Vota

Latin: vows (prayers).

In a religious context, votum, plural vota, is a vow or promise made to a deity. The word comes from the past participle of voveo, vovere; as the result of the verbal action, a vow, or promise. It may refer also to the fulfillment of this vow, that is, the thing promised. The votum is thus an aspect of the contractual nature of Roman religion and sacrifice, a bargaining expressed by "do ut des" (I give that you might give).


DICTIONARY OF ROMAN| COINS|






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Vota. Vows were both private and public. As an example of the former may be mentioned the case of Horace, who upon escaping death from the fall of a tree on his farm, vowed sacrifices to Faunus and Bacchus (Odes, |II|, 18, 17; |III|, 8). The latter VOTA PVBLICA "public vows" were made on the marriage of an emperor and empress and on many other occasions.

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