suovetaurilia

[ swoh-vi-taw-ril-ee-uh ]

noun

1. (in ancient Rome) a sacrifice of a hog, a ram, and a bull.

Word History and Origins

Origin of suovetaurilia¹

< Latin suovetaurīlia, equivalent to sū ( s ) swine + ove-, combining form of ovis sheep + taur ( us ) bull + -īlia noun use of neuter plural of -īlis denominal adj. suffix)

Example Sentences

A little behind the Column of Phocas are the marble slabs commemorating the sacrifices called Suovetaurilia, consisting of a pig, a sheep, and an ox, animals which are sculptured here in bold relief.

From Project Gutenberg

One of the finest remains in the Forum is the marble relief which represents the suovetaurilia, the sow, sheep, and bull sacrificed on this occasion.

From Project Gutenberg

From that point of view the nearest approach, as I hold, to a right solution is set out in a paper by Paul Wolters, in Archiv f�r das Studium der neueren Sprachen, Band xx, Heft 1/2: Braunschweig; though I think he is too positive in ruling out Roman representations of the Suovetaurilia such as the fine urn at Holland House suggested as Keats’s source by the late Mr A. S. Murray and reproduced in The Odes of Keats, by A. C. Downer, M.A.

From Project Gutenberg

Suovetaurilia Urn, at Holland House, as possible inspiration to Keats, 416 n.

From Project Gutenberg

Sucking pigs played an important part in Hellenic purificatory rites; and everybody knows the significance of the Roman suovetaurilia, depicted on so many bas-reliefs.

From Project Gutenberg