Week 3 Funeral Customs of the the Ancient Greeks and Romans

Funeral Customs of the the Ancient Greeks and Romans

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​Week 3

• 🕊️ Bodily Existence Under the Earth

  • Ancient Greeks believed the dead continued a shadowy existence in the underworld, often beneath the earth.

  • Graves were important as a physical link between the living and the departed.

  🔥 Introduction of Cremation

  • Around the 12th century BCE, cremation began to replace burial in some regions.

  • This shift reflected evolving beliefs about the soul and purification after death.

The Death Beliefs of the Ancient Greeks

• The worship of the Dionysus suggested the idea of an immortal soul and a union with God.

​The Cult of Dionysius

• This was the idea of the souls union with God

• Or, the ancient Greek vision of Heaven.

​Elysian Fields

Death Beliefs Continued...

​Burial Practices of the Ancient Greeks

• Preparation of the Body in Ancient Greek Funerary Practices

  • 🪦 Depictions on Funerary Urns

    • Scenes of body preparation are commonly illustrated on Greek funerary urns, reflecting ritual importance.

    👁️ Immediate Rituals

    • Upon death, female relatives closed the eyes and mouth of the deceased—a symbolic gesture of peace.

​Burial Practices of the Ancient Greeks

• Preparation of the Body in Ancient Greek Funerary Practices

  • 🪙 Coin for the Afterlife

    • A coin was placed in the mouth as payment for Charon, the ferryman who transported souls across the River Styx to the underworld.

    🛁 Body Cleansing and Dressing

    • The body was washed with warm water, anointed with herbs and spices, and dressed for burial.

    • Embalming was not practiced.

• Offerings and Mourning Customs in Ancient Greece

  • 🌸 Family Offerings

    • Families crafted floral wreaths and placed them with the body as a sign of honor and farewell.

    • A honey cake was included as an offering to Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding the gates of Hades, to ensure safe passage.

    🖤 Mourning Attire

    • Family members wore dark colors during the mourning period as a symbol of grief.

    • Traditionally, the deceased was dressed in white or light-colored garments to represent purity and transition.

Burial Practices of the Ancient Greeks Continued

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​Burial Practices of the Ancient Greeks Continued

• The body typically would lie in state for one to seven days.

• Female mourners typically would engage in ritualistic wailing.

• The body was placed on a bier and relatives and friends waked in procession either to the tomb or to the funeral pyre for cremation.

• Any man could join the procession, but women were denied the privilege unless she was over the age of sixteen.

​Coffins

• Coffins were typically made from wood, stone or baked clay.

• They were were ornate and too heavy to be carried with the body in the procession.

• The body was carried to the tomb on a bier and then placed in the coffin, in the tomb.

This is an example of a wood Greek Coffin.

​This is an example of a Greek Baked Clay Coffin.

​This is a Greek Stone Coffin.

Tombs

• Stelae or shafts

• ​Kiones or columns

Tombs

• ​Trapazae or square-cut tombs

• ​Naidia or temple-like structures

Celebration of Death

• Funeral Feasts

  • Following the funeral and would break the fast that the family had been keeping since the death of their loved one.

• Sacrifices

  • In early times, these would be blood sacrifices of slaves and animals to specific gods, but later they would be offerings of food and wine.

Funeral Customs of the Ancient Romans

• The Roman view of death and the importance of burial

  • Animistic View- The soul was the vital principle, in such that it stayed around the place of burial for some time and required constant attention from the living in the form of of offerings of food and drink.

  • The Romans believed that if these offerings should end, the soul could become evil or angry and bring harm to the the living.

Mystery Cults

• Various secret cults of the the Greco-Roman world that offered religious experiences not provided by the official public religion.

Funeral Customs of the Ancient Romans

Influence of Christianity, Constantine

• The first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He did so after witnessing the vision of a cross in the the sky.

• The Edict of Milan was passed in 313 AD, grantng all in the Roman Empire the freedom to worship any god they chose.

Funeral Customs of the Ancient Romans

Religious Tolerance and Persecution in the Roman Empire

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Rome allowed its conquered peoples to practice their own religions—as long as they also showed respect to the Roman gods.

The Roman religion was polytheistic, led by the chief sky god, Jupiter.

Romans believed they had a contract with their gods: if they performed the proper rituals, the gods would reward them with prosperity, good health, and military victories.

​Influence of Roman Burial Practices, Death Customs and Beliefs

• Cremation

  • Most common practice prior to Christianity, during the the first century

• Earth burial

  • Under the Roman Empire, and the rise of Christianity, burial was the prefered method of disposition.

Influence of Roman Burial Practices, Death Customs and Beliefs

• Burial locations

  • For sanitation purposes, burial or cremation inside he city limits was prohibited

  • See Necropolis in your key terms

• Class distinction

  • Romans differentiated their death practices. Watch the videos to see the differences.

Funeral Functionaries

• Libitina

  •  The ancient Roman goddess of corpses and funerals

• Libitinarius

  • Head undertaker in ancient Rome; the secular role model for today’s funeral director; conducted business at the temple of Libitina where death were also registered.

  • Checked for Life signals – due to the fear of premature burial.

Funeral Functionaries

• Pollinctores

  • Slaves of employees of the Libitinarius who did the embalming.

• Designator

  • Master of ceremonies and director of the ancient Roman funeral procession

• Praeco

  • aka crier, summoned participants to a public funeral.

    
    

Funeral Functionaries

Ancient Roman Funeral Roles: Foundations of the Modern Funeral Director:

• ⚰️ Libitinarius

  • Considered the direct ancestor of today’s undertaker or funeral director.

  • Responsibilities included:
    • Supplying funeral equipment
    • Coordinating funeral staff
    • Hiring professional mourners

Funeral Functionaries

Ancient Roman Funeral Roles: Foundations of the Modern Funeral Director:

• 🌐 Secular Role

  • The Libitinarius was expected to be familiar with various religious customs, reflecting a non-religious, inclusive approach still valued today.

  🌙 Funeralis (Ceremony Timing)

  • Ordinary funerals were held at night to maintain public order.

  • Funerals for the elite took place during the day, showcasing status and honor.