparation of
the funeral of the deceased. The corpse was laid upon a
couch strewn with flowers, with the feet pointing towards
the outer door. Coins would be placed under the tongue or
over the eyes of the dead to ensure a safe journey to the
underworld.
Roman Funerals -
The Funeral Procession and
Ceremonies
Roman funerals took place by torch light. The corpse was
carried with the feet foremost on an open bier covered with
the richest cloth and carried by the nearest relatives and
friends of the deceased. The funeral procession was preceded
by the image of the deceased, together with those of his
ancestors. The funeral procession was attended by musicians,
with wind instruments of a larger size and a deeper tone
than those used on less solemn occasions. Mourning women and
men were hired to sing the praises of the deceased. These
hired mourners would wear the ancestral imagines, or
funerary masks, of the dead's descendants. A eulogy (praise
for the dead person) was read during the procession and
occasionally after the funeral as in the funeral speech
delivered by Marc Antony to Julius Caesar. This event was immortalised
by William Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar when he
wrote his version of the speech beginning with "Friends,
Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..."
Roman Funerals -
The Funeral Pyre
Cremation was the most common funeral practice in the Roman
Empire, although burial was also used. The custom of burning
the dead was was steeped in tradition at the Roman funerals.
A funeral pile was constructed in the shape of an altar,
upon which the corpse was laid. The nearest relative then
set fire to it. Perfumes and spices were afterwards thrown
into the blaze, and when it was extinguished, the embers
were quenched with wine. The ashes were then collected and
deposited in an urn, to be kept in the mausoleum of the
family. At the conclusion of the procession and the ceremony
the sepulchre was strewed with flowers, and the mourners
took a last farewell of the remains of the deceased. Water
was then thrown upon the mourners by a priest to purify them
from the pollution which the Ancient Romans believed to be
communicated by any contact with a corpse. There were food
and drink offerings to the dead together with animal
sacrifices at Roman Funerals. Festivals would be held for
important members of the family.
Roman Funerals
of Poor Romans
The Roman funerals of poor
were far simpler affairs. The corpse was either buried which
allowed a certain amount or ceremony and sacrifices to be
made or if a family did not have enough money to afford a
proper funeral, they simply put the corpse in a casket and
threw it in a creek or river where other poor dead people
had been thrown.
Roman Funerals -
Catacombs
Catacombs, or underground
burial places, were first used in the second century when
burial land was scarce. Ancient Roman Christians also used
this type of burial which afforded a level of secrecy to the
Christian sect, which was illegal at the time. Some of these
catacombs have kilometres of tunnels and were built in up to
four storeys or layers.
Roman Funerals
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