Roman Mythology

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
§ Identify and relate to the interesting
characters of Roman Mythology
§ Determine their role as a Roman
goddesses
§ Discuss the richness of Roman
Mythology
Let’s Play a Game!

Guess me…
Cupid
Saturn
Juno

Apollo
Jupiter
 Overview of Roman Mythology
Roman mythology seems arid and impoverished.
The Romans were, not myth-makers, and the myths they
had were usually imported. The Romans gods were
utilitarian. These gods were expected to serve and protect
men, and when they failed to be useful their worship was
curtailed. This does not mean the Romans lacked
religious sentiment. They had a pantheistic sense of the
divinities present in nature. But their deepest religious
feeling centered on the family and the state.
 When the Romans adapted the Greek
gods from the third century B.C. on, these deities were
simplified to comfort to the Roman religion. Mars was the chief
god of the imperial age, more honored than Jupiter, since he
aided and symbolized the Roman conquests.
The writers who handled mythological subjects typically
dealt with patriotic legends that glorified the Roman past, or in
love tales. They paid tribute to the state or to love, the basis of
the family, in terms derived from Greek mythology. Sometimes
in their borrowing they achieved true originality, as Vergil did
in his epic poem, The Aeneid, or as Ovid did in his poetic
compilation, The Metamorphoses.
Jupiter, Jove(Zeus)
The Roman Gods
reigned in the Roman pantheon
and defended the state, a god of
celestial phenomena and justice. King
of the Gods.
Juno(Hera)
the wife of Jupiter, a goddess of
motherhood and childbearing. Goddess
of marriage
Saturn(Cronus)
the father of Jupiter, ruled Italy during
the Golden Age. The Saturnalia was held in his
honor, a winter festival in which masters and
slaves exchanged roles, a time of gift giving
and license.
Mars(Ares)
the son of Juno, was a highly respected
god of war but also an agricultural deity. Thus
he represented two primary Roman
preoccupations – forming and fighting.
Vesta(Hestia)
was a lovely goddess of the health and
of sacrificial fire. Her temple was tended by the
Vestal Virgins.
Ceres(Dementer)
was a goddess of grain and goddess of
harvest.
Minerva(Athena)
was a warrior goddess who also
presided over commerce.
Neptune(Poseidon)
was lord of the sea.
Dis, Pluto(Hades)
rules the underworld of death.
Mercury(Hermes)
was a god of commerce and messages.
Venus(Aphrodite)
originally an agricultural goddess,
was the deity of love, particularly sexual love.
Cupid(Eros)
her son, was the god of erotic attraction.
Vulcan, Mulciber (Hephaestus)
was a god of fire and warmth, of the forge and
of volcanic eruptions.
Liber, Bacchus(Dionysus)
was the god of wine and drunkenness.
Diana(Artemis)
was a huntress, goddess of the woods and
moon.
Apollo
was the god of truth and light, as in
Greece.
Proserpina(Persephone)
a goddess of spring, the daughter of
Ceres and wife of Pluto.
Numina
were vague, protective powers that
inhabited nature and presided over daily
human activities, the earliest gods
 Janus
was the god of beginning, of doorways and
public gates, of departures and returns.
Lares &Penates
were mainly gods of the family.
Lar was a protective ancestral spirit, while the
Penates were household gods, guardians of the
hearth and storerooms.

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 Priapus
an ugly with huge genitals, promoted
fertility.
Sylvanus &Faunus
were rustic gods of the forest and
possessed goat-shanks, like Pan. Fauns were
woodland goat-men, and have often been
confused with Satyrs, who had horses’
haunches.

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Flora
was a goddess of flowers, fruits, and
springtime.
Manes
were benevolent spirit of the dead,
good souls, as opposed to the Lemurs (also
Larvae), which were evil discarnates.
Terra (Gaia)
the goddess of Earth.
Somnus (Hypnos)
the goddess of sleeping.
Ops (Rhea)
the mother of Jupiter and the wife of
Cronus
Uranus
the father of the Titans.
Victoria (Nike)
the goddess of victory.
Aurora (Eos)
the goddess of dawn.
Faunos (Pan)
the goddess of shepherds.
Caelus
the primal god of the sky and
theology, iconography, and literature.
Luna (Selene)
the goddess of the moon.
Sol invictus (Helios)
the goddess of the sun.
Hercules ( Heracles)
the son of Jupiter.
Ulysses (Odysseus)
is the Greek Hero.
Cybele
the goddess of the earth, nature,
mountains, and wild animals.
Fauna
the goddess of animals.
Fortuna
was the goddess of fortune.
Pomona
the goddess of fruitful abundance.
Spes
the goddess of hope.
Veritas
the goddess of truth.
Abundantia
was the goddess of abundance and
prosperity.
Aesculapius
the goddess of health and medicines.
Bubona
the goddess of cattle.
Candelifera
the goddess of childbirth.
Carmenta
the goddess of childbirth and
prophecy.
Cloacina
the goddess who presided over the
sewers in Rome.
Cybele
earth mother.
Deverra
the goddess of midwives and women
in labor.
Discodia
the goddess of discord.
Edesia
is the Goddess of food who presided
over banquets.
Epona & hippona
the goddess of horses.
Fabulinus
the goddess of children.
Fama
the goddess of fame and rumor.
Felicitas
goddess of good luck and success.
Fides
the goddess of loyalty.
Hespera
the goddess of dusk.
Honos
the god of military honours and
chivalry.
Invidia
the goddess of envy or jealousy.
Iris
the goddess of the rainbow.
Justitia
the goddess of justice.
juventas
the goddess of youth.
Libertas
the goddess of freedom.
Libitina
the goddess of death, corpses and
funerals.
Miseria
the goddess of Misery.
Mithras
God worshipped by Roman soldiers.
Muta
the goddess of silence.
Necessita
the goddess of destiny.
Nemesis
the goddess of revenge.
Opis
the goddess of fertility.
Pax
the goddess of peace.
Pietas
the goddess of duty.
Pomona
the goddess of fruit trees.
Portunes
God of keys.
Sancus
God of loyalty, honesty, and oaths.
Sors
the goddess of luck.
Tempestes
the goddess of storms.
Tranquilitas
the goddess of peace and tranquility.
Trivia
the goddess of magic.
Veritas
the goddess of virtue and truth.
Voluptos
the goddess of pleasure.
Volturus
the God of water..
Roman Goddesses
 Thank you
&
God bless!

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