A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

IMAGINES,

Images and Portraic•••• of Ancestors, which noble Romans kept un∣der the Porches of their Houses, in wooden cases made for that purpose, which wor•• carried at their Funeral Pomps or Trium∣phal Entries.

These Images were commonly made of Wax or Wood, and some of them were of Marble or Brass; and when the House was sold, it was not allowed them to remove 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out of their places.

Appius Claudius was the first who placed them in the Temples of the Gods, 259 years after the foundation of Rome, with Inscrip∣tions mentioning the Origines of those An∣cestors and their brave Archievements.

Polybius a Greek Historian reports, that these Images represented Faces in basso relievo to the life, so that they were shut up in wooden cases, which were open in days of solemn Feasts and publick Sacrifices; and that they were adorn'd suitable to their Dignities, and crown'd with Garlands of Flowers. Flo∣vius Vopiscus assures us, that amongst the pub∣lick Rejoycings at Rome, when the Senate elected Tacitus Emperor, the Romans in all their Houses open'd the cases of the Images of their Ancestors, and offered white Victims in sacrifice.

Cornolius Tacitus writes, that in the Funeral Parade of Junia, Cato's eldest Daughter, Cas∣sius's Wife, and Sister to Brutus, they carried the Pictures of twenty Illustrious Families, viz. the Quintilians, Manlians, and other great Families of the Empire. We read also, that Julius Caesar, to shew the greatness of his Fa∣mily, ordered that the Pictures of Marins should be carried at the Funeral Pomp of his Aunt; and that at the Funeral Parade of Drusus, Tiberius commanded they should car∣ry the Pictures of the Caesar's Family, since Aeneas and the King of Alba; till Romulus the Founder of the Empire, and that after them

the Images of Appius Claudius, and the whole Family of the Claudians should be carried in a long and sumptuous March.

However, it was not allowed to all Men, who had the Pictures of their Ancestors in their Houses to have them carried at their Funerals; this was only granted to those, who had honorably performed the functions of their Magistracies; for if they had fail'd in any point, they forfeited the priviledge of being attended at their Funerals by the Effigies of their Ancestors; and if they had committed some great crime, all these Pi∣ctures were broke in pieces.

These Figures carried on Chariots attended the Funeral Pomp, and were set upon Ivory Chairs in the Field call'd Rostra.