God of war in ancient Rome. Ancient Roman allegory

In Ancient Rome, as in Ancient Greece, religion consisted of cults of different gods. At the same time, the Roman pantheon had many deities similar to the Greek ones. That is, we can talk about borrowing here. This happened because Greek mythology was more ancient than Roman. The Greeks created colonies on the territory of Italy when Rome did not even think about greatness. The inhabitants of these colonies spread Greek culture and religion to nearby lands, and therefore the Romans became continuers of Greek traditions, but interpreted them taking into account local conditions.

The most significant and revered in Ancient Rome was the so-called council of the gods, corresponding to the Olympian gods of Ancient Greece. The father of Roman poetry, Quintus Ennius (239 - 169 BC), systematized the deities of Ancient Rome and introduced six men and six women to this council. He also gave them Greek equivalents. This list was subsequently confirmed by the Roman historian Titus Livius (59 BC - 17 AD). Below is a list this advice celestials, Greek analogues are given in brackets.

Jupiter(Zeus) – king of the gods, god of sky and thunder, son of Saturn and Opa. The main deity of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. The rulers of Rome swore an oath to Jupiter and venerated him annually in September on the Capitoline Hill. He was personified with law, order and justice. In Rome there were 2 temples dedicated to Jupiter. One was built in 294 BC. e., and the second was erected in 146 BC. e. This god was personified by an eagle and an oak tree. His wife and sister was Juno.

Juno(Hera) - daughter of Saturn and Opa, wife and sister of Jupiter, queen of the gods. She was the mother of Mars and Vulcan. She was a defender of marriage, motherhood, and family traditions. It is in her honor that the month of June is named. She was part of the Capitoline triad along with Jupiter and Minerva. There is a statue of this goddess in the Vatican. She is depicted wearing a helmet and armor. Not only mere mortals, but also all the gods of Ancient Rome revered and respected Juno.

Neptune(Poseidon) – god of the sea and fresh water. Brother of Jupiter and Pluto. The Romans also worshiped Neptune as the god of horses. He was the patron of horse racing. In Rome, one temple was erected to this god. It was located near the Circus of Flaminia in the southern part of the Campus Martius. The circus had a small hippodrome. All these structures were built in 221 BC. e. Neptune is an extremely ancient deity. He was a household god among the Etruscans, and then migrated to the Romans.

Ceres(Demeter) – goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture. She was the daughter of Saturn and Opa and the sister of Jupiter. She had an only daughter, Proserpina (goddess of the underworld) from a relationship with Jupiter. It was believed that Ceres could not see hungry children. This drove her into a state of grief. Therefore, she always took care of orphans, surrounded them with care and attention. Every year in April a festival was held dedicated to this goddess. It lasted 7 days. She was also mentioned during marriages and ritual ceremonies associated with the harvest.

Minerva(Athena) - goddess of wisdom, patroness of art, medicine, trade, military strategy. Gladiator battles were often held in her honor. She was considered a virgin. She was often depicted with an owl (the owl of Minerva), which symbolized wisdom and knowledge. Long before the Romans, this goddess was worshiped by the Etruscans. Celebrations in her honor were held from March 19 to 23. This goddess was worshiped on the Esquiline Hill (one of the seven hills of Rome). The temple of Minerva was built there.

Apollo(Apollo) is one of the main gods of Greek and Roman mythologies. This is the god of the sun, light, music, prophecy, healing, art, poetry. It should be said that the Romans, in relation to this god, took the traditions of the ancient Greeks as a basis and practically did not change them. Apparently they seemed extremely successful, and therefore they did not change anything, so as not to spoil the beautiful legends about this god.

Diana(Artemis) – goddess of hunting, nature, fertility. She, like Minerva, was a virgin. In total, the gods of Ancient Rome had 3 goddesses who took a vow of celibacy - Diana, Minerva and Vesta. They were called maiden goddesses. Diana was the daughter of Jupiter and Latona, and was born with her twin brother Apollo. Since she patronized hunting, she wore a short tunic and hunting boots. She always had a bow, a quiver and a crescent-shaped diadem with her. The goddess was accompanied by deer or hunting dogs. The Temple of Diana in Rome was built on the Aventine Hill.

Mars(Ares) – god of war, as well as protector of agricultural fields in the early Roman period. He was considered the second most important god (after Jupiter) in the Roman army. Unlike Ares, who was treated with disgust, Mars was respected and loved. Under the first Roman emperor Augustus, a temple to Mars was built in Rome. During the Roman Empire, this deity was considered the guarantor of military power and peace and was never mentioned as a conqueror.

Venus(Aphrodite) – goddess of beauty, love, prosperity, victory, fertility and desires. The Roman people considered her their mother through her son Aeneas. He survived the fall of Troy and fled to Italy. Julius Caesar claimed to be the ancestor of this goddess. Subsequently, in Europe, Venus became the most popular deity of Roman mythology. She was personified with sexuality and love. The symbols of Venus were the dove and the hare, and among plants the rose and the poppy. The planet Venus is named after this goddess.

Volcano(Hephaestus) – god of fire and patron of blacksmiths. He was often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer. This is one of the most ancient Roman deities. In Rome there was a temple of Vulcan or Vulcanal, built in the 8th century BC. e. on the site of the future Roman Forum at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. A festival dedicated to Vulcan was celebrated every year in the second half of August. It was this god who forged lightning for Jupiter. He also made armor and weapons for other celestials. He equipped his forge in the crater of Mount Etna in Sicily. And he was helped in his work by golden women, whom God himself created.

Mercury(Hermes) – patron of trade, finance, eloquence, travel, good luck. He also served as a guide for souls to the underworld. Son of Jupiter and Maya. In Rome, the temple to this god was located in the circus, located between the Avetine and Palatine hills. It was built in 495 BC. e. A festival dedicated to this god took place in mid-May. But it was not as magnificent as for other gods, since Mercury was not considered one of the main deities of Rome. The planet Mercury was named in his honor.

