Liber

Ancient Italic diety of germination and agriculture. Later he was assimilated with Bacchus, Greek Dionysus. Liber Pater was an important diety and his cult was originally a phallic cult. In Lavinium an entire month was given to his celebration which featured a procession of a phallus that was crowned by the most worthy of the Italic textmatronaeItalic text. Additionaly the cult was also to assure the the success of the crops & to avert evil, the phallus was a Italic textfascinatioItalic textof the fields much like Priapus was in the courtyards of homes - to avert danger. For his protection of the wheat & fruits Liber always remained a diety of the plebeians.

In Rome his temple the temple of Ceres, Liber and Libera on the Aventine was built in 493 B.C. by the consul Sp. Cassius, after the dictator L. Postumius vowed it,due to a famine, if the gods would bring abundance.

The Liberalia an ancient festival supposedly even more ancient than the Cerealia was given to enjoyment while priests and priestesses of Liber sold small cakes,Italic textlibaItalic text in honour of the festival. Also during this festival young males exchanged the Italic texttoga praetextaItalic textof childhood for the Italic texttoga virilisItalic text or Italic texttoga liberaItalic text