Galli
Encyclopedia
A Gallus was a eunuch
priest of the Phrygia
n goddess Cybele
, whose worship was incorporated into the state religious practices of ancient Rome
.
as a state goddess in 204 BC
. Roman citizens were prohibited from becoming Galli, which meant that they were all orientals or slaves. Under Claudius
, this ban was lifted. Eventually Domitian
reaffirmed that Roman citizens
were forbidden to practice eviratio (castration
).
The Galli castrated themselves during an ecstatic celebration called the Dies sanguinis
, or "Day of Blood", which took place on March 24. At the same time they put on women's costume, mostly yellow in colour, and a sort of turban, together with pendants and ear-rings. They also wore their hair long, and bleached, and wore heavy make-up. They wandered around with followers, begging for charity, in return for which they were prepared to tell fortunes
. On the day of mourning for Attis they ran around wildly and dishevelled. They performed dances to the music of pipes and tambourines, and, in an ecstasy, flogged themselves until they bled.
(43 BC - 17 AD) says that the name is derived from the Gallus river in Phrygia.
in Rome is his relationship with the Galli. The role of prototype of the mythical castration of Attis for the institution of the "priesthood" of the Galli has almost always been emphasised, even if to different degrees. Scholars have attempted to draw a connection between the episode of the castration of Attis and the ritual mutilation of the Galli as a reflection in myth of a secondary ritual action or conversely, as the mythical foundation of a ritual action. This kind of interpretation appears to be too simplistic as, to some extent, it fails to consider that this connection has served different purposes in different periods. The emasculation of Attis in the "Phygian" version of the myth is the basis for an institution that is both political and religious, the institution of his priests in Pessinous, the "non-kings", who don't simply coincide with the Galli.
The earliest references to the Galli come from the Anthologia Palatina although they don't explicitly mention emasculation. More interesting is the fragment attributed to Callimachus, in which the term Gallai denotes castration that has taken place.
In Rome the head of the galli was known as the archigallus, at least from the period of Claudius on. A number of archaeological finds depict the archigallus wearing luxurious and extravagant costumes. The Archigallus was always a Roman citizen chosen by the Quindecemviri Sacris Faciundis
, whose term of service lasted for life.
As a Roman citizen, as well as being employed by the Roman State, meant that the Archigallus had to preserve the traditions of Cybele's cult while not violating Roman prohibitions in religious behavior. Hence, the Archigallus was never a eunuch, as all citizens of Rome were forbidden from emasculation. The signs of his office have been described as a type of crown, possibly a laurel wreath, as well as a golden bracelet known as the occabus.
Along with the institution of the Archigallus came the Phrygianum sanctuary
as well as the rite of the Taurobolium
as it pertains to the Magna Mater, two aspects of the Magna Mater’s cultus that the Archigallus held dominion over.
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
priest of the Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
n goddess Cybele
Cybele
Cybele , was a Phrygian form of the Earth Mother or Great Mother. As with Greek Gaia , her Minoan equivalent Rhea and some aspects of Demeter, Cybele embodies the fertile Earth...
, whose worship was incorporated into the state religious practices of ancient Rome
Religion in ancient Rome
Religion in ancient Rome encompassed the religious beliefs and cult practices regarded by the Romans as indigenous and central to their identity as a people, as well as the various and many cults imported from other peoples brought under Roman rule. Romans thus offered cult to innumerable deities...
.
About the Galli
The first Galli arrived in Rome when the Senate officially adopted CybeleCybele
Cybele , was a Phrygian form of the Earth Mother or Great Mother. As with Greek Gaia , her Minoan equivalent Rhea and some aspects of Demeter, Cybele embodies the fertile Earth...
as a state goddess in 204 BC
204 BC
Year 204 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cethegus and Tuditanus...
. Roman citizens were prohibited from becoming Galli, which meant that they were all orientals or slaves. Under Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
, this ban was lifted. Eventually Domitian
Domitian
Domitian was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.Domitian's youth and early career were largely spent in the shadow of his brother Titus, who gained military renown during the First Jewish-Roman War...
reaffirmed that Roman citizens
Femminiello
The femminiello or femmeniello in Neapolitan culture is a male transvestite, not simply a male homosexual; it refers in Naples to men who, in addition to their natural inclinations, have been, as they now say, "gendered" to dress and behave as women and who often engage in prostitution.But they...
were forbidden to practice eviratio (castration
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
).