Vesta(Hestia) is an extremely revered goddess among the ancient Romans. She was the sister of Jupiter and was identified with the goddess of the house and family hearth. The sacred fire always burned in her temples, and it was supported by the priestesses of the goddess - the virgin Vestal Virgins. This was a whole staff of female priestesses in Ancient Rome who enjoyed unquestioned authority. They were taken from wealthy families and were required to remain celibate for 30 years. If one of the Vestals violated this oath, then such a woman was buried in the ground alive. Celebrations dedicated to this goddess took place annually from June 7 to June 15.

Cicero wrote:
“With piety, reverence for the gods and wise confidence that everything is guided and governed by the will of the gods, we Romans surpassed all tribes and peoples.”

The Romans almost completely adopted the Greek gods - they just gave them different names. Their images, colors, symbols and spells remained the same; all you have to do is simply replace Zeus with Jupiter, and so on; however, this does not mean that they are completely identical.

There is a slight difference between Roman and Greek gods in that different names help to better understand them. As a rule, the Roman gods are more serious and firmer than the Greek ones; they are more virtuous and reliable. Some people consider the Roman gods to be too limited and a bit introverted, but they certainly have good qualities. For example, some of the cruelty of Aphrodite is less expressed in Venus, Jupiter is not as tyrannical as Zeus.

The expression “return to one’s native land,” meaning a return to one’s home, to the hearth, is more correctly pronounced “return to one’s native land.” The fact is that the Penates are the Roman guardian gods of the hearth, and each family usually had images of two Penates next to the hearth.

Since the 3rd century. before i. e. The Greek religion began to have a very strong influence on Roman religion. The Romans identified their abstract gods with the Greek gods. Thus, Jupiter was identified with Zeus, Mars with Ares, Venus with Aphrodite, Juno with Hera, Minerva with Athena, Ceres with Demeter, etc. Among the numerous Roman gods, the main Olympic gods stood out under the influence of Greek religious ideas: Jupiter - the god of sky and thunder and lightning. Mars is the god of war, Minerva is the goddess of wisdom, patroness of crafts, Venus is the goddess of love and fertility. Vulcan is the god of fire and blacksmithing, Ceres is the goddess of vegetation. Apollo is the god of the sun and light, Juno is the patroness of women and marriage, Mercury is the messenger of the Olympic gods, the patron of travelers, trade, Neptune is the god of the sea, Diana is the goddess of the moon.

The Roman goddess Juno had the title Moneta - “warning” or “adviser”. Near the Temple of Juno on the Capitol there were workshops where metal money was minted. That's why we call them coins, and English came from this word common name money - money.

One of the revered purely Italian deities was Janus, depicted with two faces, as the deity of entry and exit, of all beginnings. The Olympian gods were considered the patrons of the Roman community and were revered by the patricians. The plebeians especially revered the divine trinity: Ceres, Libora, Proserpina - the goddess of vegetation and the underworld, and Libora - the god of wine and fun. The Roman pantheon never remained closed; foreign deities were accepted into its composition. The adoption of new gods was believed to strengthen the power of the Romans. Thus, the Romans borrowed almost the entire Greek pantheon, and at the end of the 3rd century. BC e. veneration of the Great Mother of the Gods from Phrygia was introduced. The conquest of many overseas territories, especially the Hellenistic states, introduced the Romans to Hellenistic and Eastern gods, who found worshipers among the Roman population. The slaves who arrived in Rome and Italy professed their own cults, thereby spreading other religious views.

The Roman emperor Caligula once declared war on the god of the seas Neptune, after which he led his army to the shore and ordered the soldiers to throw spears into the water.

In order for the gods to take care of people and the state, they needed to make sacrifices, offer prayers and requests, and perform special ritual actions. Special boards of knowledgeable people - priests - monitored the cult of individual gods, the order in temples, prepared sacrificial animals, monitored the accuracy of prayers and ritual actions, and could give advice on which deity to turn to with the necessary request.

When the emperor died, he was ranked among the gods, and the title Divus - Divine - was added to his name.

The Roman religion bore the stamp of formalism and sober practicality: they expected help from the gods in specific matters and therefore scrupulously performed established rituals and made the necessary sacrifices. In relation to the gods, the principle “I give so that you give” operated. The Romans converted great attention on outside religion, on the petty performance of rituals, and not on spiritual merging with the deity. The Roman religion did not arouse the sacred awe and ecstasy that take possession of the believer. That is why the Roman religion, despite its outward very strict observance of all formalities and rituals, little affected the feelings of believers and gave rise to dissatisfaction. This is associated with the penetration of foreign, especially eastern, cults, often characterized by a mystical and orgiastic character, and some mystery. The cult of the Great Mother of the Gods and the cult of Dionysus - Bacchus, included in the official Roman pantheon, were especially widespread. The Roman Senate took measures against the spread of orgiastic eastern cults, believing that they undermined the official Roman religion, with which the power of the Roman state and its stability were associated. So, in 186 BC. e. Unbridled bacchanalia associated with the rites of the cult of Bacchus - Dionysus were prohibited.

All planets solar system, except for the Earth, are named after Roman gods.

The powerful ruler of the sky, the personification of sunlight, thunderstorms, storms, who in anger threw lightning, striking with them those who disobeyed his divine will - such was the supreme ruler of the gods, Jupiter. His abode was on high mountains, from where he looked out over the whole world, the fate of individuals and nations depended on him. Jupiter expressed his will with peals of thunder, the flash of lightning, the flight of birds (especially the appearance of an eagle dedicated to him); sometimes he sent prophetic dreams, in which he discovered the future.

very cool but I want to add
Roman; the same Greek ones;
Jupiter Zeus
pluto hades
Juno Hera
Diana Artemis
Phoebus Apollo
Minerva Athena
venus aphrodite
ceres demeter
Liber Dionysus
volcano hephaestus
mercury hermes
mars ares
01.03.12 Diana

In my opinion, the civilization of Ancient Rome was the most magnificent of all in the ancient era. Therefore, it has always been surprising to me that the Romans were not able to create their own pantheon of gods (although they had them), but almost completely borrowed it from the Greece they conquered.

