1910–1911
Britannica 11th
Encyclopaedia Britannica · 11th edition
ARVAL BROTHERS (Fratrcs Arvales), in Roman antiquities, a college or priesthood, consisting of twelve members, elected for life from the highest ranks in Rome, and always apparently, during the empire, including the emperor. Their chief duty was to offer annually public sacrifice for the fertility of the fields (Varro, L. L. v. 85). It is generally held that the college was founded by Romulus (see ACCA LARENTIA). This legend probably arose from the connexion of Acca Larcntia, as mater Larum, with the Lares who had …
- Source status
- OCR text aligned to scanned pages
- Pages
- Vol. 2, pp. 711-711