# Altar of Consus

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Altar to the Roman gods Consus and Mars

Location of the Altar of Consus in the city of [Rome](/source/Rome). The altar is highlighted in red.

The **Altar of Consus** ([Latin](/source/Latin_language): *Ara Consi*) was an ancient Roman altar dedicated to the gods [Consus](/source/Consus) and [Mars](/source/Mars_(mythology)), as well as the *[lares](/source/Lares)*, which were ancient Roman household guardians. It was located beneath the [Circus Maximus](/source/Circus_Maximus).[1][2] The altar may have also served as the first turning post of the Circus Maximus.[3][4][5] It is possible the subterranean location of this altar is connected to the Roman practice of storing [wheat](/source/Wheat) underground[6][7] and specifically paralleled by the ancient [*mundus*](/source/Mundus_Cereris) of [Ceres](/source/Ceres_(goddess)) supposedly instituted by [Romulus](/source/Romulus) at the [founding of the city](/source/Founding_of_Rome).[8] This is in turn associated with the modern interpretation of Consus as an agrarian deity.[9] [Dionysus of Halicarnassus](/source/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus) wrote that some ancient Romans believed the altar was located underground because they thought that the god Consus [corresponded](/source/Syncretism) to [Poseidon](/source/Poseidon), who was also a god of [earthquakes](/source/Earthquake). He also claims that other Romans believed that the altar was dedicated to an unamenable god who presided over hidden councils.[9][10][11] This explanation is associated with the ancient connections between Consus and secrecy and hidden councils.[9][12] [Tacitus](/source/Tacitus) mentions the altar as a landmark of his conjectural reconstruction of the [pomerium](/source/Pomerium),[13] the sacred border of the city of Rome proper, as originally established by Romulus's *[sulcus primigenius](/source/Sulcus_primigenius)*.[14][15]

The site was covered for most of the year, although it was uncovered during religious occasions for sacrifices and rituals.[16][10][17] Roman author [Tertullian](/source/Tertullian) stated that [public priests](/source/Salii) made [sacrifices](/source/Sacrifice) at the altar on 7 July during the *[Caprotinia](/source/Caprotinia)*.[15] He also wrote that the *[Flamen Quirinalis](/source/Flamen_Quirinalis)* and a group of virgins, potentially the [Vestal Virgins](/source/Vestal_Virgin), made sacrifices at the altar on 21 August.[18][19][20] This was in celebration of the *[Consualia](/source/Consualia)*,[21] a Roman holiday which honored Consus. As part of this holiday,[22] games commemorating the [Rape of the Sabine Women](/source/The_Rape_of_the_Sabine_Women) were held at this altar.[23][24][25]

Tertullian wrote that it bore an inscription which read:[26][27]

*Consus consilio, Mars duello, Lares coillo potentes*

This translates to:

Consus is mighty in counsel, Mars in war, the Lares in *coillo*

This inscription may not be authentically archaic. Many modern scholars are critical of the potential [etymological](/source/Etymology) link between *Consus* and *consilium*, the Latin word for counsel.[28][29] The German classical philologist [Georg Wissowa](/source/Georg_Wissowa) argued that in a genuine ancient inscription from this time period the names of the gods would be expected to be in the [dative case](/source/Dative_case), not in the [nominative](/source/Nominative_case), which is the case used in the inscription.[9] [Theodor Mommsen](/source/Theodor_Mommsen), a German classical scholar, believed that Tertullian may have incorrectly transcribed the Latin words *coitu* or *cubiclo* when he utilized the word *coillo*.[29] Alternatively, it may have been a transcription of the Greek word for the [Lacus Curtius](/source/Lacus_Curtius).[30] *Coillo* could possibly be a synonym of *Compito*.[27] The Latin word *compito* means crossroads, and the Lares were frequently worshipped at these crossroads. Similarly, *consilio* has been theorized to be a misreading of *consivio*, meaning "gathering of the harvest." This theory has been criticized for being unsupported by Tertullian, who appears to have directly derived the word *consilio* from his source.[31]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Daly, Kathleen N.; Rengel, Marian (2004). [*Greek & Roman Mythology A–Z*](https://books.google.com/books?id=eJxB0UTOcXMC&pg=PA32). Infobase Publishing. p. 32. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4381-1992-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4381-1992-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Saunders, Catharine (1913). ["The Site of Dramatic Performances at Rome in the Times of Plautus and Terence"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/282545.pdf) (PDF). *Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association*. **44**: 87–97. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/282545](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F282545). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0065-9711](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0065-9711). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [282545](https://www.jstor.org/stable/282545). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20231123184459/https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/282545.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Mahoney, Anne (2001). [*Roman Sports and Spectacles: A Sourcebook*](https://books.google.com/books?id=L-oSEAAAQBAJ). Hackett Publishing. pp. 7–8. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-58510-606-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-58510-606-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Christesen, Paul; Stocking, Charles H. (2022). [*A Cultural History of Sport in Antiquity*](https://books.google.com/books?id=k7yHEAAAQBAJ). Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 58. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-350-28295-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-350-28295-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Holden, Antonia (1 January 2008). ["The Abduction of the Sabine Women in Context: The Iconography on Late Antique Contorniate Medallions"](https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.3764/aja.112.1.121). *American Journal of Archaeology*. **112** (1): 121–142. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3764/aja.112.1.121](https://doi.org/10.3764%2Faja.112.1.121). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0002-9114](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0002-9114). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [162253485](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:162253485).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Phillips, C. Robert (2015), ["Consus"](https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-1798), *Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics*, [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.1798](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Facrefore%2F9780199381135.013.1798), [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-938113-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-938113-5), retrieved 23 November 2023

