The most ancient beliefs of people boiled down to the endowment of souls in natural phenomena and the cult of ancestors. With the passage of time and the development of civilizations, from a huge variety of obscure mythical deities, more vivid images are identified: Mars - the god of war, Janus - the god of the beginning and end, Jupiter - the god of light of day, Thunderstorms, who send terrible downpours to the lands of people, and others. The culture and beliefs of ancient people have always been greatly influenced by the culture of their closest neighbors. Thus, the goddess of arts Minerva was borrowed from the Etruscans by the Romans. Also, the cultural life of Rome, in turn, was significantly influenced by Greece. Today it is undeniable that Roman mythology, the gods of which were mostly borrowed from the Greeks, had a significant influence on the development of ancient Roman society as a whole.

The mythology of ancient states today is of great interest to researchers of the history of civilizations that have sunk into the past, collecting artifacts of their culture bit by bit over many hundreds of years. Thanks to their efforts, he has an idea of ​​what people lived long before his ancestors appeared, what they believed in and what the meaning of their lives was.

The most ancient Roman mythology was built on the belief in the existence of life after death. The Romans of those times worshiped the souls of their ancestors. At the heart of this worship was the fear of the supernatural powers that the Romans believed these souls possessed. The first Roman gods were identified with nature, they could command it, cause rain or send an unprecedented drought to settlements. In order not to be left without harvests, the inhabitants of Ancient Rome tried in every possible way to appease these gods. They were worshiped and sacrifices were made.

Greek and Roman gods: differences

According to some sources, Ancient Rome did not have its own mythology for centuries. At the same time, in neighboring Greece, the cultural and religious life of the people flourished. Many modern researchers who are interested in history tend to believe that most of the myths were borrowed earlier from the more culturally developed Greeks, and the Roman gods are gods endowed with the same powers and traits as the Greek ones. The only difference is their names. So, in Roman mythology, Venus is an exact copy of the Greek Aphrodite. The patron of the ancient Roman arts - Phoebus - is more like the Greek Apollo, etc.

Initially, the Roman gods had neither a genealogy, nor even their habitat - Olympus, and were depicted in the form of certain symbols: Jupiter had the appearance of a stone, Mars - the appearance of a spear, Vesta - the appearance of flames. According to legend, the first gods of Rome did not leave offspring behind them and, after completing all the work they had begun, they did not die, but disappeared into nowhere. The Greek gods were very prolific and immortal.

The fusion of the culture and mythology of Rome and Greece occurs around the turn of the fourth and third centuries BC. The basic religious views of the Greeks and part of their mythology reigned in Rome after a collection of sayings of the Greek oracle was delivered to the capital of the empire, which subsequently predicted the plague epidemic of 293 BC.

Roman gods are more moral. According to the ideas of the ancient Romans, by guarding human life, they were the defenders of justice on Earth, property rights and many other rights that a free person should have. The moral influence of religion was especially great during the period of prosperity of Roman civil society (2-4 centuries AD). The people of Ancient Rome were very pious. We can still find praise for this piety on the pages of the works of Roman and Greek writers of those times. The outward piety of the Romans proves their respect for customs, on which the main virtue of the Roman people, patriotism, was based.

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

Roman gods

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

1. The most important ruler is Jupiter. The Romans considered him the patron saint of thunder and storms. He showed his will by releasing lightning onto the ground. It was believed that the place where they ended up became sacred. They asked Jupiter for rain for a good harvest. He was also considered the patron saint of the Roman state.
2. Roman god of war Mars is one of the triad of gods leading the Roman pantheon. Initially, he was considered the patron saint of vegetation. It was to Mars that warriors sacrificed gifts before going to war, and they also thanked him after successful battles. The symbol of this god was a spear - regin. Despite their belligerence, the Romans depicted Mars in a peaceful pose, arguing that he was resting after fighting. Often in his hands he held a statue of the goddess of victory Nike.
3. Roman Asclepius most often he presented himself as an old man with a beard. The main and most famous attribute was a staff that entwines a snake. It is used as a symbol of medicine to this day. It was only thanks to his activities and work done that 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 of winemaking. It was most popular among farmers. A holiday held on March 17 is dedicated to this god. On this day, young boys put on a toga for the first time. The Romans gathered at crossroads, wore masks made from bark, and swung a phallus that was created from flowers.
5. Sun god in Roman mythology Apollo often associated with the life-giving power of the sky. Over time, this god began to be credited with patronage over other areas of life. 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. Farmers believed that it was Apollo who had the powers that helped the bread to 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 imagined him as a young guy or a child with curly golden hair. Cupid had wings on his back that helped him move and hit people from any convenient position. The irreplaceable attributes of the god of love were a bow and arrows, which could both give feelings and deprive them. In some images, Cupid is shown blindfolded, which 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 tests and eventually became immortal. Cupid is a popular deity who is used in the creation of various souvenirs.
7. Roman god of the fields Faun was a companion of Dionysus. He was also considered the patron saint of forests, shepherds and fishermen. He was always cheerful and, together with the nymphs who accompanied him, danced and played the pipe. The Romans considered Faun a crafty god who stole children and sent nightmares and illnesses. Dogs and goats were sacrificed for the fields. According to legends, Faun taught people 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.