However, in fairness, it should be noted that the Romans borrowed gods not only from the Greeks, but from all the peoples with whom they entered into one relationship or another. Proof of this can be found in the very popular cults in Rome. Miter - deities of Indo-Iranian origin, Sumerian-Akkadian Ishtar (Astarte), and indeed Christianity , which at the beginning of the 4th century became the official religion of the Roman Empire, was borrowed by the Romans from Judea they conquered.

But still, before the Christianization of Rome, the basis of the Roman pantheon was precisely Greek Olympian gods , only renamed by them.

Let's look at those gods that the Romans worshiped, to once again make sure that all of them, as they say, "made in Greece" .

JUPITER (aka ZEUS in Greek mythology)

The supreme deity who presided over the council of gods. God of the sky, who sent rain, thunder and lightning. In Rome, in the Temple of Jupiter, the consuls took the oath and the first meeting of the Senate of the coming year took place.

PLUTO (HADES)

God kingdom of the dead, keeper of underground wealth, brother of Jupiter.

NEPTUNE (POSEIDON)

God of the seas, brother of Jupiter and Pluto.

VOLCANO (HEPHESTUS)

God of fire and patron of blacksmithing. The Romans believed that he forged weapons for other gods and heroes in a forge located inside Mount Etna in Sicily. By the way, the lightning of Jupiter (Zeus) is also his work.

MARS (ARES)

Initially, in ancient Italy he was the god of fertility (the first month of the Old Roman year was named March in his honor), after being identified with Ares, he was the god of war.

MINERVA (ATHENA)

Goddess of wisdom, useful discoveries and inventions, patroness of warriors, artisans, doctors, teachers, sculptors and musicians.

MERCURY (HERMES)

God of trade, cunning and resourceful. He was also considered the patron saint of various types of swindlers, thieves and crooks. Part-time - a messenger of the gods and a conductor of the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Pluto.

CERES (DEMETER)

Goddess of the harvest and fertility, patroness of orphaned children.

DIANA (ARTEMIS)

Goddess of the hunt, flora and fauna. She was considered the patroness of prisoners, plebeians and slaves, so in Rome she was popular among the lower strata of the population.

PHOEB (APOLLO)

God of light, patron of the arts, healer. One of the most revered gods in Rome (Emperor Octavian Augustus declared him his patron).

VENUS (APHRODITE)

Originally - the goddess of blooming gardens and spring. After identification with Aphrodite - goddess of love.

BACCHUS (DIONYSUS, BACCHUS)

God of wine. (The Romans, however, also had their own plebeian god of wine - Liber ). Bacchus is associated with fun, drunkenness, all kinds of debauchery and madness. In 186 BC. the Senate even issued a special decree against bacchanalia; many participants in the orgies were executed. But ogrias in honor of Bacchus (bacchanalia) continued, despite all the prohibitions, until the Christianization of Rome.

Actually, bacchanalia and other orgistic holidays in Rome were common occurrence, moreover, participation in them was almost obligatory, since it was believed that all the gods of the Roman pantheon participated in them, which means that refusal to participate in the orgy was blasphemy - an insult to the gods.

Of course, not all the deities that the Romans worshiped are given here, but only the main personalities of the Roman (and, in fact, Greek) pantheon. But this, I think, is quite enough for you to draw certain conclusions (in the comments to the post, please).

Thank you for your attention.
Sergey Vorobiev.

There were many Roman gods. So many. In fact, the Roman pantheon of gods included the pantheon of gods of almost all the peoples of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. As the Roman Empire grew, the Romans absorbed not only territories, but also their heavenly patrons.

Unlike the Greeks, the Romans did not have a history of mythological storytelling. However, they had a developed system of rituals and a rich set of legends about the founding of Rome. Of course, the basis of the Roman gods were either borrowed from the Greeks, or their gods and goddesses were adapted to Greek cults. To this pantheon of gods were added neighboring local gods and goddesses. Over time, the original religion of the ancient Romans was modified by the addition of numerous and often conflicting gods and traditions.

But the Romans should not be considered liberals in relation to religion and cults. In the Roman Empire, all gods could be worshiped, but the gods of Rome were the main ones. In pagan culture, victory on the battlefield was achieved not only by armies, but by the patron gods of this army. Thus, the gods of other cultures, as well as their worshipers, had to recognize the primacy of the gods of the victorious tribe. Usually the pagans, having defeated and conquered their enemies, destroyed their temples and sanctuary. The gods are defeated, why pray to them. The Romans made an amendment to this logic. Pray to your loser gods, but recognize our gods as supreme. If these peoples did not recognize the gods of Rome, then the Romans extremely cruelly suppressed such movements.

An exception was made only for the Jews. They were allowed to pray to the one God of Abraham, without recognizing the gods of Rome. But the Jews always lived separately and the Romans avoided communication with this people. It was possible to understand them. The Romans believed that their guests should come with gifts not only for the owners of the house, but also for the genius of the house, i.e. his patron. Those who came to the house without bringing a gift to the patron deity could bring the wrath of the genius on the owner and his family. Well, from the side of the Jews it is clear that making a sacrifice to some brownie was a sin against the one God. Naturally, the same logic applied to the entire empire. Religious misunderstandings between cultures certainly led to mutual fear and hatred. Therefore, the foundations of European anti-Semitism lie long before the advent of Christianity.

