Libertas - Wikipedia Libertas From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search This article is about the Roman goddess. For other uses, see Libertas (disambiguation). Libertas Goddess of liberty Libertas with her attributes Symbol Pileus, rod (vindicta or festuca) Greek equivalent Eleutheria Denarius (42 BC) issued by Cassius Longinus and Lentulus Spinther, depicting the crowned head of Libertas, with a sacrificial jug and lituus on the reverse Libertas (Latin for 'liberty' or 'freedom', pronounced [liːˈbɛrt̪aːs̠]) is the Roman goddess and personification of liberty. She became a politicised figure in the Late Republic, featured on coins supporting the populares faction, and later those of the assassins of Julius Caesar. Nonetheless, she sometimes appears on coins from the imperial period, such as Galba's "Freedom of the People" coins during his short reign after the death of Nero.[1] She is usually portrayed with two accoutrements: the rod and the soft pileus, which she holds out, rather than wears. The Greek equivalent of the goddess Libertas is Eleutheria, the personification of liberty. There are many post-classical depictions of liberty as a person which often retain some of the iconography of the Roman goddess. Contents 1 Etymology 2 Attributes 3 Temples 4 Post-classical 5 See also 6 References 6.1 Bibliography 7 External links Etymology[edit] The name Lībertās ('freedom') is a derivation from Latin Līber ('free'), stemming from Proto-Italic *leuþero, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁leudʰero ('belonging to the people', hence 'free').[2] Attributes[edit] Libertas was associated with the pileus, commonly worn by the freed slave:[3] Among the Romans the cap of felt was the emblem of liberty. When a slave obtained his freedom he had his head shaved, and wore instead of his hair an undyed pileus (πίλεον λευκόν, Diodorus Siculus Exc. Leg. 22 p625, ed. Wess.; Plaut. Amphit. I.1.306; Persius, V.82). Hence the phrase servos ad pileum vocare is a summons to liberty, by which slaves were frequently called upon to take up arms with a promise of liberty (Liv. XXIV.32). "The figure of Liberty on some of the coins of Antoninus Pius, struck A.D. 145, holds this cap in the right hand".[4] Libertas was also recognized in ancient Rome by the rod (vindicta or festuca),[3] used ceremonially in the act of Manumissio vindicta, Latin for 'freedom by the rod' (emphasis added): The master brought his slave before the magistratus, and stated the grounds (causa) of the intended manumission. "The lictor of the magistratus laid a rod (festuca) on the head of the slave, accompanied with certain formal words, in which he declared that he was a free man ex Jure Quiritium", that is, "vindicavit in libertatem". The master in the meantime held the slave, and after he had pronounced the words "hunc hominem liberum volo," he turned him round (momento turbinis exit Marcus Dama, Persius, Sat. V.78) and let him go (emisit e manu, or misit manu, Plaut. Capt. II.3.48), whence the general name of the act of manumission. The magistratus then declared him to be free [...][5] Temples[edit] The Roman Republic was established simultaneously with the creation of Libertas and is associated with the overthrow of the Tarquin kings. She was worshiped by the Junii, the family of Marcus Junius Brutus.[6] In 238 BC, before the Second Punic War, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus built a temple to Libertas on the Aventine Hill.[7] Census tables were stored inside the temple's atrium. A subsequent temple was built (58–57 BC) on Palatine Hill, another of the Seven hills of Rome, by Publius Clodius Pulcher. By building and consecrating the temple on the site of the former house of then-exiled Cicero, Clodius ensured that the land was legally uninhabitable. Upon his return, Cicero successfully argued that the consecration was invalid and thus managed to reclaim the land and destroy the temple. In 46 BC, the Roman Senate voted to build and dedicate a shrine to Libertas in recognition of Julius Caesar, but no temple was built; instead, a small statue of the goddess stood in the Roman Forum.[8] Post-classical[edit] The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) in New York derives from the ancient goddess Libertas. The goddess Libertas is also depicted on the Great Seal of France, created in 1848. This is the image which later influenced French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi in the creation of his statue of Liberty Enlightening the World. Libertas, along with other Roman goddesses, has served as the inspiration for many modern-day personifications, including the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in the United States. According to the National Park Service, the Statue's Roman robe is the main feature that invokes Libertas and the symbol of Liberty from which the statue derives its name.[9] In addition, money throughout history has borne the name or image of Libertas. As "Liberty", Libertas was depicted on the obverse (heads side) of most coinage in the U.S. into the twentieth century – and the image is still used for the American Gold Eagle gold bullion coin. The University of North Carolina records two instances of private banks in its state depicting Libertas on their banknotes;[10][11] Libertas is depicted on the 5, 10 and 20 Rappen denomination coins of Switzerland. The symbolic characters Columbia who represents the United States and Marianne, who represents France, the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) in New York Harbor, and many other characters and concepts of the modern age were created, and are seen, as embodiments of Libertas. See also[edit] Liber Libera (mythology) a goddess in Roman mythology Liberty Leading the People, 1830 painting References[edit] ^ "Roman Coins" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2008-09-01. ^ de Vaan 2008, p. 338. ^ a b Tate, Karen; Olson, Brad (2005). Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations. CCC Publishing. pp. 360–361. ISBN 1-888729-11-2. ^ Yates, James. Entry "Pileus" in William Smith's A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (John Murray, London, 1875). ^ Long, George. Entry "Manumission" in William Smith's A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (John Murray, London, 1875). ^ The American Catholic Quarterly Review ... Hardy and Mahony. 1880. p. 589. ^ Karl Galinsky; Kenneth Lapatin (1 January 2016). Cultural Memories in the Roman Empire. Getty Publications. p. 230. ISBN 978-1-60606-462-7. ^ "Libertas". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2008. ^ "Robe". National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-09-01. ^ Howgego, C. J. (1995). Ancient history from coins. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-415-08993-7. Retrieved 4 December 2011. ^ "Bank of Fayetteville one-dollar note, 1855". Archived from the original on 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2008-09-01. Bibliography[edit] de Vaan, Michiel (2008). Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages. Brill. ISBN 9789004167971. External links[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Libertas. David Hackett Fischer, Liberty and Freedom (2005) The many faces of Miss Liberty v t e Liberty Concepts Cognitive liberty Moral responsibility Personification of Liberty Libertas Negative liberty Positive liberty Rights Self-ownership Social liberty Free will By type Academic Civil Economic Intellectual Morphological Political By right Assembly Association Choice Education Gun Information Life Movement Press Property Religion Public speech Thought v t e Ancient Roman religion and mythology Deities (Dii Consentes) Agenoria Angerona Anna Perenna Apollo Bellona Bona Dea Carmenta Castor and Pollux Ceres Cloacina Cupid Dea Dia Diana Dies Dīs Pater Egeria Fauna Faunus Flora Genius Hercules Janus Juno Jupiter Lares Liber Libertas Mars Mercury Minerva Neptune Orcus Penates Pluto Pomona Priapus Proserpina Quirinus Saturn Silvanus Sol Venus Veritas Vesta Vulcan Abstract deities Abundantia Aequitas Aeternitas Africa Annona Averruncus Concordia Feronia Fides Fortuna Fontus Laverna Pietas Roma Salus Securitas Spes Tranquillitas Victoria Terra Legendary figures Aeneas Rhea Silvia Romulus and Remus Numa Pompilius Tullus Hostilius Servius Tullius Ancus Marcius Lucius Tarquinius Priscus Lucius Tarquinius Superbus Texts Virgil Aeneid Ovid Metamorphoses Fasti Propertius Apuleius The Golden Ass Varro Concepts and practices Religion in ancient Rome Festivals Interpretatio graeca Imperial cult Pomerium Temples Philosophy Cynicism Epicureanism Neoplatonism Peripateticism Pythagoreanism Stoicism See also Glossary Greek mythology Myth and ritual Roman polytheism (List) Classical mythology Conversion to Christianity Decline of Greco-Roman polytheism v t e Statue of Liberty Liberty Enlightening the World Creators Édouard René de Laboulaye, originator Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, sculptor Gustave Eiffel (builder, Eiffel company) Richard Morris Hunt, pedestal Eugène Secrétan, donated copper Engineers Eugène Viollet-le-Duc Maurice Koechlin Joachim Giæver Location Statue of Liberty National Monument Liberty Island Original torch: Statue of Liberty Museum Original statue: Musée des Arts et Métiers Former locations Right arm and torch: Centennial Exposition, 1876 Madison Square Park, 1876-1882 Head: Paris World's Fair, 1878 Replicas Île aux Cygnes Flame of Liberty Leicester Strengthen the Arm of Liberty Austin, Texas Fayetteville, Arkansas Oklahoma City Overview Park, Kansas Pine Bluff, Arkansas Seattle Legacy In popular culture "The New Colossus" (1883 sonnet) Working on the Statue of Liberty (1946 painting) Miss Liberty (1949 musical) The Statue of Liberty (1985 documentary) Liberty: Mother of Exiles (2019 documentary) Statue of Liberty play (American football) Liberty Weekend, 1986 Liberty Fanfare Medal of Liberty Liberty Issue (1954-1965 stamps) Statue of Liberty Forever stamp American Platinum Eagle coin Presidential dollar coins American Innovation dollars Related Conservation-restoration of the Statue of Liberty Statue of Liberty Museum Egypt Carrying the Light to Asia Libertas Personification of Liberty Ellis Island Black Tom explosion Musée Bartholdi Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Libertas&oldid=994847214" Categories: Roman goddesses Roman mythology Personifications in Roman mythology Liberty symbols Hidden categories: Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia Commons category link is on Wikidata Navigation menu Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Namespaces Article Talk Variants Views Read Edit View history More Search Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Languages Afrikaans Català Dansk Deutsch Español Esperanto فارسی Français Italiano עברית Magyar Nederlands 日本語 Norsk bokmål Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 17 December 2020, at 21:03 (UTC). 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