Like other peoples of antiquity, the Greeks and Romans worshiped many gods, i.e. were polytheists. In appearance and character, the Greek gods resembled people. For three millennia, the richest treasury of myths has inspired sculptors, artists, writers...

Athena or Minerva?

The Romans were no strangers to appropriating foreign gods for themselves. But they did not stand on ceremony with them and chose those character traits and legends about their lives and deeds that they liked. This is exactly how they treated the Greek gods and goddesses.

Greek God/Roman God

Apollo/Apollo- Patron of medicine and art

Artemis/Diana- Goddess of the hunt

Athena/Minerva- Goddess of war and wisdom

Aphrodite/Venus- Goddess of love and beauty

Hera/Juno- Wife of Zeus (Jupiter), goddess of motherhood

Hermes/Mercury- Patron of trade and eloquence Patron of the hearth Goddess of fertility Lord of the sky and the Universe Lord of the seas

Hestia/Vesta- Patroness of the home

Demeter/Ceres- Goddess of Fertility

Zeus/Jupiter- Lord of the sky and the universe

Poseidon/Neptune- Lord of the Seas

Romuli Remus

Two twin brothers, left to the mercy of fate, happily escaped death and were suckled by a she-wolf. Thus begins the legend of the founding of the city of Rome.

Zeus - god "Bright Sky"

Father of gods and men, as well as many heroes. The attributes of Zeus are the eagle and lightning. Having put an end to the power of the Titans, he became the rightful master of Olympus.

Temples and festivities

The favorite gods of the ancient Greeks and Romans were the patrons of the harvest, the hearth, the family, as well as the spirits of rivers and springs... But they also worshiped more important gods, in whose honor they erected temples and organized annual festivals. The inhabitants of Athens, for example, especially revered the goddess Athena. And every four years, starting from 776 BC, participants in the Olympic Games flocked to Olympia from all over Greece for the festival of Zeus. In Delphi, Apollo was glorified with music and sports competitions, and in addition, here you could find out what awaits you in the future - God himself announced his will through the lips of the priestess-soothsayer Pythia.

Parthenon

On one of the hills in Athens - the Acropolis - rises the Parthenon Temple, built between 447 and 432 BC. and dedicated to the goddess Athena. Behind the columns of the gallery (entrance portico) and pronaosome(half-open part of the building) is located naos- the main room of the temple, the sanctuary, in which a statue of the goddess Athena stood. It was made in the 5th century BC. made of ivory and gold by the great sculptor Phidias. A little further away there was a treasury, the so-called “room of virgins”, in Greek - parthenos.

Pantheon of Roman Gods

The Pantheon is not only the “temple of all gods”, it is also the entire “population” of the celestials of one polytheistic religion. The gods of the Greek pantheon lived decorously in families, but among the Romans they lived more carelessly. The first Roman gods, such as Flora, Pomona, Saturn, Vulcan, were not even depicted in human form at first.

Heroes, sons of mortals

One of their parents - father or mother - was one of the gods of Olympus. They were very popular among the Greeks. The most famous of them is Hercules, for the feats he accomplished, he was awarded the honor of being accepted into the ranks of immortals. He entered Roman mythology under the name of Hercules. Odysseus, or Ulysses, apparently owes his appearance to Homer, who is credited with the authorship of the poems “Odyssey” and “Iliad” (8th century BC).

Gifts, sacrifices and superstitions

What was the essence of the Greek and Roman religions? In gifts and sacrifices to the gods in exchange for peace, luck and prosperity sent down by them. Every day, the Roman head of the family certainly offered a few drops of oil and some food to the guardian gods of the house. But on the days of great celebrations, whole processions of animals for sacrifice stretched along the streets of cities. Part of the meat of killed animals was intended for the gods and burned near the temples, the rest was eaten by participants in the religious holiday. In Rome, such ceremonies took place on those days that were considered unfavorable and when it was necessary to try to appease the gods. The extremely superstitious Romans saw the will of the gods behind any natural phenomenon.

Athenian hero

This Greek vase with reddish colored figures depicts Theseus slaying the Minotaur. Every year the Minotaur devoured seven girls and seven boys of Athens. Theseus managed to defeat the monster.

Souvetaurilies

Translated from Latin, sus means pig, ovis means ram, and taurus means bull. These animals were sent to slaughter together. So the words were combined into one, which means a solemn cleansing sacrifice.

Celtic god

Every nation has its own gods. We know little about what deities the Germanic tribes, or Celts, worshiped. These peoples did not leave behind written evidence. Several Celtic gods were described, however, by Roman conquerors. The main one, according to Julius Caesar, was Lug, the god of light, art and crafts. There was also a god of war named Teuthates. And this is “what kind of deity is with the boar? Nobody knows...

