Vesta

Vesta is the goddess of the hearth, the centre of the Roman home.

Unusual among the drama of the Roman Pantheon, Vesta is a quiet, well-behaved goddess who abstains from the arguments and fights of the other gods.

Vesta is the proector of the Sacred Flame, supposedly brought from Troy to Rome by the hero Aeneus. It is said that if this flame ever goes out, disaster will befall Roma. For the reason, the flame is kept alive by the Vestal Virgins. These maidens are chosen as young as six years old, and serve as priestesses for thirty years, during which time they are forbidden to marry or lay with a man.

In Roman homes, every day, during a meal, a small cake is thrown on the fire for Vesta. It is said to be good luck if the cake burns with a crackle.