Roman Gods and Goddesses
A List of the Major Deities from Roman Mythology
Ancient Romans worshiped many of the same deities as did the ancient Greeks, and the gods and goddesses of the Romans worked their way into ancient myth.
The Romans adored the same Olympian gods and goddesses as the Greeks did, and valued them for their specific contributions to mankind. Each deity was assigned a particular specialty, and he or she was thought to look over all aspects of the given genre, the Chiron Dictionary of Greek and Roman Mythology relates. Following is a list of the major Roman deities.
- Jupiter- He was the king of the Roman gods, and he wielded a thunderbolt. He was also the god of the sky, and of thunder.
- Neptune- He was Jupiter's brother, and the god of the sea. Neptune was also the god of various other terrestrial phenomena, such as earthquakes. He often wielded a trident.
- Pluto- He was another of Jupiter's brothers, and the god who looked over the underworld, where the spirits of the dead mortals were kept. Pluto was also the god of wealth, and he carried a bident. He did not live on Mount Olympus, but remained in the underworld.
- Juno- She was the most powerful goddess, as she was the sister of Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Ceres, and Vesta, and also Jupiter's wife. She was the goddess of childbirth, marriage, and women. Juno often carried a scepter.
- Minerva- She was a daughter of Jupiter's, and the goddess of wisdom, strategy, and warfare. She had a particular fondness for Ulysses (Odysseus in Greek), because of his wisdom, and assisted him after the Trojan War.
- Mars- He was the Roman god of war and conflict. Mars was a son of Jupiter's, and a brother of Minerva's. He often sported armor, shield, and sword, and was known for assisting the Trojans in the Trojan War.
- Apollo- A Roman god of many respects, such as archery, poetry, health and healing, medicine, and sometimes, the sun. He was one of Jupiter's sons, and the twin brother of Diana.
- Diana- She was one of Jupiter's daughters, and was the goddess of hunting, animals, and the moon.
- Venus- One of Jupiter's daughters, Venus was the Roman goddess of love and beauty. She was a lover of Mars, despite her marriage to Vulcan. Venus was the most beautiful of the goddesses.
- Ceres- She was a sister of Jupiter's, and the goddess of fertility and agriculture.
- Bacchus- He was one of Jupiter's sons, and the god of wine, merriment, drunkenness, and festivities. He was often seen in the presence of grape vines.
- Vulcan- He was the god of fire, metals, and craftsmanship. He was one of Juno's sons, and the husband of Venus. Vulcan often forged weapons for other gods and heroes.
- Mercury- He was the messenger god, who also specialized in flight, thievery, and trading. Mercury was one of Jupiter's sons, and he wore winged boots.
- Vesta- One of Jupiter's sisters, she was the goddess of the hearth, and she also monitored family well-being and values in the lives of the ancient Romans.
These are the major gods and goddesses present in ancient Roman mythology, although there are many references to other minor deities. The names of these gods are different in Greek, but they had the same gods who maintained the same specialties, and were involved in the same mythological tales.
The copyright of the article Roman Gods and Goddesses in Ancient History is owned by Thomas Wyatt. Permission to republish Roman Gods and Goddesses in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Minerva's Temple in Salerno, Italy
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