2. Jupiter
Jupiter is known to be the ruler of Roman God. He is considered to
be the most powerful God of sky, thunder and lightening! Being the
patron God of Rome, the Romans made his temple as the official
place wherein the business affairs and religious sacrifices took
place! Jupiter is the son of Roman God Saturn.
3. Pluto
Pluto has been revered for centuries as the Roman God of the
Underworld. Originally he was honoured as the God of Metals;
however, in time since metals were mined, he took on the attributes
of the God of the Underworld. The name 'Pluto' is derived from the
Greek word for wealth, 'Plutos'. He is believed to be the lord of
all the metals, jewels and riches that lie under the surface of the
Earth
4. Neptune
Neptune is the Roman God of Sea and the Horses. He is also the
brother of the Roman Gods Pluto, Jupiter and Juno. Neptune is also
the owner of the trident and his festival called Neptunalia was
celebrated on July 23.
5. Juno
Juno is the sister as well as the wife of the ruler of Roman Gods,
Jupiter and is therefore known as the Queen of Gods. She is the
Goddess who protects the Roman state and guards the Roman Empire's
finances! The month name 'June' is named after this Roman Goddess
and her major festivals named Matronalia and Nonae Caprotinae are
celebrated in the month of March and July. Juno is also the mother
of Mars, Vulcan and Juventas.
6. Mars
Mars was driven by rage and a strong desire for violence. He
enjoyed the great noise of battle, and he loved warfare. Conflict
and mindless killing was how he liked to spend the day.
Mars was also associated with agriculture and particularly with the
laurel tree. The month of March was sacred to him. March was very
important since it was the messenger of the rebirth of plant life
and the season of wars and campaigns.
Mars was the father of the famous Roman heroes Romulus and Remus
who founded the city of Rome. For that reason, Mars was believed to
come to the aid of Romans in times of crisis. The two heroes were
born after Mars fell in love Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin. Having
lost her virginity, Rhea Silvia was condemned as a fallen priestess
and imprisoned. Years later, however, her twin sons released her
from captivity.
7. Vulcan
Vulcan is the God of fire, craftsmanship and blacksmiths. It is
said that the forge of Vulcan is situated under Mount Etna where
this God of fire forges weapons for heroes and Gods.
8. Apollo
Apollo is the God of Sun, music, medicine, truth and light. He is
the son of Jupiter and Leto and is known to drive the Sun across
the sky daily with the help of his 4 horses ridden chariot! The
Apollo is also an archer and plays a golden Lyre. The crow is known
to be his bird, the dolphin is said to be his animal and the laurel
tree is known to be his tree.
9. Ceres
Ceres is known to be the Roman Corn Goddess. She is the Goddessof
crops, agriculture, grains, civilization and the mother's love for
her child. The daughter of Saturn and Ops, Ceres is the goddess
which protects a woman, marriage and motherhood as she is worshiped
for fertility. Her festival is known as Cerealia.
10. Mercury
Mercury is the Roman God of profits, merchants, trade and
travellers. The attribute or the symbol is Mercury is a staff with
two snakes which are interlinked, known as the Caduceus, and a
purse to depict his inter relation of commerce and trade. His
festival called the Mercuralia was celebrated on May 15 wherein the
Roman merchants went to his well near the Porta Capena and
sprinkled their heads and merchandise with water from the
well.
11. Minerva
She was the Goddess of wisdom, learning and arts with an owl as her
symbol. She was the daughter of Jupiter and also the one who
protected industry and education. Her main festival is known as the
Quinquatria, celebrated from March 19 to March 23.
12. Bacchus
He was one of the most popular Roman God of wine, partying and
ecstasy. Bacchus is the son of Jupiter and is the Roman God who
inspires people to worship joyfully and in ecstasy. He is also
known as the God of truth and sensual pleasures.
13. Vesta was the Roman Goddess of fire, hearth and home. The
temple of Vesta always had a burning flame which was considered as
the 'hearth of Rome'. The priests had to make sure that the flame
never went out and always kept burning. Vesta was the daughter of
Saturn and Ops. Her festival known as the Vestalia was celebrated
on June 7 and the ass was considered to be her sacred animal.
Vesta
14. Diana
Diana was the Roman Goddess of hunting and she is also famously
known as the Moon Goddess. Diana is known for her athletic grace,
beauty, courage, strength and her hunting skills. As a huntress,
she always possesses a bow and an arrow and is accompanied by a
hunting dog.
15. Saturn
Saturn was a sort of forefather of the gods: he fathered Jupiter by
whom he was later slain. As well as being god of time (Greek
Cronos) he was also a divinity of agriculture and sowing of seeds.
Saturn was supposed to have lived in Latium in the earliest days of
man and the gods and to have founded a very early settlement on the
top of the Capitoline hill called "Saturnia".
According to tradition the altar to Saturn predates Romulus'
founding of Rome, possibly founded by a mythical people emigrated
from Greece to central Italy.
16. Janus
Janus, also known as Janus Bifrons was, in the archaic period
regarded extremely highly, perhaps the highest out of the list of
Roman gods and possibly initially considered as one and the same
with Jupiter. He was the god of doors, gates, perimeters, borders,
beginning and end. As such he was also a representation of all that
changes and transforms i.e. a symbol of our very existence. He was
two-faced i.e. he was depicted with a face both on the front and
"back" of his head symbolising his power to look either way, both
forward and backward in time - a power granted him by Saturn,
father of time who had given birth to Jupiter.
17. And.
.....now for some interesting facts..
There were no roman myths before they invaded Greece around
393.A.D
Pluto lived in the land of Hades.
the gladius (gldus) was the roman word for sword, and is used to
represent the primary sword of Ancient Rome soldiers. Early ancient
Roman swords were similar to those used by the Greeks. From the 3rd
century BC, the Romans adopted swords similar to those used by the
Celtiberians and others during the early part of the conquest of
Hispania.
18. Thank you for watching