Speaking of Christians. The same logic of anti-Judaism befell Christians. But if the Jews did not particularly want to communicate with the outside world, then the Christians, of course, carried their preaching to all the peoples of the empire and therefore undermined all the religious foundations of society. This explains the rare, but very cruel persecutions against Christians.

Atlantis	Dyatlov Pass	Waverly Hills Sanatorium	Rome
London	Masada	Herculaneum	Nessebar
Hilt	Adrianov Val	Antonine Wall	Skara Bray
Parthenon	Mycenae	Olympia	Karnak
Pyramid of Cheops	Troy	Tower of Babel	Machu Picchu
Coliseum	Chichen Itza	Teotihuacan	Great Wall of China
Side	Stonehenge	Jerusalem	Petra

Genealogy of Greek and Roman gods

The main deities of Ancient Rome

Name	Origin	Original title	Description
Apollo	Greece	Apollo	Apollo was one of the most important of the Olympian deities. Son of Zeus and Leto, brother of Artemis, Apollo was revered as the god of light and sun, truth and prophecy, medicine, archery, music and poetry. One of the most important temples of the city of Pompeii stood in the city's Forum.
Asclepius	Greece	Asclepius	Ancient Roman god of medicine and healing in ancient Greece. Father of Hygieus and Panacea. Asclepius represented the healing aspect of medicine. The Rod of Asclepius was depicted as a staff with intertwined snakes. To this day, this symbol remains a symbol of medicine.
Bacchus	Greece	Dionysus	Ancient Roman b og Dionysus was one of the twelve Olympians, the main gods of Ancient Greece. He was the most cheerful and revered god since he was the god of wine and intoxication. For the Romans, he was also the divine patron of agriculture and the theater.
Ceres	Greece	Demeter	Ceres-Demeter was the Roman goddess of the harvest and mother's love. Daughter of Saturn and Opis, sister of Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno and Veritas. Ceres formed a trinity with two other gods associated with agriculture, Liber and Libera.
Amur	Greece	Eros	Ancient Roman b og love and beauty. Son of Venus and Mars. Cupid's powers must have been even greater than those of his mother, since he had dominion over the dead, sea creatures and gods on Olympus.
Quirin	Sabinyan		Quirinus was originally a deity of the Sabine tribe. The cult of this god was brought to Rome by Sabine settlers who settled on the Quirinal Hill. Quirinus was originally a god of war similar to Mars. At a later time he became identified with Romulus, the first Roman king. IN early period history of the Roman state, Quirinus, together with Jupiter and Mars, was part of the triad of the main Roman gods, each of which had its own High Priest. The holiday of the god Quirin - Quirinalia - was held on February 17.
Cybele	Phrygia	Cybele	Great Mother (Magna mater in Latin), goddess of caves and mountains, walls and fortresses, nature and wild animals.
Diana	Greece	Artemis	Ancient Roman b goddess of the hunt, the moon, fertility and childbirth, animals and forests. The daughter of Jupiter and Lato and the sister of Apollo, Diana completed the trinity of Roman deities with Egeria, the water nymph, and Virbius, the god of the forest.
Faunus or Faun	Greece	Pan	One of the oldest Roman deities, he was the legendary king of the Latins who came with their people from Arcadia. Faun was a horned god wilderness, plains and fields. In Roman literature he was equated with the Greek god Pan.
Hercules	Greece	Hercules	Ancient Roman b og victory and commercial enterprise. He was identified with the Etruscan hero Hercules. The Greek version says that Hercules was the son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene and lived the life of a mortal until his death, when he became elevated to the host of gods. The Romans accepted the myths of Hercules, including his twelve labors, essentially unchanged, but added anecdotal details of their own creation.
Isis	Egypt	Isis	Ancient Roman b goddess of the earth. The cult originated in the Nile Delta and gradually spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshiped as the goddess of nature and magic and was the patron saint of various groups, including slaves, sinners, virgins, aristocrats and the rich. A small but beautiful temple was dedicated to her in Pompeii.
Janus	Etruria	Ani (possibly)	Ancient Roman b og gates, doors, beginning and ending. Janus was usually depicted with two heads facing in opposite directions, and was one of the few Roman gods that had no parallel in other cultures. The month of January was named after him because it was the beginning of something new.
Juno	Greece	Hera	Roman queen of the gods and protector of the Roman state. Daughter of Saturn and Opis, sister and wife of Jupiter, sister of Neptune, Pluto, Ceres and Veritas. Juno was also the mother of Juventas, Mars and Vulcan. The month of June was named after her.
Jupiter	Greece	Zeus	King of the gods, and god of sky and thunder. As the patron deity of ancient Rome, he ruled over laws and social order. The son of Saturn and Opis, he was also the brother of Neptune, Pluto, Veritas, Ceres and Juno (who also became his wife). Jupiter was revered as part of the Capitoline Triad along with Juno and Minerva. The Temple of Jupiter was the most important religious building in the forum of Pompeii and the entire city. In Roman mythology, he negotiated with Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, to create the principles of Roman religion, such as offering or sacrifice.
Mars	Greece	Ares	Ancient Roman b og of war and the most famous of the war gods. Son of Juno and Jupiter, husband of Bellona, ​​and lover of Venus, he was also the legendary father of Romulus, founder of Rome. Originally the god of fertility, agriculture and protector of livestock. The month of March was named after him.
Mercury	Greece	Hermes	Messenger of the gods and carrier of the soul to the underworld. In addition, he was the god of trade, profit and commerce. Mercury was depicted with winged boots and a hat, carrying a caduceus staff with two intertwined snakes, a gift from Apollo to Hermes-Mercury.
Minerva	Greece	Athena	Ancient Roman b goddess of wisdom and war. Daughter of Jupiter, she was also the goddess of trade and commerce, arts and crafts, medicine and school. She is one of the few gods and goddesses who did not fall in love and kept her virginity. Sometimes she was called Pallas Athena or Parthena, that is, “virginity.” The most famous temple dedicated to her was the Parthenon in Athens.
Miter	Persia	Miter	Perhaps Mithras was the sun god. Several inscriptions describe him as "Deus Sol Invictus" (the unconquered sun god). Little is known about the beliefs of the Mithraic cult, but it is certain that it was popular. Many Mithraic temples were hidden underground and therefore perfectly preserved as they escaped robbery. What happened in these temples and why they were so secret is still a matter of debate.
Neptune	Etruria Greece	Nefuns Poseidon	Ancient Roman b og of the sea. Son of Saturn and Opis and brother of Jupiter, Pluto, Juno, Ceres and Veritas. In Rome, however, Neptune was more regarded as the god of horses and racing, and was known as Neptune the Horseman-Equester (at the Circus of Flaminius, there was a temple sanctuary dedicated to him).
Description	Greece	Rhea	Ancient Roman b goddess of wealth, abundance and prosperity. Sister and wife of Saturn, mother of Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, Ceres and Veritas. Often referred to as the "Mother of the Gods".
Pluto	Greece	Hades	Ancient Roman b og of the underworld and its riches. The son of Saturn and Opis, he was also the brother of Neptune, Pluto, Veritas, Ceres and Juno. He was also the god of the dead, the terminally ill, and those wounded in battle.
Saturn	Greece	Cron	Ancient Roman b og harvest and agriculture. Husband of Opis, father of Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, Ceres and Veritas. Saturday was named after him.
Venus	Greece	Aphrodite	Ancient Roman b goddess of love, beauty and fertility. Initially the cult was based on the Etruscan goddess of vegetation and gardens, over time she became to a greater extent associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Vesta	Italy, Greece	Hestia	Ancient Roman and Greek goddess of the hearth, home and family. Little is known about the cult of the goddess herself. The Fire of Vesta was guarded in Rome by special chosen priestesses, the Vestals, who were required to observe absolute chastity for 30 years. If they broke their vows, they were buried alive so as not to bring the wrath of the gods on the entire city.
Volcano	Greece	Hephaestus	Ancient Roman god of blacksmithing, fire and blacksmiths. He was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the husband of Maya and Venus. His forge was believed by the ancients to be located under Mount Etna in Sicily. The inhabitants of Pompeii did not know that Mount Vesuvius was a volcano, otherwise they would have been able to find a blacksmith there too. Vulcanarium - a holiday that celebrated people's gratitude to the god Vulcan was celebrated on August 23, that is, one day before the eruption. This played a cruel joke on the citizens. Many believed that this was a good sign from God and therefore there was nothing to fear. The Vulcanalia festival, celebrated on August 23 every year, was held during the height of the summer heat. During the festival, bonfires were lit in honor of God, and live fish or small animals so that God can use them instead of people

