From the very earliest times the Romans held great veneration for female goddesses as much as they did for the male gods. The earliest Latins, when Rome was but a small city forming part of a Latin league, goddesses such as Vesta, goddess of the hearth and Diana, goddess of chastity were at the core of official cults, both were of Italic/Indo-European origin.
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Vesta, Diana and Minerva were the three virgin goddesses who swore never to marry
Juno and Minerva were two components of the Capitoline triad (together with Jupiter)
Bellona was goddess of war, her temple was outside the pomoerium (the sacred boundary between the city of Rome and the world outside)
But there are also other ancient deities which to a degree are less well known and popularised but were greatly influential:
- Juventas – deity of youth to whom an offering was made by Roman children who grew into adulthood. Her temple on the Capitoline Hill was built during the time of the ancient Roman Kings, and preceded that of Jupiter (built by the 7th king – Tarquin the Proud)
- Egeria – a woodland deity who gave council to Roman King Numa Pompilius and became his wife. She is closely associated with the goddess Diana.
Importing Goddesses into Rome
The ancient Romans readily assimilated new deities and religions so long as they didn’t interfere with the established state religion which had the Capitoline triad at its head. There was also a deeper reason for this assimilation of foreign deities (termed “novensiles” as opposed to the home bred ones called “indigetes“): the Romans actually believed that if they won the good will of the enemy’s deity then the Roman army would have a good chance of winning the enemy in war.
As Livy tells us: “When all that belonged to man had been carried away from Veii, they began to remove from the temples the votive gifts that had been made to the gods, and then the gods themselves; but this they did as worshippers rather than as plunderers.”
This practice was called “evocatio” and, according to the historian Livy, a great example of it was to be had in 396BC. The Romans had held a 10 year siege of the neighbouring Etruscan city of Veii but with little success. General (temporary dictator) Camillus who was in charge of the army at the time decided to dig a long tunnel under the city to unexpectedly pop out in the middle of the unsuspecting enemy, rather like the Achaeans had managed to surprise the Trojans. At which point all that was required was the good will of the gods, not only their own but also those of the enemy: Apollo and Juno.
“After the Dictator had taken the auspices and issued orders for the soldiers to arm for battle, he uttered this prayer: ‘Pythian Apollo, guided and inspired by thy will I go forth to destroy the city of Veii, and a tenth part of its spoils I devote to thee. Thee too, Queen Juno, who now dwellest in Veii, I beseech, that thou wouldst follow us, after our victory, to the City which is ours and which will soon shine, where a temple worthy of thy majesty will receive thee.’” (Livy bk5)
After his triumph Camillus built some temples:
“he signed a contract for building the temple of Queen Juno on the Aventine and dedicated one to Matuta the Mother”
The list of ancient Roman goddesses is long, particularly when we take the definition to include all the goddesses worshipped within the empire’s territories or at least imported from distant lands. Some examples include:
Notes | Comments / Festivity | |
Cerere | Cereals, harvests, fertility (of the land) | Cerealia (April 12) |
Minerva | Wisdom. | Quinquatrus (March 19-23) – Also celebrated on July 13 July. |
Juno | Protector of women and marriage. Brought from the Etruscan city of Veii by Camillus around 400BC. | Matronalia (March 1) – Festival honoring Juno, celebrated by married women |
Aurora | Sunrise. | Often included in celebrations of other deities especially those related to the sun. |
Venus | Goddess of love and fertility-later equated also with the Egyptian Isis. | Vinalia Rustica (August 19), Festival of Venus (September 24) |
Diana | Goddess of hunting, but also the moon and fertility. | Festival of Diana (August 13), Nemoralia (September 19) |
Flora | Goddess of flowers and fertility | Floralia (April 28 – May 3) |
Isis | Like Venus. Of Egyptian provenance. | Navigium Isidis (March 6) – Marks the beginning of the sailing and shipping season. |
Proserpine | Queen of the Underworld | |
Bellona | Goddess of war | Ludi Victoriae Sullanae (October 28) |
Gaia (Gaea) | The Earth | |
Matuta | The Mother | Matralia (June 11) |
Vesta | Very ancient. Perhaps Greek or Sabine in origin. | Vestalia (June 9) |
Roman Goddesses list
The following list in alphabetical order of 50 ancient Roman goddesses is extensive but by no means exhaustive or perfect: There were many more!
1. Angerona: Goddess of silence, secrecy, and the winter solstice.
Festivities: Winter Solstice Celebration (December).
2. Aequitas: Goddess of equity and fairness.
3. Aurora: Goddess of the dawn.
– Festivities: Dawn Ceremonies (Throughout the year).
4. Aurora Mater: Motherly aspect of the goddess of dawn.
– Epithets: Mater (Mother).
– Festivities: Maternal Celebrations (Various dates).
5. Bellona: Goddess of war, associated with battle and destruction.
– Epithets: Duellona (Warrior).
– Festivities: War Victory Festival (March).
6. Bubona: Goddess of cattle and livestock.
– Festivities: Cattle Blessing Day (April).
7. Cardea: Goddess of door hinges, thresholds, and domestic protection.
– Festivities: Home Protection Rite (May).
8. Ceres: Goddess of agriculture, fertility, and motherly relationships.
– Epithets: Demeter (Greek counterpart).
– Festivities: Cerealia (April).
9. Cinxia: Goddess of Roman marriage and the binding of vows.
– Festivities: Marriage Festival (June).
