Ancient Roman Funerals
Between 1st and 2nd centuries AD, ancient Romans used to cremate their dead. However, later burials became the norm as Christianity became the state religion and people starting viewing afterlife differently. |
Ancient Roman funerals followed an extremely systematic approach towards the dead body. The eyes of the deceased would be closed as people chanted the name of the deceased person. Thereafter, the body used to be washed and then a coin was put into the mouth as payment to Charon to ferry the dead across the river to the Underworld.
Social status played an important role during funerals. Usually a wake was held, and the duration of the wake was dependent on the social status of the deceased and his or her family. The upper class would have a wake for up to 1 week, while the lower class would hold a wake just for a single day.
After the wake, the body would be taken for the funeral. Usually, in ancient Rome, funerals were held during the night to avoid people from gathering and preventing crowds of mourners. This was especially true when it came to public figures as there was a possibility of causing social unrest during the funeral procession. Musicians used to be hired and they used to lead the funeral procession, followed by the relatives and other mourners who used to carry a portrait sculpture or masks made from wax of other family members who had died earlier. At the town limits, the funeral procession used to stop and a pyre used to be built to burn the deceased. While the pyre burned, a eulogy was read to honor the dead person. After the pyre was put off, invariably the mother or the wife of the deceased person would collect the ashes and then put them into an urn.
Many people in ancient Rome used to be part of a funeral society referred to as collegium. The society would ensure that the member was given a proper funeral on demise as long as the member paid the monthly fee while he or she was alive. This fee was used to cover the expenses related to the funeral. Members of a collegium would given a place in a columbarium, which was a large vault under the ground where the family members of the deceased could place the urn containing the ashes into niches made in the walls of the vault. Thereafter, the spot could be marked with the help of a memorial plaque or portrait sculpture.
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These days, burials can be very expensive running into thousands of dollars and having a prepaid funeral insurance will ensure that all expenses related to the funeral are covered by the insurance. Doing your funeral planning in advance will not only save your family a lot of emotional stress and money, it will also allow your wishes to be carried out with regard to the funeral. Hence, you can be buried in a casket, or you can be cremated depending on what you desire.