Roman Goddess Juno

The Roman Goddess Juno was born from Ops (earth, abundance) and Saturn (time). She was both sister and wife of Jupiter with whom she gave birth to various deities amongst whom we have Vulcan.

Juno was an early Italic deity associated with the cycles of the moon, of childbirth and of marriage often portrayed breastfeeding a child. Her image slowly transformed from one of nurturing mother into one of a stern matron who was having to keep an eternal look-out on her libertine husband and casting jealous vengeance against Jupiter’s many lovers. Juno formed part of the Capitoline triad of deities together with Jupiter and Minerva – the official state deities which protected Rome’s power.

As protector and counsellor of the Roman state and protector of state funds she had numerous epithets, some associated with marriage such as "Cinxia" she who loses the bride’s girdle (interesting backdrop to Propertius’ beloved Cynthia?), "Lucina", "Regina" (queen), Sororia and Moneta.

Juno had a feast in her honour called the Matronalia on the 1^st of March as well as a second festivity on 7th July. The month of June is named after her and her sacred beasts were geese and peacocks.

She appears relatively prominently within Livy’s history of Rome (book5): Her statue (and hence the deity) was brought into Rome from the neighbouring city of Veii and it was her sacred geese which alarmed the Roman sentinels of the Gallic invasion, hence leading to Juno’s epithet "Moneta" – the one who warns.

Juno and money: The goddess Juno was closely associated with money (state funds) and the Roman mint was situated in the temple of Juno in the Forum. It is interesting how her epithet "moneta" came to be associated with coinage both in Latin as well as many other languages such as Italian (moneta) or English (money).

From Livy bk5: Relating Camillus’ sacking of the Etruscan city of Veii.