Every year, on June 7, the Ludi Piscatorii, the fishermen's games, took place in Rome. During these celebrations, the fishermen stationed themselves on the bank of the Tiber located on the Champ de Mars side, outside the ancient walls of the city, and harvested the fish using nets and fishing rods. of the river.
Ludi Piscatorii in honor of the Tiber
According to the authors, this festival took place in honor of the deified Tiber or of Vulcan. In the latter case, the fish were sacrificed alive in the flames of the sanctuary of the god Vulcan, patron of the forge and of fire in his omnipotence.
Various interpretations see this sacrifice as a substitution for a human sacrifice, an assimilation between the deified Tiber and Vulcan or even a connection with the two elements symbolically at the origin of life, as indicated in particular by the author Varro: “Fire and water are therefore the two causes of birth: this is why they are placed on the threshold of newlyweds as a symbol of union. »
Vulcan commanded the ravaging fire, in opposition to the peaceful fire of the hearth of the goddess Vesta. But the spark of Vulcan also initiates life. As for the fact that he was offered fish, this sacrifice retains all its mystery to this day.
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On this day, Roman fishermen celebrated Ludi Piscatorii. Fish were prepared and sacrificed to Vulcan or the Tiber. The union of fire and water was a symbol of birth. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #7June #rome #vulcan #ludipiscatorii
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