The Roman god of forests, groves and wild fields. As fertility god he is the protector of herds and cattle and is associated with Faunus. He shows many similarities with the Greek Pan (Silvanus also liked to scare lonely travelers). The first fruits of the fields were offered to him, as well as meat and [...]
The Roman god of agriculture concerned with the sowing of the seeds. He is regarded as the father of Jupiter, Ceres, Juno and many others. His wife is the goddess Ops. Jupiter supposedly chased him away and he was taken in by the god Janus in Latium where he introduced agriculture and viniculture. This event [...]
Salus (”salvation”) is the personified Roman goddess of health and prosperity, both of the individual and the state. As Salus Publica Populi Romani (”goddess of the public welfare of the Roman people”) she had a temple on the Quirinal, inaugurated in 302 BCE (Livius X, 1, 9). Later she became more a protector of personal [...]
Pax (”peace”) is the personified Roman goddess of peace, corresponding with the Greek Eirene. Under the rule of Augustus, she was recognized as a goddess proper. She had a minor sanctuary, the Ara Pacis, on the Campus Martius, and a temple on the Forum Pacis. A festival in her honor was celebrated on January 3. [...]
The Roman name for the Greek Persephone. The name is possibly derived from proserpere (”to emerge”), meaning the growing of the grain. Gradually, Libera was equated with her.
The Roman goddess of pregnancy. Nona (”ninth”) was called upon by a pregnant mother in the ninth month when the child was due to be born. In later times she became associated with the goddesses Morta and Decima and formed the Parcae, the Roman Fates.
The Parcae are the Roman goddess of fate, similar to the Greek Moirae (Fates). Originally there was only one of them, Parca, a goddess of birth. Her name is derived from parere (”create, give birth”) but later it was associated with pars (Greek: moira, “part”) and thus analogous with the three Greek Moirae. The three [...]
The god of the sea among the Romans. He was not a very powerful god, and little is known of his origin. When he was first introduced in Rome, he already had all the characteristics of the Greek Poseidon. Despite the fact that his cult grew after his equation with Poseidon, Neptune was far less [...]
Necessitas (”necessity”) is a Roman goddess of destiny. She is similar to the Greek Ananke.
The Parcae are the Roman goddess of fate, similar to the Greek Moirae (Fates). Originally there was only one of them, Parca, a goddess of birth. Her name is derived from parere (”create, give birth”) but later it was associated with pars (Greek: moira, “part”) and thus analogous with the three Greek Moirae. The three [...]
