Roman Mythology
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Written by Christine Breese, D.D., Ph.D.
Roman mythology was not purely Roman. It was actually very influenced by Greek Mythology, and other various mythologies from the surrounding regions. Other influences on Roman mythology were coming from Etruscan, Alban, Sabine, Greece, Syrian, Persian and Egyptian beliefs. Roman mythology itself did not dominate the system, and in fact, the people took a little of something from every system of gods and goddesses. Roman mythology itself may seem rather bland when compared to the Greek, Oriental or Egyptian legends. Roman mythology could be seen as just another system that was added, or intertwined with the mythology of other systems. In fact, Romans often built temples to and adopted into their own system gods and goddesses of the very regions they conquered and defeated. These would become new protectors whose services could be utilized.
The Roman pantheon is not really specifically exclusive, and is not actually noted as a belief system. The Romans did not feel an overwhelming urge to love or adore the superhuman powers, but rather saw it as a business arrangement where they paid money for the services of these protectors. If the gods failed, their wages were actually withheld. The Roman pantheon is not a colorful array of personalities with their individual traits and quirks like the Greek or Egyptian pantheon of gods and goddesses. It was more abstract and utilitarian, a register of protectors who had special functions, which could be bought through money and specific rites. Interestingly, many of the Roman gods found their way into names of months.
The Roman gods were mostly divided into two categories: gods of state who protected the government, the cities, and the region, and the gods of family who protected the loved ones in one’s home.
The Gods Of State
Janus: He was considered the god of gates, of doorways, and private doors. His symbols were the key and the stick. The stick was used to drive away unwanted visitors. He is often seen with two faces, one for watching the outside of the gate or door and one for watching the inside of the gate or door. He was naturally the god of coming and going, return and departure. He was also found under the name Portunus and was the god of harbors and was thought to have invented navigation. Janus does not appear on any statues or reliefs but he is found on coins and effigies, portrayed with a double face looking in both directions.
He started out as a solar god and was thought by some to be the god of beginnings, presiding over sunrises. He was often called upon when a new endeavor, business, journey, or other such applicable activity was undertaken. Because of this, the Romans thought of him as the creator god, the god of all gods, who started it all. In this role he was called Janus Pater. He was also called Chaos at the time when all the elements were still formless. When the elements became solid and separate, he was then called Janus.
Janus was first on the list of important gods. He was celebrated the first day of every month and the first day of every year. He came even before Jupiter. His temple was open during times of war, but closed during times of peace. His temple, however, was rarely closed, for at all times there seemed to be some kind of warring going on. There was a legend of how the place for his temple was chosen. A woman was bribed with jewels by an enemy to show him the way into the citadel. Janus, however, prevented him from getting through by causing a spurt of boiling water to come forth from the ground and stopped the enemy from passing through. This was where his main temple was erected.
Juno: She was the sister of Jupiter. She was also called Lucina or Lucetia. She was sometimes associated with the Greek goddess Hera, and she was a very important Italian goddess. She was the feminine part of celestial light, whereas Jupiter was the masculine part of celestial light. She was a moon goddess in most depictions. She was also a goddess of childbirth for when children are born, they are brought out from the darkness of the womb into the light of the world. She was often invoked by women, who were barren, so that they may have children. She was considered the mother goddess, and watched over the multiplication of the human race. She was the goddess of fertility.
Juno is always depicted standing with a scepter, a patera, a veil and a peacock. Her more warlike likenesses, as the companion of Jupiter, were a spear and shield. Another likeness of her, she has a child in her arms and a flower in her hand to signify the way she was able to conceive the god Mars. Yet another likeness shows her holding a scroll as protectress of the State.
Jupiter: Jupiter corresponds with celestial light, brilliance. He owned three thunderbolts. The first one could be thrown as a warning, but the second he had to have permission from the other twelve gods even though it was also a warning signal. The third thunderbolt was the one that would punish and kill. The third could only be thrown when permission was gained from the unseen, hidden, and superior gods. He was sometimes called the thunder god. He was often associated with Zeus and considered a supreme god.
First and foremost Jupiter was the god of light, sun and moon and of all celestial light. This made him important to the agricultural process. He soon, however, became less of a rural god presiding over lesser duties and became the protector of the city and the State. Before soldiers would set out for war, they would pay homage to Jupiter. Senators would discuss their plans for war under the visage of Jupiter. He was in charge of oaths, treaties and leagues.
Jupiter was depicted as a young, beardless man in most artwork, but sometimes he is seen as an older, wiser looking man with a beard and curly hair.
Mars: Mars is considered the most Roman of these Gods in the Roman pantheon. He had a large following, even more than Jupiter. Mars was supposedly the son of Juno by union with a beautiful flower. Then Mars paired with Rhea and became the father of Romulus and Remus. In his early versions, he was the god of vegetation and fertility. He also presided over cattle. He was a being of the forest and the mountains. He protected agriculture. He protected crops from disease. His sacred animals were the woodpecker, the horse and the wolf. Also dedicated to him was the fig tree, the oak, the dogwood, the laurel and the bean.
