Roman gods and goddesses

Posted by John Smith on March 11th, 2019

Much is said about the assimilation that the Roman Empire made on the culture and knowledge of the Greeks, especially in terms of mythology.

Indeed, many of the Roman gods and goddesses coexist in parallel with their counterparts in Ancient Greece and is that as the Romans were imposed on the old continent more presence of their most famous deities.

Here we will focus on the Roman gods and goddesses and their characteristics:

1. Diana:

Diana, patron of virginity and hunting is the daughter of Jupiter and Latona. The etymology of its name has its origin in its first name: Diviana, which means "radiance". What this deity represents is the protection of children and chastity.

As a tribute, the women cut their hair before getting married or having children. Nowadays it is very common to hear this name in most Western countries.

2. Minerva:

Daughter of Jupiter too, she was born without a mother. It is said that this was his favorite daughter because of everything she represented: magic, craftsmanship, wisdom and medicine, among others. She is always represented with an innocence and extreme wisdom, and purity, with a touching physique. Interestingly, she is also considered the goddess of war.

3. Vesta:

Another of the most interestingand one that is little talked about is Vesta which represents fire and passion. Goddess of the home as something sacred, in her Roman temple was the famous "flame that never goes out." 

4. Felicitas:

Felicitas corresponds to the meaning of happiness in the present, inherited from the literature and fantasy of the moment. Its meaning is good luck, fortune, blessed. In short, she was considered the Roman goddess of success and prosperity, and the merchants of the Empire were entrusted to her to be able to thrive.

5. Fortune:

This is one of the most famous Roman goddesses in Western culture. Although it seems somewhat contradictory, Fortuna represented at first the whims of life, and ended up becoming the personification of good luck. It occupied a great significance during the Roman Empire since she was built a Temple and a public sanctuary.

6. Victory:

Without a doubt, he was the most relevant deity in the armies of Greater Rome. As the name indicates, it represents the successes of the soldiers before their enemies. The etymology comes from the Latin "Vincere" which means to conquer. Each time a general returned with a victory under his shield, an offering was made to Victoria with large parades and military crowds.

7. Venus

Venus is the goddess of sex, fertility and love. It is the equivalent to the Aphrodite of Greek mythology, but with many more qualities than her. As a curious fact, Venus also represented prostitution.