VESTAL VIRGINS IN ANCIENT ROME
Women were allowed to play little role in the public religious life of Rome. The most notable of several exceptions to this rule was the Vestal Virgin.
The Temple of Vesta was located in the southwest corner of the Roman Forum. The most important job of the six Vestal Virgins was to maintain the fire in a the public hearth of the temple. It was said that disaster would strike Rome if the fire ever went out. In addition, the Vestals made a special kind of flour called mola which was sprinkled on all public offerings to a god. Thus they had a role, albeit a rather limited one, in all public religious events.
The Vestals were chosen between the ages of six and ten and served for thirty years, ten as students, ten in service, and ten as teachers. A violation of their vow of chastity led to execution by being buried alive.
They appeared often in public and had special, reserved seats at banquets and games.