10. Concordia: Goddess of harmony, agreement, and concord.
– Festivities: Concordia Celebrations (July).
11. Concordia Augusta: Goddess of harmony and agreement during the reign of
Augustus.
– Epithets: Augusta (Revered).
– Festivities: Augustan Accord Festival (August).
12. Cybele (Magna Mater): Mother goddess, associated with fertility and the
earth.
– Epithets: Mater Deum (Mother of the Gods).
– Festivities: Megalesia (April).
13. Diana: Goddess of the hunt, moon, and childbirth.
– Epithets: Luna (Moon), Trivia (Crossroads), Hecate
(Underworld).
– Festivities: Nemoralia (August).
14. Diva Angustia: Goddess associated with narrow places and confinement.
– Epithets: Angustia (Narrow).
15. Feronia: Goddess of wildlife, fertility, and freedom.
– Festivities: Feroniae (November).
16. Fides: Goddess of trust, good faith, and honesty.
17. Fides Publica Populi Romani : Personification of the public faith and
trust of the Roman people.
18. Flora: Goddess of flowers, vegetation, and fertility.
– Festivities: Floralia (April-May).
19. Fornax: Goddess of baking and ovens.
– Festivities: Fornacalia (February).
20. Fortuna: Goddess of luck, chance, and fortune.
– Epithets: Fortuna Primigenia (Primeval Fortune).
– Festivities: Tycheia (June).
21. Fortuna Redux: Goddess of safe returns and victorious journeys.
– Epithets: Redux (Returning).
– Festivities: Triumphal Processions (Various dates).
22. Hera (Juno Sospita): Protectress, especially in times of trouble and
danger.
– Epithets: Sospita (Savior).
– Festivities: Matronalia (March).
23. Horta: Goddess of gardens and horticulture.
– Epithets: None widely recognized.
– Festivities: Hortensia (July).
24. Juno: Protector of women, marriage.
– Epithets: Regina (Queen), Lucina (Light-bringer).
– Provenance: Brought from the Etruscan city of Veii by
Camillus around 400 BCE.
– Festivities: Matronalia (March).
25. Juturna: Goddess of fountains, wells, and springs.
– Festivities: Fontinalia (October).
26. Juventas: Goddess of youth and rejuvenation.
– Festivities: Juvenalia (December).
27. Laverna: Goddess of thieves, trickery, and deception.
28. Libertas: Goddess of freedom and liberty.
– Festivities: Liberalia (March).
29. Libertas Augusta: Deified personification of liberty during the reign of
Augustus.
– Epithets: Augusta (Revered).
– Festivities: Augustalia (August).
30. Luna: Goddess of the moon.
– Provenance: Merged with the Greek goddess Selene.
– Festivities: Lunalia (March).
31. Mellona: Goddess of bees and beekeeping.
– Festivities: Mellonia (May).
32. Minerva: Wisdom, crafts,
strategic warfare.
– Provenance: Originally Etruscan, later identified with the
Greek goddess Athena.
– Festivities: Quinquatria (March).
33. Nemesis: Goddess of retribution, vengeance, and balance.
– Epithets: Adrasteia.
– Festivities: Nemesea (August).
34. Ops: Goddess of abundance, prosperity, and harvest.
– Epithets: Consivia, Opis.
– Festivities: Opiconsivia (August).
37. Ops Consiva: Goddess of the sowing and planting of crops.
– Epithets: Consiva (Planter).
– Festivities: Consualia (December).
38. Pax: Goddess of peace and tranquility.
– Epithets: Pax Romana.
– Provenance: Associated with Roman political ideology.
– Festivities: Pacis Conventum (January).
39. Pax Romana: Personification of the Roman peace and stability.
– Festivities: Pax Romana Festival (July).
40. Pomona: Goddess of fruitful abundance, especially in orchards and
gardens.
– Festivities: Pomonal (November).
41. Salus: Goddess of health, prosperity, and well-being.
– Epithets: Salus Publica Populi Romani.
– Festivities: Hygieia (September).
42. Segetia: Protectress of crops and grain fields.
– Festivities: Segetia Harvest Festival (October).
43. Securitas: Goddess of security, safety, and tranquility.
– Festivities: Secular Games (Various dates).
44. Stata Mater: Goddess who ensures the stability and standing of the Roman
state.
– Epithets: Mater (Mother).
– Festivities: Matralia (June).
45. Strenia: Goddess of New Year’s gifts and blessings.
– Festivities: Strenua (January).
46. Vacuna: Protectress of the countryside, associated with cattle and
agriculture.
– Festivities: Vacunalia (August).
47. Venilia: Goddess associated with calm seas and favorable winds.
– Festivities: Venilia Maritime Celebration (July).
48. Venus: Goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
– Epithets: Venus Genetrix (Mother Venus), Venus Victrix
(Victorious Venus).
– Provenance: Derived from Greek Aphrodite; also associated
with the Egyptian goddess Isis.
– Festivities: Veneralia (April).
49. Vesta: Goddess of the hearth, home, and family.
– Provenance: Ppossibly Sabine in origin.
– Festivities: Vestalia (June).
50. Victoria: Goddess of victory.
– Festivities: Victoria Celebrations (July).
51. Victoria Virgo: Goddess of victory, especially associated with the
youth.
– Epithets: Virgo (Virgin).
– Festivities: Virginalia (September).
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