Editing Strenua

{{Ancient Roman religion}}
In [[Religion in ancient Rome|ancient Roman religion]], '''Strenua''' or '''Strenia''' was a goddess of the [[new year]], purification, and wellbeing.<ref>[[Robert E.A. Palmer]], ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'' (Cambridge University Press, 2009), p. 101.</ref> She had a shrine ''([[sacellum]])'' and grove ''([[lucus]])'' at the top of the [[Via Sacra]].<ref>[[Varro]], ''De lingua latina'' 5.47; [[Sextus Pompeius Festus|Festus]] 290; [[William Warde Fowler]], ''The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic'' (London, 1908), p. 278.</ref> Varro said she was a [[Sabines|Sabine]] goddess. [[Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher|W.H. Roscher]] includes her among the ''[[indigitamenta]]'', the [[List of Roman deities|lists of Roman deities]] maintained by priests to assure that the correct divinity was invoked in public rituals.<ref>[[Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher|W.H. Roscher]], ''Ausführliches Lexikon der griechischen und römischen Mythologie'' (Leipzig: Teubner, 1890–94), vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 227.</ref> The procession of the [[Argei]] began at her shrine.<ref>Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', pp. 92, 100.</ref>

On January 1, twigs from Strenua's grove were carried in a procession to the [[arx (Roman)|citadel ''(arx)'']].<ref>Fowler, ''Roman Festivals,'' p. 278.</ref> The rite is first noted as occurring on New Year's Day in 153 BC, the year when [[Roman consul|consuls]] first began assuming their office at the beginning of the year. It is unclear whether it had always been held on that date or had been transferred that year from another place on the [[Roman calendar|calendar]], perhaps the original New Year's Day on March 1.<ref>Fowler, ''Roman Festivals,'' p. 278; Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', p. 101.</ref>

The name ''Strenia'' was said to be the origin of the word ''strenae'' (preserved in [[French language|French]] ''[[:fr:étrennes|étrennes]]'' and Italian ''[[Strenna|strenne]]''), the new-year gifts Romans exchanged as good omens in an extension of the public rite:<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Fasti (poem)|Fasti]]'' 1.71ff, 175.</ref>

<blockquote>From almost the beginning of [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]]' city the custom of New Year's gifts ''(strenae)'' prevailed on account of the precedent of [[Titus Tatius|king Tatius]] who was the first to reckon the holy branches ''(verbenae)'' of a fertile tree ''([[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#arbor felix|arbor felix]])'' in Strenia's grove as the [[auspice|auspicious signs]] of the new year."<ref>[[Quintus Aurelius Symmachus|Symmachus]], ''Epistula'' 10.35: ''ab exortu paene urbis Martiae strenarum usus adolevit, auctoritate Tatii regis, qui verbenas felicis arboris ex luco Strenuae anni novi auspices primus accepit. … Nomen indicio est viris strenuis haec convenire virtute.'' Translation from Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', p. 100.</ref></blockquote>

During the [[Principate]], these ''strenae'' often took the form of money.<ref>[[Suetonius]], ''Life of Augustus'' 57.1, ''Tiberius'' 34.2, and ''Caligula'' 42; Lawrence Richardson, ''A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome'' (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992), p. 373.</ref>

[[Johannes Lydus]] says that ''strenae'' was a [[Sabine language|Sabine word]] for wellbeing or welfare ''([[hygieia]],'' Latin ''[[salus]]''). The supposed Sabine etymology may or may not be factual, but expresses the Sabine ethnicity of Tatius.<ref>Palmer, ''The Archaic Community of the Romans'', p. 100.</ref>  [[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]] says that Strenia was the goddess who made a person ''strenuus,'' "vigorous, strong."<ref>[[Augustine of Hippo]], ''[[De Civitate Dei]]'' 4.16.</ref>

According to some scholars{{citation needed|date=June 2012}} the [[Befana]] tradition is derived by the Strenua cult. In the book ''Vestiges of Ancient Manners and Customs, Discoverable in Modern Italy and Sicily'' by Rev. John J. Blunt (John Murray, 1823), the author says:

<blockquote>"This Befana appears to be heir at law of a certain heathen goddess called Strenia, who presided over the new-year's gifts, 'Strenae,' from which, indeed, she derived her name.<ref name="Vestiges">Augustine, ''De Civitate Dei'', iv.16</ref> Her presents were of the same description as those of the Befana—figs, dates, and honey.<ref>''Fasti'' i. 185.</ref> Moreover her solemnities were vigorously opposed by the early Christians on account of their noisy, riotous, and licentious character".<ref>Vide Rosini, ed. Dempster. lib. i. c.13, de Dea Strenia, p. 120</ref></blockquote>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Roman goddesses]]