ARVAL BROTHERS, in Roman antiquities, a college or priesthood (Fratres Arvales, "brothers of the field"), consisting of twelve members, elected for life from the highest ranks in Rome, and always apparently, during the empire, including the emperor. Their chief duty was to offer annually public sacrifice for the fertility of the fields. There is proof of the high antiquity of the college, which was said to have been older than Rome itself, in the verbal forms of the song with which, down to late times, a part of the ceremonies was accompanied, and which is still preserved. No mention of the Fratres occurs in Cicero or Livy, and literary allusions to them are very scarce; but we possess a long series of the acta or minutes of their proceedings, drawn up by themselves, and inscribed on stone. Excavations (157o-1869) in the grove of the Dea Dia about 5m. from Rome, have yielded 96 of these rec ords, dating from A.D. 14 to 241. The brotherhood, almost forgot ' ten in republican times, was revived by Augustus. In his time the college consisted of a master (magister), a vice-master (promag ister), a flamen and a praetor, who were assisted at the sacrifices by four chorus boys, sons of senators, having both parents alive. Each wore a wreath of corn, a white fillet and the praetexta. The election of members was by co-optation on the motion of the presi dent, who, with a flanmen, was himself elected for one year.
The great annual festival was held in honour of the anonymous Dea Dia, probably identical with Ceres or Acca Larentia, on three days in May. It is a matter of dispute whether this festival was identical with that called Ambarvalia (q.v.). The ceremony of the first day, on which a sumptuous banquet took place, followed by a distribution of doles and garlands, was held in Rome itself. On the second and principal day of the festival the ceremonies were conducted in the grove of the Dea Dia. They included a dance in the temple of the goddess, at which the song of the brotherhood was sung, in language so antiquated that it was hardly intelligible (text and translation in Mommsen, Hist. of Rome, bk. i. ch. xv.) even to Romans of the time of Augustus. Special mention should be made of the ceremony of purifying the grove, which was held to be defiled by the felling of trees, the breaking of a bough, or the use of any iron tools. The song and dance were followed by the election of officers for the next year, a banquet and races. On the third day the sacrifice took place in Rome, and was of the same nature as that offered on the first day. The Arvales also offered sacrifice and solemn vows on behalf of the imperial family on the 3rd of January and on other extraordinary occasions. The brotherhood is said to have lasted till the time of Theodosius. The British Museum contains a bust of Marcus Aurelius in the dress of a Frater Arvalis.