Triads of ancient Roman gods
Archaic Triad of ancient Roman gods: Jupiter, Mars, Quirinus.
Capitoline Triad of ancient Roman gods: Jupiter, Juno, Minerva
Plebeian or Aventist triad of ancient Roman gods: Ceres, Liber, Libera, dated 493 BC.

Lesser Roman Gods

Abundance, the divine personification of abundance and prosperity. also known as Abundia, Gabona, Fulla - the ancient Roman goddess of abundance, companion of Ceres. She was depicted as a woman pouring gold from a cornucopia. Her image was captured only on coins. No altars or temples were erected in honor of Abundantia. She was one of the embodiments of virtue in the religious propaganda that forced the emperor to serve as the guarantor of the conditions of the "golden age." Thus, Abundantia appears in art, cult and literature, but does not have a mythology as such. It may have survived in one form or another in Roman Gaul and medieval France.

Akka Larentia, mythical woman, later an ancient Roman goddess, in the pantheon of Roman mythology. It is believed that she is the first priestess of the goddess Tellus, the wife of the shepherd Faustulus, the nurse of Romulus and Remus, the mother of twelve sons, of whom Romulus formed the priestly college of the Arval brothers. This religious group annually made a cleansing tour of the territory of Rome, accompanied by sacrifices and a three-day ritual holiday. Larentalia was celebrated on December 23.

Akis, god of the river Acis in Sicily. The story of the love of Acis and the sea nymph Galatea appears in Ovid's Metamorphoses. There, the jealous Cyclops Polyphemus, who also loves Galatea, stumbled upon them while they were in each other's arms. He killed his opponent with a boulder. His destructive passion leads nowhere. Galatea turns Akis into a river spirit, as immortal as she is. The episode became the subject of poems, operas, paintings and statues during the Renaissance and beyond.

Aion(Latin: Eon), Hellenistic - the Greek god of cyclical or unlimited time in ancient Greek mythology and theocosmogony. This deity is the personification of eternity.

Aiy Lokutsiy, a divine voice that warned the Romans of the imminent Gallic invasion. According to Roman mythology, in 364 from the founding of Rome, the goros warned the Romans. He called out to the people of Rome on one of the Roman streets, Zhianova. But they didn’t listen to the voice. The Senones, one of the Gaul tribes, devastated the city. A temple was erected on that street to the deity who was offended by the lack of attention.

Alernus or Elernus(possibly Helernus), an archaic ancient Roman god whose sacred grove (lucus) was near the Tiber River. The deity is mentioned only by Obed. The grove was the birthplace of the nymph Cranea, and despite the god's relative obscurity, state priests performed sacred rites (sacra) there during the reign of Emperor Augustus. Alernus may have been a chthonic god if the black bull was the correct sacrificial offering to him, since dark sacrifices were offered to the gods of the underworld. Dumezil wanted to make him the god of beans.

