Editing Jupiter (god) (section)

=== Sacrifices ===
Sacrificial victims (''[[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#hostia|hostiae]]'') offered to Jupiter were the ox (castrated bull), the lamb (on the Ides, the ''ovis idulis'') and the [[wikt:wether|wether]] (a castrated goat or castrated ram) (on the Ides of January).<ref>Ovid ''Fasti'' I, 587–588.</ref> The animals were required to be white. The question of the lamb's gender is unresolved; while a sacrificial lamb for a male deity was usually male, for the vintage-opening festival the flamen Dialis sacrificed a [[Sheep|ewe]] lamb to Jupiter.<ref>Varro ''De Lingua Latina'' VI 16. Sacrifices to Jupiter are also broached in Macrobius ''Saturnalia'' III 10. The issue of the sacrificial victims proper to a god is one of the most vexed topics of Roman religion: cf. Gérard Capdeville "Substitution de victimes dans les sacrifices d'animaux à Rome" in ''[[Mélanges de l'École française de Rome]]'' ''' 83''' 2 1971 pp. 283–323. Also G. Dumézil "Quaestiunculae indo-italicae: 11. Iovi tauro verre ariete immolari non licet" in ''Revue d'études latins'' '''39''' 1961 pp. 242–257.</ref> This rule seems to have had many exceptions, as the sacrifice of a ram on the [[Nundinae]] by the ''flaminica Dialis'' demonstrates.
During one of the crises of the [[Second Punic War|Punic Wars]], Jupiter was offered every animal born that year.<ref>{{harvp|Beard|North|Price|1998|pp=32–36|loc=Vol. 1}}: the consecration made this a "Sacred Spring" ''(ver sacrum).'' The "contract" with Jupiter is exceptionally detailed. All due care would be taken of the animals, but any that died or were stolen before the scheduled sacrifice would count as if already sacrificed. Sacred animals were already assigned to the gods, who ought to protect their own property.</ref>