pilentum

• an easy chariot or carriage, used by the Roman ladies, and in which the vessels, etc., for sacred rites were carried (cf. petorrita): pilentis et carpentis per urbem vehi matronis concessum est, quod, cum aurum non reperiretur, ex voto, quod Camillus voverat Apollini Delphico, contulerunt, Fest. p. 245 Müll.; cf. Liv. 5, 25: castae ducebant sacra per urbem Pilentis matres in mollibus, Verg. A. 8, 666; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 192.

• an easy chariot, ladies' carriage: ad sacra uti, L.: mollia, V.: Esseda festinant, pilenta, etc., H.

PILENTUMa state four-wheeled carriage with cushions, which conveyed the Roman matrons, flamines, and Vestals in sacred processions and to the public games (Verg. A. 8.666; Hor. Ep. 2.1, 192; Claudian, de Nupt. Hon. 285; Isid. Or. 20.12). It had a covered roof (as a curries arcuatus) similar no doubt in shape to that which is represented in the woodcut of LECTICAon p. 15 (see also under CARPENTUMand CAMERA); but it was open all round. The well, or body of the carriage, was called arca (Macrob. Sat. 1.6, 15), or capsus (Vitr. 10.9, 2; Isid. l. c.), which corresponds to the Gailic word ploxenum of the small Gallic carriage [CISIUM]: here were placed cushions for the occupants, and also any sacred vessels which they were conveying. This explains the account in Macrob. l. c., of a boy looking at the procession out of a garret window and seeing how the secreta sacrorum were set out in arca pilenti. The distinction of using the pilentum was granted to the Roman matrons by the senate on account of their giving gold and jewels to the state at the time of the fall of Veii (Liv. 5.25; cf. CARPENTUM). As regards the use of it by the flamines, see Liv. 1.21; for the Vestals, Prudentius, contra Symm. 2.1089. The pilentum is distinguished from the carpentum by having four wheels (Isidore, l. c.) and by its not being covered in with curtains at the sides, as was, at any rate sometimes, the case with the carpentum. The two-wheeled carriage drawn by lions which Rich gives as a pilentum from a medal of the Empress Faustina must be a carpentum; and its explanation may be found in the fact that in the pompa circensis the figures of deceased empresses were taken in a carpentum (Marquardt, Staatsverw. 3.511). Suetonius (Claud. ii.) mentions that Livia's was drawn by elephants. It is possible, however, that the lions may be merely a fanciful emblem. (Ginzrot, Wagen, cap. liv.; Marquardt, Privatleben, 735; Becker-Göll, Gallus, 3.17.)

A sort of spring-cart, used chiefly at Rome by women of the upper classes. No representation of the Roman pilentum is known to exist, and hence its form is a matter of conjecture. It had, however, four wheels, was fitted with cushions, and was used on occasions of state for conveying the Roman matrons, flamines, and Vestals in processions and to the public games (Verg. Aen. viii. 666; Epist. ii. 1, 192; Livy, i. 21; Claud. De Nupr. Honor. 285; Isidor. Orig. xx. 12). It was covered at the top, but open at the sides. See Ginzrot, Die Wagen der Alten, ch. liv.