Ananke, “inevitability, fate, need, necessity” - in ancient Greek mythology, the deity of necessity, inevitability, the personification of fate, fate and predestination from above. She was revered in Orphic beliefs. Ananka is close to Adrastea and Dika.

Angerona, Roman goddess who freed people from pain and sorrow.

Angitia, Roman goddess associated with snakes and Medea.

Anna Perenna, early Roman goddess of the "circle of the year", her feast day was celebrated on March 15th.
Annona, the divine personification of the supply of grain to Rome.
Antevorta, Roman goddess of the future and one of the Camenae; also called Porrima.
Ahrimanium, a little-known god, part of the cult of Mithra.
Aura, often used in the plural Aura, "breeze".
Aurora, Roman goddess of the dawn.
Averrunk, Roman god, merciful to prevent disaster.

Bellona or Duellona, ​​Roman goddess of war.
Bona Di, "female goddess" with functions related to fertility, healing and chastity.
Bonus Eventus, Eventus, originally the Roman god of the harvest, and subsequently the divine personification of "Good Result".
Bubona, Roman goddess of cattle.

Genius, faithful spirit or divine patron of every person
Graces or Charites (among the Greeks) are three goddesses of fun and joy of life, the personification of grace and attractiveness.

Hermaphroditus, an androgynous Greek god whose mythology was imported into Latin literature.
Gonos, the divine personification of honor.
Hora, wife of Quirin.

Dea Dia, Roman goddess of growth.
Dea Tacita ("Silent Goddess"), Roman goddess of the dead; later equated with the earth goddess Larentha.
Decima, one of the three Parcs, or goddesses of Fate, in Roman mythology. She measures how long the thread of life of each individual person will be with the help of her staff. She is also the goddess of childbirth. In ancient Greek mythology, she corresponds to Moira Lachesis. Together with Nona and Morta, they control the metaphorical thread of life.
Devera or Deverra, a Roman goddess who presided over brooms used to clean temples in preparation for various services, sacrifices and celebrations; she defended midwives and women in childbirth.
Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, virginity and childbirth, twin sister of Apollo and one of the Council of the Gods.
Diana Nemorensis, local version of Diana. Roman equivalent of Artemis (Greek goddess)
Discordia, the personification of discord and strife. Roman equivalent of Eris (Greek goddess)
Dius Phidias, the Roman god of oaths, is associated with Jupiter.
Di inferi, Roman deities associated with death and the underworld.
Discipline, personification of discipline.
Distus Pater or Dispater was the Roman god of the underworld, later belonging to Pluto or Hades. Originally a chthonic god of wealth, fertile farmland and underground mineral wealth, he was later equated with the Roman deities Pluto and Orcus, becoming a deity of the underworld.

Indigi, deified Aeneas.
Intercidona, minor Roman goddess of childbirth; designed to keep evil spirits away from the child; symbolized by a wood splitter.
Inuus, Roman god of fertility and sexual intercourse, protector of livestock.
Invidia, Roman goddess of envy and wrongdoing.

Kaka, archaic Roman goddess of fire and "proto-Vesta"; sister of Kakus.
Cacus, originally ancient god fire, later considered a giant.
Kamena, Roman goddess with various attributes, including the patroness of fresh water, prophecy and childbirth. There were four of them: Carmenta, Egeria, Antevorta and Postvorta.
Cardea, ancient Roman goddess of door locks (lat. cardines) and guardian of the house. Her feast day was June 1, this date was determined by Junius Brutus, one of the first consuls of Rome and one of the founders of the Roman Republic after the expulsion of the Roman kings. Cardea identified by Ovid with Karna (bottom)
Carmenta, the Roman goddess of childbirth and prophecy, and appointed the fiery minor. Leader Kamen (top).
Carmena, two goddesses of childbirth: Antevorta and Postvorta or Porrima, future and past.
Karna, a Roman goddess who preserved the health of the heart and other internal organs.
Clementia, Roman goddess of forgiveness and mercy.
Cloacina, the Roman goddess who presided over the sewer system in Rome; identified with Venus.
Concordia, Roman goddess of concord, understanding and marital harmony.
Consus, chthonic god who protects the storage of grain.
Kura, the personification of care and concern, which, according to one source, created people from clay.
Cybele - Anatolian mother goddess; she may have had a predecessor in the early Neolithic era, whose figurine was found in Çatalhöyük. Several such images were found. She is the only known goddess of Phrygia and was probably its state deity. Her Phrygian cult was adopted and adapted by the Greek colonists of Asia Minor and spread to mainland Greece and its more distant western colonies around the 6th century BC.

Lares, everyday Roman gods. The Romans built altars to honor deities who guarded home and family. When friends came to the family, they had to bring a gift to the patrons of the house. Offending these gods could bring down the wrath of the entire family. For Jews and later Christians, offering gifts to such idols was not acceptable. This of course led to friction and persecution, which first led to the emergence of European anti-Semitism, and later to the persecution of Christians.
Laverna, patroness of thieves, swindlers and charlatans.
Latona, Roman goddess of light.
Lemurs, the malicious dead.
Levana, Roman ritual goddess through whom fathers accepted newborn children as their own.
Letum, the personification of death.
Liber, Roman god of male fertility, viticulture and freedom, assimilated with the Roman Bacchus and the Greek Dionysus.
Libera, the female equivalent of Libera, was assimilated with the Roman Proserpina and the Greek Persephone.
Liberalitas, Roman goddess or personification of generosity.
Libertas, Roman goddess or personification of freedom.
Libitina, Roman goddess of death, corpses and funerals.
Lua, the Roman goddess to whom soldiers sacrificed captured weapons, was probably the consort of Saturn.
Lucifer, Roman god of the morning star
Lucina, Roman goddess of childbirth, but often described as an aspect of Juno.
Luna, Roman goddess of the moon.
Lupercus, Roman god of shepherds and wolves; as the god of Lupercalia, his identity is unclear, but he is sometimes identified with the Greek god Pan.
Lymph, often multiple lymphs, Roman water deity assimilated to Greek nymphs.

