Ancient Roman Liberalia Festival: A Triad of Plebeian Tradition, Freedom and Fertility

Posted by Giovanni on 3.16.24 in Ancient Rome

Introduction: The Vibrant Celebration of Liber Pater

The Liberalia festival, linked to the god Liber (“The free one”) denotes an intriguing weave of keywords such as archaic rites, mysticism, personal freedom, political activism, phallic symbolism, ecstasy, theatre plays, freedom of speech and social rights.

The presence at the Liberalia celebrations of an Ivy-crowned Phallus – “Phallophoria” – quickly helps us see that at its core it was about fertility, of the land and of humans, evolving to aspects of personal freedom and to self expression, coming of age, personal and social rights and class struggle of the Plebeian class. It developed and evolved greatly during a period of social conflict in Rome, broadly referred to as “Conflict of the orders” 500-287BC.

The Liberalia was observed from the 17th to the 19th of March in ancient Rome as well as nearby locations such as Lanuvium – also giving the sense of its connection to more ancient provenance. In an interesting twist of political events, Julius Caesar’s funeral and deification was on this date: 17th March.

As the early Roman poet Gnaeus Naevius (270-201BC) contemporary of Livius Andronicus put it: “libera lingua loquimur ludis Liberalibus”: At the Liberalia games we enjoy free speech!

Phallic symbolism

Integral to the festival was the presence of a wreathed phallus, symbolizing fertility and the life force inherent in the land. This element resonated with Priapus, also an ancient deity related to fertility and abundance who was readily associated with phallic symbolism in every day life. We can readily see the symbolism appearing all over the city, also including on public shop signs or carved into fountains in locations such as Pompeii. Fecundity and protection; linking human life to the prosperity of the earth.

Liber, libera, bacchus, and the essence of fertility

While Liber Pater took center stage during Liberalia, the festival also invoked the feminine energy of Libera and thematic connections with Bacchus. Bacchus, associated with wine and the vines of immortality, added a layer of richness to the festivities, blending the divine with the earthly and symbolizing the cycle of life. Libera goddess of female fecundity promised future descendants in a world when child mortality was great.

The Transition from Boys to Men

Taking place mid March the Liberalia was not merely a religious observance but a rite of passage. At its core was the symbolic removal of the childish Bulla and wearing the Toga: Marking the transition of young boys into manhood and symbolizing the onset of maturity.

Attire, rituals, and culinary delights

Priests and priestesses donned wreaths of ivy, a connection to nature and the intertwining of the divine. Masks and puppets hung on trees added a touch of mysticism, blurring the lines between the earthly and the divine. Culinary delights, including cakes of oil and honey, engaged the senses, connecting participants with the agrarian roots of Roman society and celebrating the abundance promised by spring.

Link to the feast of the argei

Liberalia shared a close connection with the Feast of the Argei, occurring just before it on the 16th of March. Both festivals celebrated life, growth, and the cyclical nature of existence, with the rituals and traditions of Liberalia echoing through the days surrounding the Feast of the Argei.

The aventine triad, agricultural fertility and political symbolism

“Liber Pater” (free father) was an early Italic deity who formed part of the Plebeian triad of divinities:

• Ceres (Goddess of agriculture, maternity and productivity, after whom cereals are named)
  • Cere’s chief attendant was Flora (“ministra Cereis”), a greatly influential deity of Flowers, youth and Spring whose cult was considered licentious and debauched by moralising upper class Romans.
• Liber (freedom, wine and fertility)
  • Liber’s chief attendant was Marsyas, with his own well known mythology readily symbolising the struggle for the right to free speech.and
• Libera (female fertility).

The plebeian triad was a counterpoise to the Patrician noble class’s Capitoline triad which in its earliest days included Jupiter, Mars and Quirinus (and later Jupiter, Juno and Minerva).

The earliest temple to the triad was erected in 496BC, soon after the overthrow of King Tarquinius, the end of the Roman kingdom and the establishment of the Republic.

Being on the Aventine it was in fact outside the earliest city boundaries. Pliny (7.57) describes the Aventine temple as being typically Greek in style, possibly also driven by persistent pleb cultural connections with Magna Graecia. Vitruvius recommended Libera temples as following an ionic style respecting the deity’s part female characteristics.

The temple was burned down in 31BC, same year as Actium, rebuilt by Augustus and only rededicated in 17AD by Tiberius. It is unclear if it is among the 82 in the Res Gestae. This is interesting in terms of the slow political re-evaluation of Bachus-Dyonysus who had been closely aligned to Mark Anthony and who Augustus would have wanted to show had abandoned his enemy in favour of himself.

Temple of Libertas: Also on the Aventine we have the temple built in honour of Libertas by Publius Sempronius Gracchus around 238-246BC : A famous political activist, supporter of the Plebeian faction Gracchus was eventually assassinated by the Senatorial class. However it is not clear whether this temple was to Liber, Libertas or indeed Jupiter Libertas given it was dediated on 13th April 246bc – the day typically of Jupiter Victor.

Temple of Flora: 238BC was also the time at when the temple to Flora (Ceres’ minister) was erected. The feasts associated with Flora became known for their extreme licentiousness.

Earliest Roman theatre shows

The earliest “Ludi Scaenici” (religious dramatic plays) of ancient Rome took place at the temple to the Aventine triad in 493BC. It is possible that the Liberalia dates back to this event though there were also broader instances of festivities linked to Liber across pre-Roman Italy.

The Liberalia’s connection with Roman theatre and literature is perhaps best represented by Gnaeus Naevius, a Roman contemporary of Livius Andronicus. Gnaeus was put in prison by the Metelli for his Satirical works agains them, freed by the Plebeian Tribunes and eventually committed suicide. Probably of the plebeian gens Naevia. It is thanks to him that the Latin spirit was blended into Latin literature.

What the liberalia means today

As we explore the rich layers of the Liberalia festival, we unveil a celebration that transcends simple religious observance. It was a holistic experience, blending rites of passage, divine symbolism, and earthly revelry in a harmonious dance that mirrored the cyclical rhythms of nature.

It is a link to the understanding of the many aspects of Liberty, its link to self expression, fecundity and Personal vs Social freedoms of individuals and social groups.

Beyond wine and fertility, this celebration wove together elements of transition, rustic charm and social symbolism leaving an indelible mark on Roman culture which lasted well into the 5th century AD. Well over 1000 years.

There are similarities and blurred overlap with the goddess Libertas who was more readily associated during the Empire with the condition of freedom from slavery and its modern evolution into eternally resonating images such as the Statue of Liberty.

References:

“Fasti” by Ovid: March 17 (Liberalia)

“De Natura Deorum” (On the Nature of the Gods) by Cicero: Book III, 16-18

“Metamorphoses” by Ovid: XIV, 565-650