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Georg Wissowa (1912). [*Religion und Kultus der Römer*](http://archive.org/details/wissowa1912religionkultus2ndedharvardgoogle) (in German) (2nd ed.). pp. 201–204.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Fowler, W. Warde (1912). ["Mundus Patet. 24th August, 5th October, 8th November"](https://zenodo.org/record/2522354). *The Journal of Roman Studies*. **2**: 25–33. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/295939](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F295939). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1753-528X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1753-528X). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [295939](https://www.jstor.org/stable/295939). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [163222877](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:163222877).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:2_9-3) Miano, Daniele (2015). ["The Goddess Ops in Archaic Rome"](https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/114534/1/ops%20revised.pdf) (PDF). *Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies*. **58** (1): 98–127. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.2041-5370.2015.12005.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.2041-5370.2015.12005.x). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0076-0730](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0076-0730). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220410080132/https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/114534/1/ops%20revised.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 10 April 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_10-1) [Dionysus](/source/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus). [*Roman Antiquities*](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/home.html). II. [31](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/2B*.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Lee-Stecum, Parshia (2010), ["Mendacia Maiorum: Tales Of Deceit In Pre-Republican Rome"](https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789004188839/Bej.9789004187757.i-439_015.xml), *Private and Public Lies*, Brill, pp. 254–257, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-18883-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-18883-9), retrieved 23 November 2023{{[citation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Citation)}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_work_parameter_with_ISBN))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Servius_12-0)** [Maurus Servius Honoratus](/source/Servius_(grammarian)). *In Vergilii Aeneidem commentarii* [*Commentary on [Virgil](/source/Virgil)'s*[Aeneid](/source/Aeneid)]. 8.636. *Consus autem deus est consiliorum.*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Tacitus](/source/Tacitus). *[Annals](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/home.html)*. XII. [24](https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/Annals/12A*.html)

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_15-1) Flower, Harriet I. (2017). [*The Dancing Lares and the Serpent in the Garden: Religion at the Roman Street Corner*](https://books.google.com/books?id=hNepDgAAQBAJ). Princeton University Press. pp. 112–114. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4008-8801-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4008-8801-6).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Zaleski, John (11 November 2013), Christesen, Paul; Kyle, Donald G. (eds.), ["Religion and Roman Spectacle"](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118609965.ch40), *A Companion to Sport and Spectacle in Greek and Roman Antiquity* (1 ed.), Wiley, p. 596, [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/9781118609965.ch40](https://doi.org/10.1002%2F9781118609965.ch40), [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4443-3952-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4443-3952-9), retrieved 23 November 2023{{[citation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Citation)}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_work_parameter_with_ISBN))

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Belayche, Nicole (2004), ["Pagan Festivals in Fourth-Century Gaza"](https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789047405412/B9789047405412_s003.xml), *Christian Gaza in Late Antiquity*, Brill, pp. 10–11, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-474-0541-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-474-0541-2), retrieved 23 November 2023{{[citation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Citation)}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_work_parameter_with_ISBN))

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** Tertullian (1931). [*De spectaculis*](http://archive.org/details/apologydespectac00tertuoft) [*On the Spectacles*] (in Latin). Translated by Glover, Terrot; Rendall, Gerald. London Heinemann. p. 246. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1040001141](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1040001141). [OL](/source/OL_(identifier)) [23278382M](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL23278382M).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_27-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_27-1) Liddel, Peter Philip; Low, Polly (2013). [*Inscriptions and Their Uses in Greek and Latin Literature*](https://books.google.com/books?id=FeDiAAAAQBAJ). OUP Oxford. p. 181. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-966574-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-966574-7).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Altar of Consus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altar_of_Consus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altar_of_Consus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.