is any locality consecrated by the pontiffs, and is
derived by the ancients from fari,
pontifices in sacrando fati sunt finem
(Varr. L. L.
6.54; Fest. pp. 88, 93). It was a consecrated
spot, whether a building was erected upon it or not. Thus we find fanum
applied to a piece of ground upon which an
was afterwards built (Liv. 5.50
), and the
word was often used to signify both the consecrated ground and the temple
built upon it [TEMPLUM
consecrated places in the forum, where the couches of the gods were placed
in the lectisternium
], were also
in reference to which the phrase
was used (Fest. p. 351). Even
a tree struck by lightning was deemed a fanum
(Fest. p. 92). Everything not consecrated--that is, not a fanum
--was considered profanum
(Fest. p. 263; Macrob. 3.3, 3); and a res
might, in accordance with the Pontifical law, be again
made into a res profana
by certain ceremonies
(Macrob. 3.3, 4; Serv. ad
Verg. A. 12.779
). (Marquardt, Röm. Staatsverw.
properly speaking persons belonging to
were more specifically priests of the
goddess of Comana in Cappadocia, whose worship was introduced into Rome
under the name of Bellona. They performed the worship with wild and frantic
rites, whence the word fanaticus
secondary meaning, and has passed into modern languages. They are mentioned
in inscriptions under the name of fanatici de aede
(C. I. L.
vi. n. 490,
2232, 2235; cf. “fanaticus oestro percussus, Bellona, tuo,”
). They were also called Bellonarii
2.3, 223). In celebrating the
festival of the goddess they marched through the city in dark clothes, with
wild cries, blowing trumpets, beating cymbals and drums, and in the temple
inflicting wounds upon themselves, the blood from which they poured out as
an offering to the goddess (Tib. 1.6
223; Juv. 6.511
; Lamprid. Commod.
9; Sen. de Vit.
27; Tertull. Apol.
4; Lact. Inst.
1.21, 16). [p. 1.826]Fanatici
was also the name given
to the priests of Isis (C. I. L.
vi. n. 2234) and Cybele
; Prudent. Perist.
10.1061), who celebrated their worship with similar orgiastic rites. [CORYBANTES
] (Marquardt, op. cit.