The ancient Romans had a very rich mythology, and although they received most of it from their neighbors and predecessors - the Greeks, it still determined the rich history of the Roman people.
During about twelve centuries of ancient Roman civilization, religion gradually developed from homegrown pantheistic animism. Over time, new names of the gods of Roman mythology appeared.
Beliefs began to include the Greek pantheon, other cults and the practice of worshiping the Emperor. This continued until the adoption of Christianity. That is why the names of Roman and Greek gods correspond to mythological characters with the same characteristics.
Religion of Rome
Throughout its history, the concept of the noumenon, the all-pervading divinity or spirituality, has pervaded Roman religious philosophy.
However, like many pagan beliefs, success in life was determined by a good relationship with the gods. Their maintenance includedyourself as a prayer and sacrifice in exchange for material gain.
Roman gods performed various functions corresponding to certain aspects of life. Lazio, the region of Italy where Rome was founded, had many gods, including the Etruscans and Sabines.
Main Pantheon
Gods and goddesses were grouped differently. Both twenty and twelve main representatives of the Roman pantheon were distinguished. Although the group of 12 gods was borrowed from the Greeks, it was of pre-Hellenic origin, probably rooted in the religion of the Lycian and Hittite peoples.
Gilded statues adorned the central forum of Rome. Six gods and six goddesses were sometimes united in pairs - a man and a woman. List of Roman gods in pairs: Jupiter-Juno, Neptune-Minerva, Mars-Venus, Apollo-Diana, Vulcan-Vesta and Mercury-Ceres.
Development of the pantheon
As the territory of the empire grew, new names of the Roman gods appeared. The Pantheon expanded and included the cults of the newly conquered and neighboring peoples. Provided that they fit into Roman culture. For example, the Romans' exposure to Hellenic culture and the subsequent conquest of the city-states of Macedonia and Greece by the Romans caused the Romans to adopt many Greek myths, as well as merge the Greek deities with their own.
The list of names of Roman gods and goddesses is as follows.
Jupiter
King of the gods, son of Saturn, brother of Neptune, Pluto and Juno (also her husband). He is the god of the sky and thunder, the patron of Rome.
Among all the names of the Roman gods, he ranks first. Jupiter was the king of heaven and earth and of all Olympian celestials. He was also known as the god of justice. He was named chief of all at a special meeting that followed after he overthrew Saturn and the Titans.
Jupiter gave Neptune power over the sea, and his brother Pluto - over the underworld. Jupiter's wife was Juno, who was very jealous of the fact that he paid much attention to other goddesses and women.
Juno
In the religion of the ancient Romans, this is the main goddess, who is the female counterpart of Jupiter, very similar to the Greek Hera, with whom she was identified. Together with Jupiter and Minerva, she was a member of the Capitoline triad of deities traditionally represented by the Etruscan kings. Juno was connected to every aspect of women's lives, especially family.
Minerva
Born from the head of Jupiter. Goddess of wisdom, art, trade and strategy. It is the Roman version of Athena. She is the goddess of wisdom, courage, justice, military strategy, arts and crafts, and a host of other things. Her mother is Metis, one of the original Titans. This is one of the most amazing characters in Roman mythology: she is evil, arrogant, petty, jealous and vengeful, that is, she has all the worst qualities of a person.
Neptune
Brother of Jupiter, Pluto and Juno, god of fresh water and sea, earthquakes, hurricanes and horses, often depicted with his trident.
For the first time it is mentioned in Roman mythology in connection with waterabout 399 BC e. He is often depicted as an elderly man with a long beard. Neptune is sometimes seen alongside fish and other sea creatures. He is also associated with sports racing: this is related to his early depictions, where he is shown riding a horse-drawn chariot across the sea.
Venus
Mother of the Roman people, goddess of love, beauty, fertility, sex, desire and prosperity, patroness of wine.
At first she was associated with fields and gardens. And later the Romans began to identify her with the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite.
Apparently, in Rome in early times she was not worshiped, since there is no mention of her in ancient records. This is confirmed by the absence of any feast in honor of her in the ancient Roman calendar and the absence of a flamen (special priest).
Mars
Son of Juno, god of war and guardian of agriculture, the embodiment of courage and aggression, father of Romulus, the founder of Rome. In literature, it is a reflection of physical aggression and the violent aspect of war.
Apollo
Archer, son of Jupiter and Latona, twin of Diana, god of music, healing, light and truth. Apollo is one of the few Roman gods who retained the same name as his Greek counterpart.
It is said that Emperor Constantine had a vision related to Apollo. He continued to use it as one of his key symbols until his adoption of Christianity.
Diana
Daughter of Jupiter and Latona, twinApollo, goddess of the hunt, moon and birth. Like Artemis in Greece, Diana is the goddess of the hunt. She was born on the island of Delos with her twin brother Apollo, god of light.
Although Diana was primarily associated with hunting, she was also revered as the goddess of the forests, children and childbirth, fertility, chastity, the moon, and wild animals. Her fans believed that she could talk to forest animals and even control their actions. Most often, she is depicted with a bow in her hands and a quiver with arrows on her shoulder.
Volcano
Roman god whose father was Jupiter and mother Juno. It was believed that with such parents, he should have been quite handsome. However, as a child, Vulcan was very small and ugly. He had a red distorted face. Juno was so frightened by his sight that she threw him off the top of Mount Olympus when he was still a child. According to legend, he fell into the sea. Hitting the water, he broke his leg, which did not heal to the end. Therefore, when walking, Vulkan limped. The sea nymph Thetis found him, took him to her underwater home and raised him as her own son.
Vesta
Daughter of Saturn and Ops, goddess of the hearth, home and family. She was included in the list of Roman gods (12 great ones) and was the daughter of Kronos and Rhea. According to the accepted tradition, she was the firstborn daughter of Rhea, therefore she was the first of the children to be swallowed by Kronos.
Mercury
Son of Maya and Jupiter, god of profit, trade, eloquence, communication, travel, deceit and thieves, guide of dead souls to the underworld.
He was the most intelligent of the Olympian gods and served as a messenger foreveryone else. He ruled over we alth, fortune, trade, fertility and theft.
Among his personal favorite commercial pursuits was the corn trade. As the deity of athletes, he protected gyms and stadiums.
Despite his virtuous qualities, Mercury was also a dangerous enemy, a deceiver and a thief. He was also revered as the god of sleep.
Ceres
She can also be found among the names of the Roman gods. The Eternal Mother, the daughter of Saturn and Ops, was in charge of agriculture, grain, women, motherhood and marriage.
Ceres was the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain and the love that a mother brings to her child. She was the daughter of Saturn and Ops, the sister of Jupiter, and the mother of Proserpina. Ceres was a kind and benevolent goddess to the Romans, and they had a common expression "fit for Ceres" which meant splendor.
She was loved for serving humanity, for giving people a harvest as a reward for cultivating the soil. Ceres, known in Greece as Demeter, was the goddess of the harvest, and she was credited with the fact that she taught people how to grow, store, and prepare grain and corn. She was believed to be responsible for the fertility of the land.
