The gate of the year

The Cybele's Feasts

Bronze statuette representing the goddess Cybele, on a chariot dragged by two lions (150-200 A.D.), now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
In 204 B.C., as a result of the consultation of the Sibylline Books, a collection of oracular sentences officially recognized by the Roman state, the cult of the Mother Goddess Idea, to whom was consecrated the Mount Ida, near Troy, was introduced in Rome. The goddess, who belonged to the group of the wild goddesses of Asia Minor, was transferred from Pessinus, in Phrygia, to Rome in the shape of a black stone, which was subsequently embedded in the silver idol of the goddess, representing her face (Champeaux, 1998). The feasts of the goddess, that the Romans called Cybele, were held from March 22 to April 10. On March 15 was performed an introductive ceremonial, the procession of the cannophori, youths carrying bundles of reeds, commemorating the myth of Attis, the young lover of the goddess. On March 22 was celebrate the feast of Arbor intrat, the “entrance of the tree”, a garlanded pine tree which commemorated Attis’s death and was solemnly transported by the fraternity of Dendrophoroi (“tree-bearers”) to the temple of the goddess, located on the Palatine. On March 24 was held a feast characterized by ecstatic frenzy, dances and tambourine sounds, and with blood offerings on the part of the faithful, who flogged themselves with whips. The following day was dedicated to the Hilaria, a joyous feast celebrating Attis’s coming to life again. At last, on March 27, the simulacrum of the goddess was brought in procession, on the shoulder of the worshippers, to the river Almo, where it was ritually washed. From April 4 to 10 were held the Ludi Megalenses, the games in honor of Cybele.
The cult of the goddess spread in Italy, in Gaul and in Germany: still in the IV century A.D., in the countryside near the city of Autun, France, a statue of Cybele was brought in procession on a chariot dragged by oxen, to invoke the fertility of fields and vineyards (Champeaux, 1998, [It. Transl. p. 142]).

[Image: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/97.22.24]




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The Cybele's Feasts Bronze statuette representing the goddess Cybele, on a chariot dragged by two lions (150-200 A.D.), now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. In 204 B.C., as a result of the consultation of the Sibylline Books, a collection of oracular sentences officially recognized by the Roman state, the cult of the Mother Goddess Idea, to whom was consecrated the Mount Ida, near Troy, was introduced in Rome. The goddess, who belonged to the group of the wild goddesses of Asia Minor, was transferred from Pessinus, in Phrygia, to Rome in the shape of a black stone, which was subsequently embedded in the silver idol of the goddess, representing her face (Champeaux, 1998). The feasts of the goddess, that the Romans called Cybele, were held from March 22 to April 10. On March 15 was performed an introductive ceremonial, the procession of the cannophori, youths carrying bundles of reeds, commemorating the myth of Attis, the young lover of the goddess. On March 22 was celebrate the feast of Arbor intrat, the “entrance of the tree”, a garlanded pine tree which commemorated Attis’s death and was solemnly transported by the fraternity of Dendrophoroi (“tree-bearers”) to the temple of the goddess, located on the Palatine. On March 24 was held a feast characterized by ecstatic frenzy, dances and tambourine sounds, and with blood offerings on the part of the faithful, who flogged themselves with whips. The following day was dedicated to the Hilaria, a joyous feast celebrating Attis’s coming to life again. At last, on March 27, the simulacrum of the goddess was brought in procession, on the shoulder of the worshippers, to the river Almo, where it was ritually washed. From April 4 to 10 were held the Ludi Megalenses, the games in honor of Cybele. The cult of the goddess spread in Italy, in Gaul and in Germany: still in the IV century A.D., in the countryside near the city of Autun, France, a statue of Cybele was brought in procession on a chariot dragged by oxen, to invoke the fertility of fields and vineyards (Champeaux, 1998, [It. Transl. p. 142]). [Image: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/97.22.24]