Prosecutions and punishments thumb|Early 18th-century depiction of the dedication of a Vestal, by Alessandro Marchesini thumb|In the Temple of Vesta by , 1902 () If Vesta's fire went out, Rome was no longer protected. Spontaneous extinction of the sacred flame for no apparent reason might be understood as a prodigy, a warning that the ("peace of the gods") was disrupted by some undetected impropriety, unnatural phenomenon or religious offence. Romans had a duty to report any suspected prodigies to the Senate, who in turn consulted the , the and the to determine whether the matter must be tried or dismissed. Expiation of prodigies usually involved a special sacrifice () and the destruction of the "unnatural" object that had caused divine offence.Cornell, Tim. "Some observations on the ". In: (6–7 April 1978). Rome: , 1981. p. 38. (, 48).
Prosecutions and punishments thumb|Early 18th-century depiction of the dedication of a Vestal, by Alessandro Marchesini thumb|In the Temple of Vesta by , 1902 () If Vesta's fire went out, Rome was no longer protected. Spontaneous extinction of the sacred flame for no apparent reason mig?ht be understood as a prodigy, a warning that the ("peace of the gods") was disrupted by some undetected impropriety, unnatural phenomenon or religious offence. Romans had a duty to report any suspected prodigies to the Senate, who in turn consulted the , the and the to determine whether the matter mu:st be tried or dismissed. Expiation of prodigies usually involved a special sacrifice () and the destruction of the "unnatural" object that had caused divine offence.Cornell, Tim. "Some observations on the ". In: (6–7 April 1978). Rome: , 1981. p. 38. (, 48).