Two Types of Roman Devotio

Abstract

Among the many Romans who defended their patriam parentesque, the Decii?father, son and grandson x), according to some sources?occupy a special place. Others may have become renowned for exceptional feats of arms or remarkable courage, the Decii owe their fame in the first place to the manner of their death, which may rightly be called self-sacrifice, and of which the sacral nature is obvious. At the moment when defeat was imminent, they resorted to the last means to save the situation. Praeeunte pont?fice they 'devoted' themselves, together with the enemy troops, to the gods of the underworld. After thus linking the fate of the enemies with their own they rode into the midst of the hostile army to meet a deliberate W. W. Fowler stresses the magical nature of the act when he writes 2) : By the act of self-sacrifice, which is the potent element in the spell, Decius exercises magical power over the legions of the enemy, and devotes them with himself to death.