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A flamen was a priest of the Roman religion.

The etymology of the word flamen is obscure. Some Indo-Europeanists have attempted to link it to the Sanskrit word brahman; this etymology is controversial.

There were fifteen flamines in the Roman republic. The most important three were the flamines maiores, who served three Roman gods. These flamines were required to be patricians:

• Flamen Dialis, who worshipped Jupiter
• Flamen Martialis, who worshipped Mars
• Flamen Quirinalis, who worshipped Quirinus

The remaining flamines could be plebeians. Some of the deities they worshipped were rather obscure, which suggests the antiquity of the institution and the pre- republican origin of these priesthoods:

• Flamen Carmentalis, who worshipped Carmentis
• Flamen Cerialis, who worshipped Ceres
• Flamen Falacer, who worshipped Falacer
• Flamen Floralis, who worshipped Flora
• Flamen Furrialis, who worshipped Furrina
• Flamen Palatualis, who worshipped Palatua
• Flamen Pomonalis, who worshipped PomonaIn Roman mythology, Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees. She scorned the love of Silvanus and Picus but married Vertumnus after he tricked her, disguised as an old woman. Her high priest was called the flamen Pomonalis''. The pruning knife was her attri
• Flamen Portunalis, who worshipped Portunus
• Flamen Volcanalis, who worshipped Vulcan
• Flamen Volturnalis, who worshipped VolturnusIn Roman mythology, Volturnus was a god of the waters, probably derived from a local Samnite cult. His festival was the Volturnalia on August 27. The Volturnus river in Campania is named in his honour. Roman gods.

The robe of office of a flamen was a special priestly hat called an apex, and a wollen coat called a læna. When the Imperial cultThe Imperial cult was the worship of the Roman emperor as a god in the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar allowed a statue of himself with the inscription, Deo Invicto ( Latin "to the unconquered god") in 44 BC. In the same year, Caesar declared himself dictator got under way, further flamines were appointed to worship the divine Roman emperors.