Numerology 

What gods are there in ancient rome. Pantheon of ancient Roman gods

In the second chapter of the "One Pantheon" series, we will compare the pagan gods of the ancient Slavs and the pagan gods of the ancient Romans. Once again, you will be able to make sure that all the pagan beliefs of the world are very similar to each other, which suggests that they originally came from the same belief that existed at a time when all peoples were united. I want to say right away that this material will be quite similar to the previous article, since the Greek and Roman gods are very similar to each other and often differ only in names. However, this material will become useful for some of you, and in order not to search later in tons of information on the World Wide Web - to whom does our Veles or Perun correspond in the Roman pantheon, you can simply use this article.

Roman mythology is believed to have its origins in Greek mythology. The influence of Greek paganism on Roman paganism began around the 6th-5th century BC. Since the Roman and Greek cultures were in very close contact, Greek mythology, already at that time incredibly developed, structured and detailed, began to influence Roman paganism. This is not to say that Roman culture simply abandoned its gods in place of the Greek ones. Most likely, the beliefs of the Romans, which were similar to the Greek before, began to acquire new myths, the gods began to acquire new qualities, becoming equal in strength and power to the Greek. Also, new Greek gods began to fall into the Roman pantheon, which before that simply did not exist in their beliefs. Thus, ancient Rome showed cunning, attracting both the gods themselves and the peoples worshiping them to their side.

Correspondences of Slavic and Roman gods

Lada- the goddess of spring, love and marriage among the Slavs. It is considered one of the goddesses in childbirth. She is the mother of the goddess Lely and the god Lely. In Roman mythology, Lada corresponds to the goddess. Latona corresponds to the ancient Greek Titanide Leto. The Greek goddess Leto is the mother of Apollo and Artemis. The Roman goddess Latona is the mother of Apollo and Diana. At the Slavic Lada, we know the daughter Lelya (Diana-Artemis) and the son - Lelya (Apollo), which we will talk about later.

Lelya- the goddess of spring, beauty, youth, fertility. In Roman mythology, the daughter of Lada Lele corresponds to the goddess Diana who is the daughter of Latona. Diana is the goddess of femininity, fertility, the patroness of the animal and plant world, and is also considered the goddess of the moon. In ancient times, when the influence of Greek mythology was not yet so strong, under the name of Diana, the spirits of the forest or the mistresses of the forest were revered, and in this they also have much in common with Lelya, since Lelya, the patroness of spring and fertility, was the goddess of forest lands, all sorts of things. herbs and animals.

Lel- the son of the goddess Lada, the brother of the goddess Lely. He is the patron saint of love, love passion and marriage. Often depicted playing the pipe in a field or at the edge of a forest. As the patron of love, he is similar to the ancient Roman Cupid (the god of love and love attraction), but if you follow the correspondences of the gods in different cultures, then Lel is more similar to the Greek and Roman god Apollo. Apollo corresponds to our Lelya not only in his kinship with Latona (Lada) and Diana (Lelei), but also in that he is the patron of the arts, the patron of music, is the god of fortune telling and the god of medicine, the god of light, heat and the sun. Surprisingly, in Roman culture, Apollo eventually became identified with the sun god Helios. Helios is the all-seeing eye of the Sun. Helios is also the giver of light and heat, which also corresponds to Apollo, who is the patron of light. In this sense, the god Apollo-Helios is similar to our Dazhdbog - the god who gives light and warmth to people, the god of the Sun and sunlight. Is there any connection with our gods in these intricacies, or is it an ordinary confusion that occurred at a time when the Roman and Greek gods began to be actively replaced by each other, it is not known, but there is certainly reason to think about it.

Veles- one of the most revered gods in Slavic paganism. Veles is the patron of forests and domestic animals, the patron of wealth and creative people. In Roman paganism, Veles corresponds to the god of trade, the god of wealth Mercury. It's interesting that Mercury in ancient times was considered the patron saint of grain business, harvest and livestock. However, much later, when trading began to develop actively, and bread and meat for the most part became the object of sale and earnings, Mercury also became the patron god of wealth. It is possible that exactly the same story happened to our Veles in ancient times, when from the patron of fields, grains and domestic animals he turned into the patron of wealth, and then, due to an erroneous interpretation of the term "cattle" (property, wealth), became the patron saint of livestock.