The Galli castrated themselves during an ecstatic celebration called the Dies sanguinis
Dies sanguinis
Dies Sanguinis was a festival held in Ancient Rome on the 24th March, called Bellona's Day, when the Roman votaries of the war-goddess Bellona cut themselves and drank the sacrificial blood to propitiate the deity....
, or "Day of Blood", which took place on March 24. At the same time they put on women's costume, mostly yellow in colour, and a sort of turban, together with pendants and ear-rings. They also wore their hair long, and bleached, and wore heavy make-up. They wandered around with followers, begging for charity, in return for which they were prepared to tell fortunes
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
. On the day of mourning for Attis they ran around wildly and dishevelled. They performed dances to the music of pipes and tambourines, and, in an ecstasy, flogged themselves until they bled.
Origins of the name
Stephanus Byzantinus said that the name came from King Gallus. OvidOvid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
(43 BC - 17 AD) says that the name is derived from the Gallus river in Phrygia.
The Galli and Attis
Fundamental to understanding the meaning and the function of the myth and ritual related to AttisAttis
Attis was the consort of Cybele in Phrygian and Greek mythology. His priests were eunuchs, as explained by origin myths pertaining to Attis and castration...
in Rome is his relationship with the Galli. The role of prototype of the mythical castration of Attis for the institution of the "priesthood" of the Galli has almost always been emphasised, even if to different degrees. Scholars have attempted to draw a connection between the episode of the castration of Attis and the ritual mutilation of the Galli as a reflection in myth of a secondary ritual action or conversely, as the mythical foundation of a ritual action. This kind of interpretation appears to be too simplistic as, to some extent, it fails to consider that this connection has served different purposes in different periods. The emasculation of Attis in the "Phygian" version of the myth is the basis for an institution that is both political and religious, the institution of his priests in Pessinous, the "non-kings", who don't simply coincide with the Galli.
The earliest references to the Galli come from the Anthologia Palatina although they don't explicitly mention emasculation. More interesting is the fragment attributed to Callimachus, in which the term Gallai denotes castration that has taken place.
The Archigallus
The high priests are well-documented from archaeology. At Pessinus, the centre of the Cybele cult, there were two high priests during the Hellenistic period, one with the title of "Attis" and the other with the name of "Battakes". Both were eunuchs. The high priests had considerable political influence during this period, and letters exist from a high priest Attis to the kings of Pergamon, Eumenes II and Attalus II, inscribed on stone. Later, during the Flavian period, there is a college of ten priests, not castrated, and now Roman citizens, but still using the title "Attis".In Rome the head of the galli was known as the archigallus, at least from the period of Claudius on. A number of archaeological finds depict the archigallus wearing luxurious and extravagant costumes. The Archigallus was always a Roman citizen chosen by the Quindecemviri Sacris Faciundis
Quindecemviri sacris faciundis
In ancient Rome, the quindecimviri sacris faciundis were the fifteen members of a college with priestly duties. Most notably they guarded the Sibylline Books, scriptures which they consulted and interpreted at the request of the Senate...
, whose term of service lasted for life.
As a Roman citizen, as well as being employed by the Roman State, meant that the Archigallus had to preserve the traditions of Cybele's cult while not violating Roman prohibitions in religious behavior. Hence, the Archigallus was never a eunuch, as all citizens of Rome were forbidden from emasculation. The signs of his office have been described as a type of crown, possibly a laurel wreath, as well as a golden bracelet known as the occabus.
Along with the institution of the Archigallus came the Phrygianum sanctuary
Temples of Cybele in Rome
List of temples in Rome dedicated to Cybele, a deification of the Earth Mother.-Circus Maximus:A shrine of Cybele in the Circus Maximus, mentioned in the Notitia , and by Tertullian...
as well as the rite of the Taurobolium
Taurobolium
In the Roman empire of the 2nd to 4th centuries, taurobolium referred to practices involving the sacrifice of a bull, which after mid-2nd century became connected with the worship of the Great Mother of the Gods; though not previously limited to her cultus, after 159 CE all private taurobolia...
as it pertains to the Magna Mater, two aspects of the Magna Mater’s cultus that the Archigallus held dominion over.