Levana (from Latinlevare, "to lift"[1]) is an ancient Roman goddess involved in rituals pertaining to childbirth. Augustine says that dea Levana is invoked when the child is lifted de terra, from the earth or ground.[2] Her function may be paralleled by the Greek Artemis Orthia, if interpreted as the Artemis who lifts or raises children.[3]
It is sometimes supposed that Levana was invoked in a ceremony by which the father lifted the child to acknowledge it as his own, but the existence of such a ceremony is based on tenuous evidence and contradicted by Roman law pertaining to legitimacy of birth.[4] More likely, Levana was the goddess who oversaw the lifting of the child by the midwife immediately after birth. Kneeling or squatting was a more common position for childbirth in antiquity,[5] and the newborn probably came to rest on the ground before the umbilical cord was cut.[6]
Levana is the name of an infant and child safety product manufacturer. The brand was established in 2007 and concentrates on electrical means of protection.[7]
^W.M. Lindsay, The Latin Language: An Historical Account of Latin Sounds, Stems, and Flexions (Cambridge University Press, 1894, reprinted 2010), p. 326.
^Claude Calame, Choruses of Young Women in Ancient Greece: Their Morphology, Religious Role, and Social Functions, translated by Derek Collins and Janice Orion (Rowman & Littlefield, 2001), p. 167.
^Brent D. Shaw, "Raising and Killing Children: Two Roman Myths," Mnemosyne 54.1 (2001), pp. 54–55.
^Pierre Grimal, The Dictionary of Classical Mythology (Blackwell, 1986, 1996, originally published 1951 in French), pp. 311–312; Charles J. Adamec, "Genu, genus," Classical Philology 15 (1920), p. 199]; J.G. Frazer, Pausanias's Description of Greece (London, 1913), vol. 4, p. 436; Marcel Le Glay, "Remarques sur la notion de Salus dans la religion romaine," La soteriologia dei culti orientali nell' imperio romano: Études préliminaires au religions orientales dans l'empire romain, Colloquio internazionale Roma, 1979 (Brill, 1982), p. 442.
^Christian Laes, Children in the Roman Empire: Outsiders Within (Cambridge University Press, 2011, originally published 2006 in Dutch), p. 60; Robert Turcan, The Gods of Ancient Rome (Routledge, 2001; originally published in French 1998), p. 20.
levana, other, uses, disambiguation, from, latin, levare, lift, ancient, roman, goddess, involved, rituals, pertaining, childbirth, augustine, says, that, invoked, when, child, lifted, terra, from, earth, ground, function, paralleled, greek, artemis, orthia, i. For other uses see Levana disambiguation Levana from Latin levare to lift 1 is an ancient Roman goddess involved in rituals pertaining to childbirth Augustine says that dea Levana is invoked when the child is lifted de terra from the earth or ground 2 Her function may be paralleled by the Greek Artemis Orthia if interpreted as the Artemis who lifts or raises children 3 It is sometimes supposed that Levana was invoked in a ceremony by which the father lifted the child to acknowledge it as his own but the existence of such a ceremony is based on tenuous evidence and contradicted by Roman law pertaining to legitimacy of birth 4 More likely Levana was the goddess who oversaw the lifting of the child by the midwife immediately after birth Kneeling or squatting was a more common position for childbirth in antiquity 5 and the newborn probably came to rest on the ground before the umbilical cord was cut 6 Modern use EditThomas De Quincey s prose poem Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow begins with a discussion of the role of Levana in Roman religion Levana is the name of an infant and child safety product manufacturer The brand was established in 2007 and concentrates on electrical means of protection 7 In the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer Levana is the name of the current queen of Luna a human colony on the moon References Edit W M Lindsay The Latin Language An Historical Account of Latin Sounds Stems and Flexions Cambridge University Press 1894 reprinted 2010 p 326 Augustine De Civitate Dei 4 11 perhaps also referenced by Tertullian Ad nationes 2 11 but the text is problematic Claude Calame Choruses of Young Women in Ancient Greece Their Morphology Religious Role and Social Functions translated by Derek Collins and Janice Orion Rowman amp Littlefield 2001 p 167 Brent D Shaw Raising and Killing Children Two Roman Myths Mnemosyne 54 1 2001 pp 54 55 Pierre Grimal The Dictionary of Classical Mythology Blackwell 1986 1996 originally published 1951 in French pp 311 312 Charles J Adamec Genu genus Classical Philology 15 1920 p 199 J G Frazer Pausanias s Description of Greece London 1913 vol 4 p 436 Marcel Le Glay Remarques sur la notion de Salus dans la religion romaine La soteriologia dei culti orientali nell imperio romano Etudes preliminaires au religions orientales dans l empire romain Colloquio internazionale Roma 1979 Brill 1982 p 442 Christian Laes Children in the Roman Empire Outsiders Within Cambridge University Press 2011 originally published 2006 in Dutch p 60 Robert Turcan The Gods of Ancient Rome Routledge 2001 originally published in French 1998 p 20 Levana Child Safety ProductsExternal links EditLevana and Our Ladies of Sorrow by Thomas De Quincey Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Levana amp oldid 1080565243, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
