Ancient Roman Amulets

To many, the city of Rome is a symbol, and for good reason. It was a huge empire that rose from a simple city in ancient times. It was a city that took care of it's citizens by making sure they never went hungry, and they maintained a huge military force that is still unmatched to this day. As you might have guessed, the Roman Empire was a highly ritualistic society, and with that being said it is not surprising that they wore certain amulets for different occasions. Today we are going to talk about two amulets that were not only popular, but also integral in the Roman society.

Bulla

The Bulla is an amulet presented to a male child in the roman society nine days after they were born. The composition of the amulet was fairly simple as it was made from lead and covered in gold foil. The purpose of the Bulla was pretty simple as well-it warded off the evil spirits, protecting the child during its infancy.

Something to note is that while all families would use a Bulla, the material used in its construction would depend heavily on the status of the family. Upper class families would have a Bulla composed of gold, while lower class families would use lead or even cloth. When a boy became a Roman citizen at the age of sixteen, his Bulla would be removed and saved, only to be removed upon certain special occasions.

Lunula

Females of the Roman society were a bit different. They did not wear the Bulla, but would instead wear the Lunula. Upon the eve of marriage, it would be removed, but instead of being saved, it would be burned with the rest of her childhood toys. There is much speculation as to what this signifies, but many will say that it represents moving on and beginning the next phase of life. At this time, the woman would stop wearing children's clothing and begin to dress as a roman woman.

Miscellaneous

There were other types of Roman amulets of course, the majority of them designed to safeguard against evil spirits or evil intentions that stem from other men. These were generally phallic in shape, often carried in a pouch around the waist. Many people will stay that the ancient Romans were overly superstitious, but others will counter by pointing out how long the Roman Empire was able to stand in the face of adversity, physical attack, and even internal strife.

Many people wish these simpler days would return, while others simply look back on them in awe. In any case, the Roman Empire was superior in many ways with their technology, their beliefs, and their craftsmanship. So there you have it, two types of amulets used in the Roman Empire, and while there were many more, these are the two most significant. Only time and research will uncover every secret that this great empire has to offer modern society.