Makosh- one of the most ancient goddesses of the ancient Slavs. Judging by the studies of numerous historians, in ancient times it was this goddess that occupied a dominant role in the pagan pantheon. Makosh is the patroness of fertility, rain, women in childbirth, needlework, women's affairs, and in general all women. Makosh is the patroness of fate. There is also a version that Makosh is the personification of the Earth. In Roman mythology, Mokosh corresponds to the goddess. Ceres is the goddess of harvest, fertility and agriculture. In the article on the correspondence of the Slavic and Greek gods, we already talked about Mokosh and the Greek Demeter, who was the personification of the Earth for the Greeks. Ceres is the exact counterpart of Demeter. The Roman goddess, like the Greek one, has a daughter - Proserpina - the goddess of the underworld, which corresponds to our Morana, Marena or Mara. Although there is no exact evidence that the ancient Slavs could consider Morana to be the daughter of Mokosh, such amazing similarities that are observed in Slavic, Greek and Roman deities may indicate that this could well be possible.

Morana- the goddess of death and winter, the mistress of the underworld of the dead. In Greek mythology, she corresponds to Persephone, and in Roman - Proserpina. Proserpine is the daughter of Ceres (Makoshi) and Jupiter (Perun), which speaks of another amazing family relationship of the gods. She spends half of the year in the world of the dead, being the queen of the underworld, and spends half of the year on Earth, turning at this time into the patroness of fertility and harvest.


Perun- god of thunder among the Slavs. God of thunder and lightning, patron of warriors. Corresponds to Scandinavian Thor, Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter. In ancient Roman mythology, he is the god of the sky, the god of daylight, the god of thunder and lightning. Jupiter was the supreme god of the Romans. Like Perun in ancient Russia, Jupiter was the god of the Roman state, the patron of emperors, their power, might and military strength. Historians believe that the name "Jupiter" goes back to the Proto-Indo-European mythology, where it meant "God the Father."

Chernobog- Slavic king of the world of the dead, god of the underworld. The Romans called this god Pluto. Pluto received the underworld, where the souls of the dead live. It was believed that Pluto appeared on the surface only to take another "victim" to him, that is, each death was considered a sortie of Pluto from the underworld. Once he kidnapped the goddess of plants and fertility, Proserpina (Morana), after which she became his underground queen and since then has been spending exactly six months in the world of the dead.

Svarog- the blacksmith god, the god of the sky, the god who fettered the Earth, the god who taught people to extract metal and create tools from metal. In Roman paganism, Svarog corresponds to the god of fire and the patron of blacksmithing - Volcano. Vulcan is the son of the god Jupiter and the goddess Juno. Vulcan created armor and weapons for both gods and heroes on Earth. He also created lightning for Jupiter (Perun). The forge of Vulcan was located in the mouth of Mount Etna in Sicily.

Horse Slavic god of the sun. In Roman mythology, he corresponds to the god of the sun Sol. The god Sol was represented as a rider who rides across the sky in a golden chariot drawn by winged horses. Surprisingly, this is how the Slavs imagined the daytime journey of the Sun across the sky - in a chariot in a team of horses. It is for this reason that the heads of horses became a protective symbol for the Slavs, even, in its own way, a solar symbol.

Yarilo- the god of spring, spring fertility, love passion. In Roman mythology, Yarila corresponds to the god of vegetation, spring fertility, the god of inspiration, the god of winemaking -. Bacchus, like the Greek Dionysus, underwent rather unsightly changes and was practically “blackened” by descendants who simply did not understand the essence of Dionysus-Bacchus. Today, Dionysus and Bacchus are considered the patrons of drunkards, the gods of wine, unrestrained fun, orgies, and so on. However, all this is far from the truth. Bacchus and Dionysus (Yarilo) are the gods of fertility and harvest. The rich harvest of grapes and other crops was celebrated by the ancient Greeks and Romans, respectively, with large-scale fun with the use of wine, with dances and festive performances in honor of the god who gave this harvest. From the sight of these feasts, the opinion was born among those who replaced paganism that Bacchus or Dionysus is the patron of drunkenness and debauchery, although this is far from an erroneous opinion.

