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In
ancient Roman religion, the Vestal Virgins were the
priestesses of Rome's oldest Goddess-matriarch, Vesta.
They were chosen in childhood from prominent Roman families
to serve for thirty years. They were sworn to chastity
as they were the brides of the spirit of Rome. Vestals
underwent the same ceremony that was later applied to
nuns. Their duties were to prepare the sacrifices, draw
water from the spring, and to guard the sacred fire
in the temple that was the mystic heart of the empire.
Rhea Silvia was called the First Vestal.According to
Roman legend, she was the goddess Rhea who was raped
by the god Mars and gave birth to the twins Romulus
(which means "Roman") and Remus who were the founders
of Rome. The twins were exposed to die by being placed
in a basket that was set out on the river Tiber, but
the basket washed ashore on the bank near a cave called
the Lupercal, or "The Place of the Wolf." A she-wolf
found the babies and suckled them until they were eventually
rescued by a shepherd.
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