Matralia

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The feria of the Matralia was celebrated June 11th at the temple of the goddess Mater Matuta, the goddess Aurora -dawn, in the Forum Boiarum. It was celebrated by Roman matrons, matrones and , a univir a woman married only once had the privilege of crowning the cult statue of Mater Matuta.

  A slave, which was normally forbidden in Mater Matuta's temple, was made to enter the sanctuary and then ritually beaten and expelled, the Roman matrons bore their sisters children rocked them and asked for the goddess' blessing.

Archelogical activity at a temple of Mater Matuta outside of Rome, uncovered votives of the goddess holding an infant, or nursing it, confirming her relation to infants.

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