Dawn, Zorka, Zarya-Zaryanitsa - the goddess of the dawn. Under the goddess Dawn, the ancient Slavs understood the planet Venus, which is visible to the naked eye shortly before dawn, and also after sunset. It is believed that the Zarya-Zaryanitsa prepares the Sun to enter the sky, harnesses its chariot and gives the first light to people, promising a bright sunny day. In Roman mythology, the Slavic Dawn corresponds to the goddess Aurora. Aurora is the ancient Roman goddess of the dawn, bringing daylight to gods and people.

Mermaids, pitchforks, coastlines- ancestral spirits. In Roman mythology they were called - mana. Mana - the souls of the dead or the shadows of the dead. Mana were considered good spirits. Feasts were held in their honor. Treats were brought to cemeteries especially for these spirits. Mana were considered protectors of people and guardians of tombs.

lizard- the god of the underwater kingdom among the ancient Slavs. In ancient Rome, the Lizard corresponded Neptune. Neptune is the god of the seas and streams. The sea god was especially revered by sailors and fishermen, whose lives largely depended on the benevolence of the sea patron. Also, the sea god Neptune was asked for rain and the prevention of drought.

Brownies- spirits that live in the house, guarding the house and its owners. Roman brownies were Penates. The Penates are the guardian gods of the home and the hearth. In the days of Roman paganism, all the Romans believed that two Penates lived in every house at once. Usually in each house there were images (small idols) of two penates, which were kept in a locker near the hearth. The Penates were not only home patrons, but even the patrons of the entire Roman people. In honor of them, the State cult of the Penates was created with its own high priest. The center of the cult of the Penates was located in the temple of Vesta, the patroness of the family hearth and sacrificial fire. It is from the name of the Roman brownies that the expression “return to their penates” came from, which is used in the meaning of “returning home”.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the Slavic and Roman goddesses of fate. In Slavic mythology, the goddesses of fate, who weave a thread for each person, are called Dolya and Nedolya (Srecha and Nesrecha). Since Dolya and Nedolya are working on fate together with Makosh, the mistress of fate herself, we can say that in Slavic mythology the spinning goddesses are Makosh, Share and Nedolya. In Roman mythology, the three goddesses of fate are parks. Nona's first parka pulls yarn, creating a thread of human life. Decim's second parka winds a tow not a spindle, distributing fate. Mort's third parka cuts the thread, ending a man's life. If we compare them with the already named Slavic goddesses, then we can say that Makosh (according to Roman theory) pulls yarn, Dolya winds a tow (it is believed that Dolya spins a good fate), and Nedolya cuts the thread of life (it is believed that Nedolya spins problems and failures ).

In ancient Rome, as in ancient Greece, religion consisted of cults of various gods. At the same time, the Roman pantheon had many deities similar to the Greek ones. That is, here we can talk about borrowing. This happened because Greek mythology was older than Roman mythology. The Greeks created colonies in Italy, when Rome did not even think about greatness. The inhabitants of these colonies spread Greek culture and religion to nearby lands, and therefore the Romans became the successors of Greek traditions, but interpreted them taking into account local conditions.

The most significant and revered in ancient Rome was the so-called council of the gods, corresponding to the Olympic gods of ancient Greece. The father of Roman poetry Quintus Ennius (239 - 169 BC) systematized the deities of Ancient Rome and introduced six men and six women to this council. He gave them Greek equivalents. This list was subsequently confirmed by the Roman historian Titus Livy (59 BC - 17 AD). Below is a list of this council of celestials, Greek counterparts are given in brackets.

Jupiter(Zeus) - the king of the gods, the god of heaven and thunder, the son of Saturn and Opa. The main deity of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. The rulers of Rome took an oath to Jupiter and honored him annually in the month of September on the Capitoline Hill. He was personified with law, order and justice. In Rome there were 2 temples dedicated to Jupiter. One was built in 294 BC. e., and the second was erected in 146 BC. e. This god was personified by an eagle and an oak. Juno was his wife and sister.

Juno(Hera) - daughter of Saturn and Opa, wife and sister of Jupiter, queen of the gods. She was the mother of Mars and Vulcan. She was the protector of marriage, motherhood, family traditions. The month of June is named after her. She was part of the Capitoline triad along with Jupiter and Minerva. There is a statue of this goddess in the Vatican. She is depicted wearing a helmet and armor. Not only mere mortals, but all the gods of Ancient Rome revered and respected Juno.

