Sacra
The Latin term for all transactions relating to the worship of the gods, especially
sacrifice and prayer. They are either
sacra privata or
publica. The former were undertaken on behalf of the individual by himself, on behalf
of the famly by the
pater familias, or on behalf of the gens by the whole
body of the gentiles. The centre of the domestic service of the gods is formed by the worship
of the Penates and Lares. In particular cases recourse was also had to certain specified
deities. Besides this, private sacra were attached to particular families; these passed to the
heir with the succession and became a burden on him. Hence an inheritance without sacra (
hereditas sine sacris) proverbially signified an unimpaired piece of good
fortune (Plaut.
Capt. 775;
Trin. 483). As the family had sacra, so also had the
gens (q.v.), which had arisen out of the family by expansion. These were
performed by a sacrificial priest (
flamen) appointed from among the
gentiles, the celebration taking place in his own house or in a special sacellum in the
presence of the assembled gentiles. The
sacra publica were undertaken
pro populo collectively
1.
by the
curiae, pagi, or
vici, into which the
community was divided, whence such sacrifices were called
sacra
popularia; or
2.
by the individual gentes and societies (see
Sodalitas), to which the superintendence of a particular cult had been committed by
the State; or
3.
by the magistrates and priests of the Roman State. The sacra of the gentes were with few
exceptions performed in public, though the multitude present remained silent spectators; only
in a few cases did they take part in the procession to the place of worship or in the
sacrificial feast. See
Religio.