Mana Genita, goddess of infant mortality
mana, souls of the dead, who began to be regarded as household deities.
Mania, wife of the Etruscan freshwater god Mantus, and may have been identified with the shadowy Mater Larum; not to be confused with Greek manias.
Mantus, Etruscan god of the dead and ruler of the underworld.
Mater Matuta, goddess of dawn and childbirth, patroness of sailors.
Meditrina, the goddess of healing, was introduced to account for the festival of Meditrinalia.
Mephitis, goddess and personification of poisonous gases and volcanic vapors.
Mellons or Mellonii, goddesses of bees and beekeeping.
Mena or Mene, goddess of fertility and menstruation.
Mole, daughter of Mars, probably the goddess of grain grinding.
Coin, a minor goddess of memory, equivalent to the Greek Mnemosyne. Also used as an epithet for Juno.
Mors, the personification of death and the equivalent of the Greek Thanatos.
Morta, a minor goddess of death and one of the Parques (the Roman equivalent of the Moirei). Cutting the thread of life, its Greek equivalent was Atropos.
Murcia or Murtia, a little-known goddess who was associated with myrtle and in other sources called the goddess of sloth (both interpretations arising from false etymologies of her name). Later equated with Venus in the form of the Venus of Murcia.
Mutunus Tutunus, phallic god.

Naenia, goddess of funeral lamentation.
Nascio, personification of the act of birth.
Nemesis, goddess of revenge (Greek).
Nerio, ancient goddess of war and personification of valor. Consort of Mars.
Nevitita, a goddess and associated with Consus and Neptune in the Etruscan-Roman zodiac by Martian of Capella, but is little known.
Nixie, also di nixie, goddess of childbirth.
Nona, minor goddess. Spins the thread of life, its Greek equivalent was Clotho.
Nortia is a Roman goddess taken from the Etruscan pantheon, a goddess of fate from the city of Volsinium, where a nail was driven into the wall of the main temple as part of a New Year's ceremony.
Nox, goddess of the night, derived from the Greek Nyukta.

Ops or Opis, goddess of resources or wealth.
Orcus, god of the underworld and punisher of broken oaths.

Palatua, a little-known goddess who guarded the Palatine Hill.
Pales, deity of shepherds and cattle.
Parka, three destinies.
Pax, goddess of peace; equivalent to the Greek Eirene.
Penates or Di-penates, household gods.
Picumen, minor god of fertility, agriculture, marriage, babies and children.
Picus, the Italic god of woodpeckers with divination powers.
Pietas, goddess of duty; the personification of Roman virtue.
Pillum, a minor guardian god, was responsible for protecting babies at birth.
Poena, goddess of punishment.
Pomona, goddess of fruit trees, gardens and orchards.
Porrima, goddess of the future. Also called Antevortra.
Portunus, god of keys, doors and cattle, was assigned the fiery minor.
Postverta or Prorsa Postverta, goddess of childbirth and the past, one of the two Carments.
Priapus, adopted phallic guardian.
Proserpina, Queen of the Dead and goddess of grain, the Roman equivalent of the Greek Persephone.
Providence, goddess of forethought.
Pudicia, goddess and personification of chastity, one of the Roman virtues. Its Greek equivalent was Aidos.

Thalaser was an ancient Italic god. Some historians are inclined to consider it an epithet of Jupiter, since phalandum, according to Festus, was an Etruscan word meaning "heaven."
Fama, Roman goddess of fame and rumors.
Fascinus, phallic Roman god who protected against invidia (envy) and the evil eye.
Fauna, Roman goddess of prophecy, but possibly a name for other goddesses such as Maia.
Faun, Roman god of herds.
Faustitas, Roman goddess who protected herds and livestock.
Fevrus or Fevruus, Roman god of Etruscan origin, after whom the month of February was named. Fevruus, whose name means "purifier", was the god of purification. For the Etruscans, Fevrus was also the god of wealth (money/gold) and death, both associated with the underworld in the same natural way as with the more famous Roman god Pluto.
Febris, "Fever", Roman goddess who could cause or prevent fever and malaria.
Fecunditas, Roman personification of fertility.
Felicitas, the personification of luck and success.
Ferentina, Roman patron goddess of the city of Ferentina, latium, protector of the Latin commonwealth.
Ferunia, Roman goddess associated with the desert, plebeians, freedmen and freedom in a general sense.
Fidesz, the personification of loyalty.
Flore, Roman goddess of flowers.
Fornax - In ancient Roman religion, Fornax was the divine personification of the furnace (fornax). Her feast day, Fornacalia, was celebrated on February 17 among the thirty curiae, the most ancient divisions of the city, made by Romulus from the original three tribes of Rome. Fornacalia was the second of two festivals associated with the curiae, the other being Fordicia on April 19th.
Phontus or Fons, Roman god of wells and springs.
Fortuna, Roman goddess of fortune.
Fufluns, Roman god of wine, natural growth and health. It was adopted from the Etruscan religion.
Fulgora, personification of lightning.
Furrina, Roman goddess whose functions are largely unknown.

Caelus, Roman god of the sky before Jupiter.

Ceres, Roman goddess of the harvest and mother of Proserpina and one of the Council of the Gods. Roman equivalent of Demeter.

Ericure, Roman goddess, possibly of Celtic origin, associated with the underworld and identified with Proserpina.
Equitas, the divine personification of justice.
Aesculapius, the Roman equivalent of Asclepius, the god of health and medicine.
Eternitas, goddess and personification of eternity.
Egeria, a water nymph or goddess, later considered part of Kamen.
Empanda or Panda, a Roman goddess whose temple was never closed to those in need.
Epona, Gallo-Roman goddess of horses and riding, usually considered a Celtic deity.
Edesia, the Roman goddess of food who presides over banquets.