Neptune(Poseidon) is the god of the sea and fresh water. Brother of Jupiter and Pluto. The Romans also worshiped Neptune as the god of horses. He was the patron saint of horse racing. In Rome, a temple was erected to this god. It was located near the circus Flaminius in the southern part of the Champ de Mars. The circus had a small hippodrome. All these structures were built in 221 BC. e. Neptune is an extremely ancient deity. He was a household god even among the Etruscans, and then migrated to the Romans.

Ceres(Demeter) - Goddess of harvest, fertility, agriculture. She was the daughter of Saturn and Ope and the sister of Jupiter. She had an only daughter, Proserpina (goddess of the underworld) from a relationship with Jupiter. It was believed that Ceres could not see hungry children. This brought her into a state of grief. Therefore, she always took care of the orphans, surrounded them with care and attention. Every year in the month of April, a festival dedicated to this goddess was held. It lasted 7 days. She was also mentioned during marriages and ritual ceremonies associated with the harvest.

Minerva(Athena) - the goddess of wisdom, the patroness of art, medicine, trade, military strategy. Often, gladiator battles were held in her honor. Considered a virgin. She was often depicted with an owl (the owl of Minerva), which symbolized wisdom and knowledge. Long before the Romans, this goddess was worshiped by the Etruscans. Celebrations in her honor were held from 19 to 23 March. This goddess was worshiped on the Esquiline Hill (one of the seven hills of Rome). A temple to Minerva was erected there.

Apollo(Apollo) - one of the main gods of Greek and Roman mythologies. This is the god of the sun, light, music, prophecy, healing, art, poetry. It should be said that the Romans, regarding this god, took the traditions of the ancient Greeks as a basis and, in practice, did not change them. Apparently, they seemed extremely successful to them, and therefore they did not change anything, so as not to spoil the beautiful legends about this god.

Diana(Artemis) - the goddess of hunting, nature, fertility. She, like Minerva, was a virgin. In total, the gods of Ancient Rome had 3 goddesses who took a vow of celibacy - these are Diana, Minerva and Vesta. They were called girl goddesses. Diana was the daughter of Jupiter and Latone, and was born with her twin brother Apollo. Since she patronized hunting, she wore a short tunic and hunting boots. She always had a bow, a quiver and a diadem in the form of a crescent. Deer or hunting dogs accompanied the goddess. The Temple of Diana in Rome was erected on the Aventine Hill.

Mars(Ares) - god of war, as well as the protector of agricultural fields in the early Roman period. He was considered the second most important god (after Jupiter) in the Roman army. Unlike Ares, who was treated with disgust, Mars was respected and loved. Under the first Roman Emperor Augustus, a temple to Mars was built in Rome. During the Roman Empire, this deity was considered the guarantor of military power and peace and was never mentioned as a conqueror.

Venus(Aphrodite) - the goddess of beauty, love, prosperity, victory, fertility and desires. The Roman people considered her their mother through their son Aeneas. He survived the fall of Troy and fled to Italy. Julius Caesar claimed to be the ancestor of this goddess. Subsequently, in Europe, Venus became the most popular deity of Roman mythology. She was personified with sexuality and love. The symbols of Venus were the dove and the hare, and of the plants, the rose and the poppy. The planet Venus is named after this goddess.

Volcano(Hephaestus) - the god of fire and the patron of blacksmiths. He was often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer. This is one of the most ancient Roman deities. In Rome there was a temple of Vulcan or Vulcanal, built in the 8th century BC. e. on the site of the future Roman Forum at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. The festival dedicated to Vulcan was celebrated every year in the second half of August. It was this god who forged lightning for Jupiter. He also made armor and weapons for other celestials. He equipped his forge in the mouth of the volcano Etna in Sicily. And the golden women, whom God himself created, helped him in his work.

Mercury(Hermes) - the patron of trade, finance, eloquence, travel, good luck. He also acted as a conductor of souls to the underworld. Son of Jupiter and Maya. In Rome, the temple of this god was located in the circus, located between the Avetine and Palatine hills. It was built in 495 BC. e. A festival dedicated to this god was held in mid-May. But he was not as magnificent as for other gods, since Mercury was not considered one of the main deities of Rome. The planet Mercury was named after him.

