Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

542 FOCUS. FOEDERATAE CIVITATES.
i. 3; Senec. Epgist. 96.) From Valerius Maximuis Ill accordance with the sentiments of veneration
we learn that theatrical and mimic representations with which the domestic fire-place was regarded,
formed a principal part of the various amusements, we find that the exercise of hospitality was
and that it was customary for the assembled people at the same time an act of religious worship.
on this occasion to demand the female actors to Suppliants, strangers, all who sought for mercy
appear naked on the stage, and to amuse the and favour, had recourse to the domestic hearth as
multitude with their indecent gestures and dances. to an altar. (Hom. Od. vii. 153-169; Apoll.
This indecency is probably the only ground on Rhod. iv. 693.) The phrase " pro aris et focis "
which the absurd story of its origin, related by was used to express attacllment to all that was
Lactantius (Institut. i. 20), is founded. Similar most dear and venerable. (Cic. de iVat. Deer. iii.
festivals, chiefly in spring and autumn, are in 40; Flor. iii. 13.) Among the Romans the focus
southern countries seasons for rejoicing, and, as it was placed in the ATRIUM, which, in primitive
were, called forth by the season of the year itself, times, was their kitchen and dining-room. (Virg.
without any distinct connection with any particu- Aen. i. 726; Servius, ad loc.) There it remained,
lar divinity; they are to this day very popular in as we see in numerous examples at Pompeii, even
Italy (Voss. ad Vi-y. Geog. ii. 385), and in ancient after the progress of refinement had led to the use
times we find them celebrated from the southern to of another part of the house for culinary purposes.
the northern extremity of Italy. (See ANTHESPHO- On festivals the house-wife decorated the hearth
RIA, and Justin. xliii. 4.) The Floralia were with garlands (Cato, De Re Rust. 143; Ovid,
originally festivals of the country people, which Trist. v. 5. 10); a woollen fillet was sometimes
were afterwards, in Italy as in Greece, introduced added. (Propert. iv. 6. 1-6). [J. Y.]
into the towns, where they naturally assumed a FOEDERA'TAE CIVITA'TES, FOEDEmore dissollte and licentious character, while the RA'TI, SO'CII. In the seventh century of Rome
country people continued to celebrate them in their these nalmes expressed those Italian states which
old and merry but innocent manner. And it is were connected with Rome by a treaty (foedzs).
highly probable that such festivals did not become These names did not include Roman colonies or
connected with the worship of any particular deity Latin colonies, or any place which had obtained
until a comparatively late period. (Buttmann, the Roman civitas. Among the foederati were the
]l'tholog. ii. p. 54.) This would account for the Latini, who were the most nearly related to the
late introduction of the Floralia at Rome, as well Romans, and were designated by this distinctive
as for the manner in which we find them celebrated name; the rest of the foederati were comprised
there. (See Spanheim, De Flraest. et Use Nu ATeism. under the name of Socii or Foederati. They were
ii. p. 145, &c.) [L. S.] independent states, yet under a general liability to
FOCA'LE, a coverilng for the ears and neck, furnish a contingent to the Roman army. Thus
made of wool and worn by infirm and delicate they contributed to increase the power of Rome,
persons. (Heor. Sat. ii. 3. 255; Senec. Qu. aVct. but they had not the privileges of Roman citizens.
iv. 13; Quintil. xi. 3. 144; Mart. i. 121, xiv. The relations of any particular federate state to
142.) [J. Y.] Rome might have some peculiarities, but the general
FOCUS, dimn. FO'CULUS (ETria: ioXCdpa, relation was that expressed above; a kind of consErXapls, dimz. e-Xdpiov), a fire-place; a hearth; a dition, inconsistent with the sovereignty of the
brazier. The fire-place, considered as the highest federates, and the first stage towards unconditional
member of an altar, is described under ARA, p. 116. submission. The discontent among the foederati,
Used by itself, it possessed the same sacred cha- and their claims to be admitted to the privileges of
racter, being, among the Romans, dedicated to the 1Roman citizens, led to the Social War. The Julia
lares of each family. (Plant. Aul. ii. 8. 16; Cato, Lex (. c. 90) gave the civitas to the Socii and
D Re JRest. 15; Ovid, Facst. ii. 589, 611, iii. 423; Latini; alid a lex of tile following year contained,
Jov. xii. 85-95.) It was, nevertheless, made sub- among other provisions, one for the admission to
servient to all the requirements of ordinary life. the Itoman civitas of those peregrini who were
(Hor. Eyeod. ii. 43, Epist. i. 5. 7; Ovid, M~et. viii. entered on the lists of the citizens of federate states,
673; Sen. De Cons. ad Alb. 1.) It was sometimes and who complied with the provisions of the lex.
constructed of stone or brick, in which case it was [CIVITAS.] It appears, however, that the Lex
elevated only a few inches above the ground, and Julia, and probably also the Lex of the following
remained on the same spot; but it was also fre- year, contained a condition that the federate state
qlluently made of bronze, and it was then variously should consent to accept what the Leges offered,
ornamented, and was carried continually from place or, as it was technically expressed, " populus fitldus
to place. This movable-hearth, or brazier, was fieret." (Cic. proa Balbo, c. 8.) Those who did
properly calledfocullus and E'Xcpa. One is shown not become fomldi populi did not obtain the civitas.
cat p. 190. Another, found at Caere in Etruria, Balbus, the client of Cicero, was a citizen of Gades,
and preserved in the British Museum, is repre- a federate town in Spain. Cn. Pompeius Magnus
sented in the annexed woodcut. had conferred the Romasn civitas on Balbus, by
virtue of certain powers given to him by a lex.
It was objected to Balbus that he could not have
the civitas, unless the state to which he belonged
- ~"P~= ~i; "fundus factus esset; which was a complete mis-'-1^- / 4 apprehension, for the term fundlcs, in this sense,
applied to a whole state or community, whether
federate or other free state, which accepted what
was offered, and not to an individual of such state
or community, for he might accept the Roman
civitas without asking the consent of his fellow
+-"~ citizens at home, or without all of them receiving