| Libertas | |
|---|---|
Goddess of liberty | |
.png) | |
| Symbol | Pileus, rod (vindicta orfestuca) |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek | Eleutheria |
Libertas (Latin for 'liberty' or 'freedom',pronounced[liːˈbɛrt̪aːs̠]) is theRoman goddess andpersonification ofliberty. She became a politicised figure in the late republic. She sometimes also appeared on coins from the imperial period, such asGalba's "Freedom of the People" coins during his short reign after the death ofNero.[1] She is usually portrayed with two accoutrements: the spear; and aphrygian cap, which she holds out in her right hand, rather than wears on her head.
The Greek equivalent of the goddess Libertas isEleutheria, the personification of liberty. There are manypost-classical depictions of liberty as a person which often retain some of theiconography of the Roman goddess.
The nounlībertās 'freedom', on which the name of the deity is based, is a derivation from Latinlīber 'free', stemming fromProto-Italic*leuþero-, and ultimately fromProto-Indo-European*h₁leudʰero- 'belonging to the people', hence 'free'.[2]
Libertas was associated with thepileus, a cap commonly worn by freed slaves:[3]
Among the Romans the cap of felt was the emblem of liberty. When a slave obtained his freedom he had his head shaved, and wore instead of his hair an undyed pileus (πίλεον λευκόν,Diodorus Siculus Exc. Leg. 22 p625, ed. Wess.;Plaut. Amphit. I.1.306;Persius, V.82). Hence the phraseservos ad pileum vocare is a summons to liberty, by which slaves were frequently called upon to take up arms with a promise of liberty (Liv. XXIV.32). "The figure of Liberty on some of the coins ofAntoninus Pius, struck A.D. 145, holds this cap in the right hand".[4]
Libertas was also recognized in ancient Rome by the rod (vindicta orfestuca),[3] used ceremonially in the act ofManumissio vindicta, Latin for 'freedom by the rod' (emphasis added):
The master brought his slave before themagistratus, and stated the grounds (causa) of the intendedmanumission. "The lictor of the magistratus laid a rod (festuca) on the head of the slave, accompanied with certain formal words, in which he declared that he was a free man ex Jure Quiritium", that is, "vindicavit in libertatem". The master in the meantime held the slave, and after he had pronounced the words "hunc hominem liberum volo," he turned him round (momento turbinis exit Marcus Dama, Persius, Sat. V.78) and let him go (emisit e manu, or misit manu, Plaut. Capt. II.3.48), whence the general name of the act of manumission. The magistratus then declared him to be free [...][5]
TheRoman Republic was established simultaneously with the creation of Libertas and is associated with the overthrow of theTarquin kings. She was worshiped by theJunii, the family ofMarcus Junius Brutus.[6]In 238 BC, before theSecond Punic War,Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus built a temple to Libertas on theAventine Hill.[7] Census tables were stored inside the temple's atrium. A subsequent temple was built (58–57 BC) onPalatine Hill, another of theSeven hills of Rome, byPublius Clodius Pulcher. By building and consecrating the temple on the site of the former house of then-exiledCicero, Clodius ensured that the land was legally uninhabitable. Upon his return, Cicero successfully argued that the consecration was invalid and thus managed to reclaim the land and destroy the temple. In 46 BC, the Roman Senate voted to build and dedicate a shrine to Libertas in recognition ofJulius Caesar, but no temple was built; instead, a small statue of the goddess stood in theRoman Forum.[8]
The goddess Libertas is also depicted on theGreat Seal of France, created in 1848. This is the image which later influenced French sculptorFrédéric Auguste Bartholdi in the creation of his statue ofLiberty Enlightening the World.
Libertas, along with other Roman goddesses, has served as the inspiration for many modern-daypersonifications, including the Statue of Liberty onLiberty Island in the United States. According to theNational Park Service, the Statue's Roman robe is the main feature that invokes Libertas and the symbol of Liberty from which the statue derives its name.[9]
In addition, money throughout history has borne the name or image of Libertas. As "Liberty", Libertas was depicted on the obverse (heads side) of most coinage in the U.S. into the twentieth century – and the image is still used for theAmerican Gold Eagle goldbullion coin. The University of North Carolina records two instances of private banks in its state depicting Libertas on their banknotes;[10][11] Libertas is depicted on the 5, 10 and 20Rappen denomination coins ofSwitzerland.
The symbolic charactersColumbia who represents the United States andMarianne, who represents France, the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) inNew York Harbor, and many other characters and concepts of the modern age were created, and are seen, as embodiments of Libertas.
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