Vesta(Hestia) - a goddess extremely revered by the ancient Romans. She was the sister of Jupiter and was identified with the goddess of the home and the family hearth. In her temples, the sacred fire was always burning, and the priestesses of the goddess, the virgin vestals, supported it. It was a whole staff of female priestesses in ancient Rome, enjoying unquestioned authority. They were taken from wealthy families and were required to remain celibate for 30 years. If one of the Vestals violated this oath, then such a woman was buried alive in the ground. Celebrations dedicated to this goddess were held annually from June 7 to 15.

The inhabitants of Ancient Rome were sure that their life depended on different Gods. Each sphere had its own specific patron. In general, the pantheon of the Roman gods consisted of the most significant figures and of minor deities and spirits. The Romans erected temples and erected statues to their gods, and also regularly brought gifts to them and held holidays.

roman gods

The religion of Ancient Rome is characterized by polytheism, but among the numerous patrons, several significant figures can be distinguished:

  1. The most important ruler is Jupiter. The Romans considered him the patron of thunder and storms. He showed his will by shooting lightning on the ground. It was believed that the place where they get becomes sacred. They asked Jupiter for rain for a good harvest. He was considered the patron saint of the Roman state.
  2. Roman god of war Mars part of the triad of gods heading the Roman pantheon. Initially, he was considered the patron saint of vegetation. It was Mars that was sacrificed by warriors before going to war, and also thanked him after successful battles. The symbol of this god was a spear - regin. Despite their militancy, the Romans portrayed Mars in a peaceful pose, arguing that he was resting after the battles. Often in his hands he held a statue of the goddess of victory Nike.
  3. Roman Asclepius most often presented as an old man with a beard. The main and most famous attribute was a staff that wraps around a snake. It is used as a symbol of medicine to this day. Only thanks to his activities and the work done, he was awarded immortality. The Romans created a huge number of sculptures and temples that are dedicated specifically to the god of healing. Asclepius made many discoveries in the field of medicine.
  4. Roman god of fertility Liber. He was also considered the patron saint of winemaking. He was most popular among farmers. A holiday held on March 17 is dedicated to this god. On this day, young boys wore a toga for the first time. The Romans would gather at crossroads, put on masks made from bark, and swing the phallus, which was made from flowers.
  5. The sun god in Roman mythology Apollo often associated with the life-giving power of the sky. Over time, patronage over other areas of life began to be attributed to this god. For example, in myths, Apollo often acts as a representative of many life phenomena. Since he was the brother of the goddess of the hunt, he was considered a skilled marksman. The farmers believed that it was Apollo who had the powers that help the bread ripen. For sailors, he was the god of the sea, who rode on a dolphin.
  6. God of love in Roman mythology Cupid was considered a symbol of inevitable love and passion. They represented him as a young guy or a child with curly golden hair. Cupid had wings on his back, which helped him move and hit people from any convenient position. The irreplaceable attributes of the god of love were the bow and arrows, which could both give feelings and deprive them. In some images, Cupid is shown blindfolded, and this indicated that love is blind. The golden arrows of the god of love could hit not only ordinary people, but also gods. Cupid fell in love with an ordinary mortal girl, Psyche, who went through many trials and eventually became immortal. Cupid is a popular deity who is used in the creation of various souvenir items.
  7. Roman god of the fields Faun was a companion of Dionysus. He was also considered the patron of forests, shepherds and fishermen. He was always cheerful and, together with the nymphs who accompany him, danced and played the flute. The Romans considered the Faun to be a crafty god who stole children, sent nightmares and illnesses. Dogs and goats were sacrificed in the fields. According to the legends, the Faun taught people how to cultivate the land.

This is only a small list of Roman gods, since there are many of them and they are completely different. Many gods of Ancient Rome and Greece are similar in appearance, behavior, etc.


Cicero wrote:
“By piety, reverence for the gods and wise confidence that everything is guided and controlled by the will of the gods, we Romans have surpassed all tribes and peoples.”

The Romans almost completely adopted the Greek gods - they just gave them different names. Their images, colors, symbols and spells remained the same; all you have to do is just replace Zeus with Jupiter, and so on; however, this does not mean that they are completely identical.