Justitia, Roman goddess of justice
Juturna, Roman goddess of fountains, wells and springs.
Juventas, Roman goddess of youth.

Janus, the two-faced or double-headed Roman god of beginnings and ends, and god of doors.

In ancient times, the Romans imagined the gods as certain forces surrounding man everywhere. As contact with Greece increased, significant changes occurred in the Roman religious system: deities were “received” as human beings, and many of them were identified with Greek gods. Moreover, over time, some Greek myths and legends spread to the Roman gods.

Jupiter, supreme god

God of the sky, thunderstorms and daylight, the highest deity protecting the world order, patron of the Roman state. His symbols are the eagle and lightning bolts.

Mars, god of war

As the legendary father of Romulus and Remus, he was considered the ancestor and patron of all Romans. Initially he was a god - the guardian of the fields, but then became the god of war as a craft. The month of March was named after him. His symbols are a spear and a shield.

Mercury, god of trade and all crafts

Messenger of the gods, giver of dreams and guide of the dead. In addition, he was the god of inventions, gymnastic inventions, music and eloquence. Patron of merchants and thieves. He was depicted as a young man in winged sandals with a caduceus (a rod intertwined with two snakes) and a wallet in his hands.

Liber, or Bacchus, patron god of winemaking

God of wine and fun. In the villages during the grape harvest, cheerful and playful songs were sung in his honor. In cities, during the celebration of Liberals dedicated to him, theatrical performances were staged.

Neptune, god of the sea

He controls all sea phenomena: he sends storms and calms the waves. Like an earth shaker, it produces earthquakes and cuts rocks. Relentless and furious in anger. He was also revered as the patron saint of horses and equestrian competitions. Often depicted standing on a chariot with a trident in his hands.

Apollo, god - protector of good and order

The messenger of the will of Jupiter monitors its fulfillment, striking those who disobey with arrows and diseases, and granting prosperity to those who do it. God of predictions, poetry, music and singing. They were depicted as a beautiful young man with a bow in his hand and a quiver behind his back, or as an inspired singer with a lyre in his hands.

Dit, god of the underworld

The owner of countless riches hidden in the depths of the earth. His other name is Orc, the god of destruction and death, who drags his victim into the underworld and holds him captive there.

Saturn, god of sowing and harvest

According to legends, after being overthrown from the sky by Jupiter, he settled as a king at the foot of the Capitol. During his stay on earth, he taught people to grow grain and grapes, and to live in peace and harmony. In memory of his reign, the Romans celebrated the festival of Saturnalia.

Janus, god of all beginnings

A two-faced god, looking forward and backward at the same time. The beginning of the year and each month, doorposts and arches were dedicated to him. His temple was shaped like a city gate: it was opened during war and closed when peace came.

Vulcan, god of fire and hearth

They always turned to him with prayers for protection from fire. He was the patron of the blacksmith's craft, and he himself was often depicted as a broad-shouldered but lame blacksmith. One of his workshops, according to legend, was located in the depths of the Sicilian Mount Etna.

Cupid or Cupid

Son of Venus. He is usually depicted as a winged youth or boy with a bow in his hand and a quiver over his shoulders. He is full of cunning and cunning, and from his arrows, which can both ignite love and destroy it, there is no salvation for either people or gods.

Diana, goddess of the moon and plant life

The patroness of forest plants and animals, but at the same time the goddess-hunter. Helped women during childbirth. She was considered the protector of plebeians and slaves. She was depicted as a young girl with a bow and arrow, sometimes accompanied by a doe.

Ceres, goddess of agriculture and bread

The name of this goddess comes from Latin verb meaning to give birth, to create. She was worshiped mainly in rural areas, celebrating holidays in her honor before sowing and during harvest. Often depicted as a middle-aged woman with a wreath of ears of grain on her head, ears of grain in one hand and a torch in the other.

Quirin

Its exact origin and functions are unknown. According to one version, this is the deity of the Sabine tribe, according to another - Romulus, who became a god after his death.

Venus, goddess of nature, love and beauty

The personification of the productive forces of nature. Patroness of conjugal love. She was depicted as unusually beautiful woman. This goddess began to enjoy special respect and veneration since the reign of Emperor Augustus, since she was considered the ancestor of the Julian family, to which Julius Caesar and Octavian Augustus himself belonged.

Vesta, goddess of the hearth and fire on it

In ancient times, the center of every home was the hearth, so the goddess, the personification of the fire burning on it, was revered as the founder and guardian of home life. It is believed that the state cult of this goddess was introduced by Numa Pompilius. Her temple, unlike others, was round in plan, located in the Forum, 6 Vestal priestesses constantly kept the fire in it. The Romans believed that their state would exist as long as the fire burned in the Temple of Vesta.

Minerva, goddess of wisdom

The main features of this goddess are prudence and strength. She is the patroness of Rome, leader and protector of cities in times of peace and war. Teachers, writers, poets and actors were also under her tutelage. She was depicted with a spear in her hand, a helmet on her head and an aegis, a scaly shell on her shoulders and chest, and an owl or a snake, symbols of wisdom, was placed at her feet.

Juno, Queen of Heaven

She was both the sister and wife of Jupiter. She was revered as an intercessor and patroness of girls and women: she took care of the arrangement of marriages, the sanctity of which she strictly guarded, and gave happiness in family life and helped during childbirth. As the wife of the supreme god, she was considered the protector of the city of Rome and the entire state. She was depicted as a middle-aged woman with a diadem on her head, a scepter in right hand(signs of royal dignity) and a sacrificial cup or pomegranate, a symbol of love, on the left.