His festivals happened in the spring, fitting with the fact that he was the god of agriculture. His warrior attributes came later, which replaced his reign over agriculture, as Rome became more of a conquering culture. He became the god of battle. There are numerous depictions of Mars in this guise, holding weapons, shields and wearing a helmet. He was likened and sometimes interchangeable with the Greek god of war, Ares.
Mercury: He was the god of merchants, his name coming from the root merx (merchandise) and mercari (to deal, trade). He was called on by business entrepreneurs and traders. He often is depicted holding a purse with money in it. He was also considered a messenger of the gods, a god of communication. In the visages that portrayed him in this role, he had winged shoes.
Minerva: She was a goddess of the thunderbolt with Jupiter. She was also the protectress of commerce, industry, and schools. Homage was paid to her by doctors, artisans, flute players and teachers. She was also considered the goddess of handicrafts, learning and the arts. Artisan guilds would pay homage to her. Later she became a warrior goddess, wearing a breastplate and throwing a spear or thunderbolt. This may have come about because of the Greek influence of the goddess Athene who held the position of warrior, but also a goddess of wisdom and learning. It is understandable why Minerva played both these roles just as Athene did in Greek systems. Minerva was the least of all the gods and goddesses with the smallest following, but that following did cover the entire Roman empire.
Saturn: This was another agricultural divinity of the same rank as Janus and Jupiter. He was the god of abundance. He oversaw the maturation of the crops. Festivals were celebrated in honor of him close to harvest time, and interestingly, masters served the slaves, and for a week, the slaves were allowed to do and say anything they wanted to.
Vesta: Vesta was pure and beautiful, the most lovely of the Roman divinities. She was a virgin. Her priestesses were called Vestal Virgins. Vesta’s symbol was flame, which represented her shining beauty. She was considered the goddess of fire, but not just any fire. Only the fire needed for domestic use and religious ceremonies. It was not uncommon to find a statue of Vesta on every hearth. She presided over the preparation of meals and a portion of every meal was given to her statue. Vesta was found on many coins with a veil over her face.
The Vestal Virgins took vows of celibacy. If they broke their vows, they were tortured to death. Only twenty broke their vows in eleven centuries. The Vestal Virgins kept a sacred flame going. If the flame went out, the virgin responsible was whipped close to death. Once a Vestal Virgin completed her thirty-year commitment, she was allowed to marry and have her own life. Rarely, however, did they leave their lofty positions as priestesses, and remained in their positions. Whenever they appeared in public, they wore veils. If a man who was condemned to death happened to be met by a Vestal Virgin, his life was spared.
Vulcan: He was the god of fires and could call upon fire to ravage and kill if he so chose. He was also called on for life-giving warmth. Like Vesta, he was also a divinity of the hearth. He also had warlike attributes and may have been the god of battle before Mars was. In earlier history, he was called Volcanus, and later, as his popularity as a warlike god dwindled, he was known as Vulcan. Human sacrifices were offered to Vulcan early in his reign. He is often depicted as a bearded man with slight facial deformities, wearing a tunic that left his right arm and shoulder bare, and around him were a hammer, tongs and an anvil.
Gods Of The Family
Genius: The Genius was the creative force that evolved the individual. Genius was with the individual from birth to death and formed the personality and tutored the child through life. If it was a boy, Genius was its tutor. If it was a girl, Juno was its teacher. Genius and Juno did not work alone. Nundina took care of the child’s purification. Vaticanus made the child come to life and make its first sound. Educa and Potina taught the child how to eat. Cuba kept the child quiet when it was time for the child to sleep in its cradle. Abeona and Adeona taught the art of walking. Sentinus awakened the child’s intellect
On the day of the child’s birth, wine and flowers were offered to Genius, who was in essence, the child’s double, the child’s spirit source.
The Penates: The Penates oversaw the preservation of food and drink. The Penates were always a pair. Their altar was shared with Vesta on the hearth and they were placed among several statues that would be there. For instance, they would be combined with Vulcan on the hearth in the house of a blacksmith, with Mercury in the house of a merchant, and with other gods depending on what the focus of the household was.
The Lar: The Lar were protectors of the household and were often placed at the entrance of a farmhouse or home and sometimes they shared the hearth with the Penates and Vesta. There was only one Lar per family, unlike the pair that the Penates were. The Lar symbolized the house. He was invoked on all important events in the house, including weddings, departures for a journey and funerals. The Lar was depicted as a dancing youth with no beard, pouring wine.
Arachne: She was a mythical woman who was a spinner and weaver. She challenged Minerva, Roman goddess of handicrafts, and won a contest between them. Minerva was angry and turned Arachne into a spider so that now she could only weave webs. Spiders are considered dream weavers in many cultures. The web of the spider was meant to catch the good and let the bad pass through without entanglement in human affairs. This was for dreamtime and in real life. Dreamcatchers come from this legend, hung over beds to catch good dreams. In the Pacific Islands, it was believed that Areop-Enap, a spider, existed at beginning of time with only the sea. Then Areop-Enap wove a web of everything in the world as the creation. Ghana's religion hosts a character named Anansi, the spider who was a trickster of humans and gods.