There is a slight difference between the Roman and Greek gods in that the different names help to better understand them. As a rule, the Roman gods are more serious and firmer than the Greek ones; they are more virtuous and reliable. Some consider the Roman gods to be too limited and a bit closed, but they certainly have good qualities. For example, some cruelty of Aphrodite is less expressed in Venus, Jupiter is not as despotic as Zeus.

The expression "return to native penates", which means returning to your home, to the hearth, is more correct to pronounce "return to native Penates". The fact is that the Penates are the Roman guardian gods of the hearth, and each family usually had images of two Penates next to the hearth.

Starting from the III century. to i. e. Greek religion began to have a very strong influence on the Roman religion. The Romans identified their abstract gods with the Greek gods. So, Jupiter was identified with Zeus, Mars with Ares, Venus with Aphrodite, Juno with Hera, Minerva with Athena, Ceres with Demeter, etc. Among the numerous Roman gods, the main Olympic gods stood out under the influence of Greek religious ideas: Jupiter is the god of the sky, thunder and lightning. Mars is the god of war, Minerva is the goddess of wisdom, the patroness of crafts, Venus is the goddess of love and fertility. Vulcan is the god of fire and blacksmithing, Ceres is the goddess of vegetation. Apollo is the god of the sun and light, Juno is the patroness of women and marriage, Mercury is the messenger of the Olympic gods, the patron of travelers, trade, Neptune is the god of the sea, Diana is the goddess of the moon.

The Roman goddess Juno had the title Moneta - "warning" or "adviser". Near the temple of Juno on the Capitol there were workshops where metal money was minted. That is why we call them coins, and in English the common name of money - money - came from this word.

One of the revered purely Italic deities was Janus, depicted with two faces, as the deity of entry and exit, of every beginning. The Olympian gods were considered the patrons of the Roman community and were revered by the patricians. The plebeians especially revered the divine trinity: Ceres, Libor, Proserpina - the goddess of vegetation and the underworld, and Libor - the god of wine and fun. The Roman pantheon never remained closed; foreign deities were accepted into its composition. It was believed that the reception of new gods strengthened the power of the Romans. So, the Romans borrowed almost the entire Greek pantheon, and at the end of the 3rd century. BC e. veneration of the Great Mother of the Gods from Phrygia was introduced. The conquest of many overseas territories, especially the Hellenistic states, introduced the Romans to the Hellenistic and Oriental gods, who find admirers among the Roman population. The slaves who arrived in Rome and Italy professed their cults, thereby spreading other religious beliefs.

The Roman emperor Caligula once declared war on the god of the seas, Neptune, after which he led the army to the shore and ordered the soldiers to throw spears into the water.

In order for the gods to take care of people and the state, they had to make sacrifices, offer prayers, requests and perform special ritual actions. Special boards of knowledgeable people - priests - observed the cult of individual gods, the order in the temples, prepared sacrificial animals, monitored the accuracy of prayers and ritual actions, could give advice on which deity to turn to with the necessary request.

When the emperor died, he was ranked among the gods, and the title Divus, Divine, was added to his name.

The Roman religion bore the seal of formalism and sober practicality: they expected help from the gods in specific matters, and therefore scrupulously performed the established rites and made the necessary sacrifices. In relation to the gods, the principle “I give so that you give” worked. The Romans paid great attention to the external side of religion, to the petty performance of rituals, and not to spiritual merging with the deity. Roman religion did not arouse the sacred awe, the ecstasy that seizes the believer. That is why the Roman religion, with outward very strict observance of all formalities and ceremonies, little affected the feelings of believers, gave rise to dissatisfaction. This is connected with the penetration of foreign, especially Eastern, cults, often distinguished by a mystical and orgiastic character, some mystery. The cult of the Great Mother of the gods and the cult of Dionysus - Bacchus, enrolled in the official Roman pantheon, were especially widespread. The Roman Senate took action against the spread of orgiastic Eastern cults, believing that they undermined the official Roman religion, which was associated with the power of the Roman state and its stability. So, in 186 BC. e. unbridled bacchanalia associated with the rites of the cult of Bacchus - Dionysus were banned.

All the planets in the solar system, except Earth, are named after Roman gods.

