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Roman Mythology and gods

Mythology is the study of myths. Myths focus on the relationship between gods and

humans. Mythology was used to explain unknowns such as the creation of the world, the nature

of good and evil, and the afterlife. Roman Mythology is similar to other cultures beliefs because

Roman Mythology is made up of the ideas of other beliefs but slightly changed. Their beliefs are

very similar with Greek Mythology as many Roman gods are based off of the Greek gods.

Romans were masters of taking traditions from other cultures and turning them into theirs. This

act is called syncretism which is the blending of religious beliefs, myths, etc. to make a new

religious system. The gods of the Greeks and the Romans had human qualities. Their emotions

could change such as one of the gods could be jealous or angry or they could be in love. This

gave the citizens of Rome the ability to see their relationship with the world and their gods. The

Romans believe that they should rely on their strength and stamina to reach their destiny.

Some planets are named after Roman gods such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,

and Neptune. Greek mythology was mostly based on old traditional stories such as the Iliad,

Odyssey, and Theogony which were passed down generations upon generations. At the time

Rome had just been founded and the empire began to grow. Eventually the four Macedonian

Wars had taken place which resulted in Rome taking Greek colonies mainly in Italy. Thus the

Greeks practiced their religion and it grew on the people of Rome and began to spread

throughout it. They also obtained other things from Greek culture such as art, philosophy,

literature, and drama. Greek myths had influenced Rome severely as almost everything the

Romans would do would be based off of the Greeks culture and traditions. One Greek myth that

has affected Rome the most is the story about the Trojan War. This story created a base for
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Roman mythology which is the creation of Romulus and Remus. The difference between history

and myth in Rome was very unrecognizable as Rome was a city of destiny.

Ovid was one of the Roman authors to write down stories about Roman Mythology and he

wrote his stories at an important time of Romes history. In his writings, he portrayed Roman

festivals, the legends of the gods, and the origins of Roman rituals. However, Roman Mythology

still focused on Romulus and Remus.

Romulus and Remus are the supposed founders of Rome. They were the sons of Mars and

Rhea Silvia and after their birth they were thrown into the Tiber River. A flood pushed them to

shore and they were saved by a she-wolf and in theory, a woodpecker may have helped. A local

herdsman named Faustulus adopted the two boys and after years had passed, they had found their

true purpose. They both created a city that they would equally divide, but out of jealousy over the

naming rights of the city, Romulus killed Remus. In theory, Romulus won the naming rights and

the city was named Rome and he would rule Rome for forty years.

Mercury is the Roman version of the Greek god Hermes. Mercury was a major deity, or

god, who was also one of the twelve Olympic gods. He is described as the Roman god of

finance, gymnasts and wrestling, thieves and anything that requires skill or dexterity, merchants

and commerce, and he is the Messenger of the gods. He is the son of Jupiter and Maia. The

month of May was named after Mercurys mother Maia. The main symbols that depict him are

his winged sandals and his winged hat. He also carries a magic wand with him. One of his

attributes is a purse which represents his connection with commerce. These symbols show how

he is the Messenger of the gods. The Romans celebrated Mercury through the Mercuralia which

is the festival of Mercury. It was celebrated on the fifteenth of May and merchants would take

water from a well at Porta Capena and pour it on them and their valuables. He was the
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Messenger of the gods but more specifically he was the Messenger of Jupiter who is the

equivalent of the Greek god Zeus. Mercury is said to have invented the lyre which is a small

stringed instrument in the shape of a U. He created the lyre and traded it with the Apollo, who is

the most important and complex deity of the twelve Olympic gods. In exchange, he received his

magic wand from Apollo. The magic wand he receives from Apollo is called the caduceus. The

wand had two snakes intertwined around it.

Mercury is said to have a temple in Rome and was connected to a trade fair. The temple

dates back to 495 BCE. When the Roman Empire was still alive, the cult of Mercury was created

which was a mystical group of mages that served the pagan Roman Republic. However, when

the Western part of the Roman Empire fell in fifth century AD, so did the cult of Mercury.

Mercury and Hermes are two gods worshipped by two different groups of people.

However, they both are almost exactly the same. They are in charge of a lot of common things

that the Roman and Greek people did on a daily basis so, to the Romans and Greeks, they were

one of the hardest working gods. There isnt much different from the two gods besides their

names. Their roles are both the same in Greek and Roman Mythology. Ovid had included

Mercury in his stories and the Romans made efforts to include him in their mythology. In Ovids

Fasti, Mercury fell in love with a nymph, as was many of the other gods, and he had children

with her. His children were the Lares which inherited the same jobs as Mercury did, mainly they

were the deities of borders and crossroads.

Roman Mythology may not be worshipped as much as it was in the time of the Roman

Empire, but it still runs through our cultures today. A lot of brands and companies are named

after legendary figures in Roman Mythology. The mythology is not lost but most of its ideas fell

alongside the Roman Empire.

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Works Cited

http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-gods/roman-mythology.htm
http://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Mythology/
http://www.crystalinks.com/mercuryrome.html
http://ancientlinks.blogspot.com/2011/01/differences-between-hermes-and-mercury.html