Flaminica

Ancient Roman female priesthood; mythically going back to the time of Numa. In the republic, the major 3 flaminates were filled by a flaminica married by confarreatio to a flamen; if the flaminica died, the flamen dialis, quirinalis and Martialis had to resign and the same if the flamen died.

The flaminica Dialis' dress: Her dress consisted of a dyed purple robe (venenato operitur); her hair was plaited in a high topnot, the tutulus and bound with a purple fillets, vittae, the rica covered the hair, then a garland of (Fest. s.v. Tutulum, Rica; Varro, De Ling. Lat. VII.44). Over the robe and rica was worn a veil, the purple venetatum and over this another veil, the fire-coloured flammeum, to indicate fecundity and her pepetual state as a nova nupta. The flaminica dialis was nova nupta, matrona and materfamilias.