The mighty ruler of the sky, the personification of sunlight, thunderstorms, storms, throwing lightning in anger, striking them rebellious to his divine will - such was the supreme lord of the gods Jupiter. His abode was on high mountains, from there he embraced the whole world with his eyes, the fate of individuals and nations depended on him. Jupiter expressed his will with peals of thunder, a flash of lightning, the flight of birds (especially the appearance of an eagle dedicated to him); sometimes he sent prophetic dreams in which he revealed the future.





very cool but i want to add
Roman; the same Greek;
jupiter zeus
pluto hades
Juno Hera
diana artemis
phoebus apollo
minerva athena
venus aphrodite
ceres demeter
liber dionysus
volcano hephaestus
mercury hermes
mars ares
01.03.12 Diana

In my opinion, the civilization of ancient Rome was the most magnificent of all in the ancient era. Therefore, it has always been surprising to me that the Romans could not create their own pantheon of gods (although they had them), but almost completely borrowed it from the Greece they conquered.


However, in fairness, it should be noted that the Romans borrowed gods not only from the Greeks, but from all the peoples with whom they entered into one or another relationship. Cults that are very popular in Rome can serve as proof of this. Mithras - deities of Indo-Iranian origin, Sumero-Akkadian Ishtar (Astartes), and indeed Christianity , which at the beginning of the 4th century became the official religion of the Roman Empire, was borrowed by the Romans from Judea they conquered.

But still, before the Christianization of Rome, the basis of the Roman pantheon was precisely greek olympic gods , only renamed by them.

Let's look at those gods that the Romans worshiped, to once again make sure that all of them, as they say "Made in Greece" .

JUPITER (aka Zeus in Greek mythology)


The supreme deity who presided over the council of the gods. God of the sky, who sent rain, thunder and lightning. In Rome, in the temple of Jupiter, the consuls took the oath and the first meeting of the Senate in the coming year was held.

PLUTO (HADES)


God of the kingdom of the dead, keeper of underground riches, brother of Jupiter.

NEPTUNE (POSEIDON)

God of the seas, brother of Jupiter and Pluto.

VOLCANO (HEPHEST)

God of fire and patron of blacksmithing. The Romans believed that it was he who forged weapons for other gods and heroes in a forge located inside the Etna volcano in Sicily. By the way, the lightning of Jupiter (Zeus) is also his work.

MARS (ARES)

Initially, in ancient Italy, he was the god of fertility (in his honor the first month of the old Roman year was named March), after being identified with Ares, he was the god of war.

MINERVA (ATHENA)

Goddess of wisdom, useful discoveries and inventions, patroness of warriors, artisans, doctors, teachers, sculptors and musicians.

MERCURY (HERMES)

God of trade, cunning and dodgy. He was also considered the patron of various mugs of crooks, thieves and rogues. Concurrently - the messenger of the gods and the guide of the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Pluto.

CERES (DEMETRA)

Goddess of harvest and fertility, patroness of orphaned children.

DIANA (ARTEMIS)

Goddess of hunting, flora and fauna. She was considered the patroness of prisoners, plebeians and slaves, therefore in Rome she was popular in the lower strata of the population.

Phoebe (APOLLO)

God of light, patron of the arts, healer. One of the most revered gods in Rome (emperor Octavian Augustus declared him his patron).

VENUS (APHRODITE)


Initially - the goddess of flowering gardens, spring. After identification with Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

BACHUS (DIONYSUS, BACCHUS)

God of winemaking. (The Romans, however, had their own plebeian god of wine - Lieber ). Joy, drunkenness, all kinds of debauchery and madness are absent from Bacchus. In 186 BC. the Senate even issued a special decree against bacchanalia, many participants in orgies were executed. But the ogries in honor of Bacchus (bacchanalia) continued, despite all the prohibitions, until the Christianization of Rome.

Actually, bacchanalia and other orgistic celebrations in Rome were a common occurrence, and participation in them was almost mandatory, since it was believed that all the gods of the Roman pantheon participate in them, which means that refusal to participate in an orgy was blasphemy - an insult to the gods.

Of course, far from all the deities worshiped by the Romans are given here, but only the main personalities of the Roman (and, in fact, Greek) pantheon. But this, I think, is quite enough for you to draw certain conclusions (in the comments to the post, please).

Thank you for attention.
Sergei Vorobyov.