The Romans evolved. Initially, there was a polytheistic religion - paganism. The Romans believed in many gods.

Structure and main concepts of ancient Roman religion

Like any other polytheistic faith, Roman paganism did not have a clear organization. In fact, it is a collection of a large number of ancient cults. The ancients were responsible for various aspects of human life and natural elements. Every family revered rituals - they were performed by the head of the family. The gods were asked for help in household and personal matters.

There were rituals that were carried out at the state level - they were performed at different times by priests, consuls, dictators, and praetors. The gods were asked for help in battles, intercession and assistance in battle with the enemy. Fortune telling and rituals were given a large role in resolving state issues.

During the reign, the concept of “priest” appeared. He was a representative of a closed caste. The priests had enormous influence on the ruler; they possessed the secrets of rituals and communication with the gods. During the empire, the function of pontiff began to be performed by the emperor. It is characteristic that Rima were similar in their functions - they just had different names.

The main features of the religion of Rome

Important characteristics of Roman beliefs were:

• great influence of foreign borrowing. The Romans often came into contact with other peoples during their conquests. Contacts with Greece were especially close;
• religion was closely connected with politics. This can be judged based on the existence of the cult of imperial power;
• characterized by the endowment of divine qualities to such concepts as happiness, love, justice;
• the close connection between myth and beliefs - defines, but does not distinguish the Roman religion from other pagan systems;
• a huge number of cults and rituals. They differed in scale, but covered all aspects of public and personal life;
• The Romans deified even such little things as returning from a campaign, the first word of a baby, and much more.

Ancient Roman pantheon

The Romans, like the Greeks, represented the gods as humanoid. They believed in the forces of nature and spirits. The main deity was Jupiter. His element was the sky, he was the master of thunder and lightning. The Great Games were held in honor of Jupiter, and a temple on Capitol Hill was dedicated to him. The ancient gods of Rome looked after various aspects of human life: Venus - love, Juno - marriage, Diana - hunting, Minevra - craft, Vesta - home.

In the Roman pantheon there were father gods - the most revered of all, and lower deities. They also believed in spirits that were present in everything that surrounds a person. Researchers believe that spirit worship was present only in the early stages of the development of the religion of Rome. Initially, Mars, Quirin and Jupiter were considered the main gods. During the emergence of the institution of priesthood, tribal cults arose. It was believed that each class and noble family was patronized by a specific god. Cults appeared among the clan of the Claudians, Cornelians and other representatives of the elite of society.

At the state level, Saturnalia was celebrated - in honor of agriculture. They held grand celebrations and thanked the patron for the harvest.

Social struggle in society led to the formation of a triad of gods or “plebeian triad” - Ceres, Liber and Liber. The Romans also identified heavenly, chthonic and earthly deities. There was a belief in demons. They were divided into good and evil. The first group included the Penates, Lares and Geniuses. They kept the traditions of the house, the hearth and protected the head of the family. Evil demons - lemurs and laurels interfered with good ones and harmed people. Such creatures appeared if the deceased was buried without observing the rituals.

The gods of Ancient Rome, the list of which includes more than 50 different creatures, were objects of worship for many centuries - only the degree of influence of each of them on the consciousness of the people changed.

During the empire, the goddess Roma, the patroness of the entire state, was popularized.

What gods did the Romans borrow?

As a result of frequent contacts with other peoples, the Romans began to incorporate foreign beliefs and rituals into their culture. Researchers are inclined to think that all religion is a complex of borrowings. The main reason for this is that the Romans respected the beliefs of the people they conquered. There was a ritual that officially introduced a foreign deity into the pantheon of Rome. This ritual was called evocation.

The ancient gods of Rome appeared in the pantheon as a result of close cultural ties with conquered peoples and the active development of their own culture. The most striking borrowings are Mithra and Cybele.

Table “Gods of Ancient Rome and Greek correspondences”:

Mythology of Ancient Rome

In all pagan cultures, myths and religious beliefs are closely related. The themes of Roman myths are traditional - the founding of the city and state, the creation of the world and the birth of the gods. This is one of the most interesting aspects of culture to study. Researchers using the mythological system can trace the entire evolution of Roman beliefs.

Traditionally, legends contain many descriptions of miraculous, supernatural events that were believed in. From such narratives, one can highlight the peculiarities of the political views of the people, which are hidden in the fantastic text.

In the mythology of almost all nations, the theme of the creation of the world, cosmogony, comes first. But not in this case. It mainly describes heroic events, the ancient gods of Rome, rituals and ceremonies that must be performed.

The heroes were of semi-divine origin. the legendary founders of Rome - Romulus and Remus - were the children of the warlike Mars and the Vestal priestess, and their great ancestor Aeneas was the son of the beautiful Aphrodite and the king.

The gods of Ancient Rome, the list of which includes both borrowed and local deities, has more than 50 names.

What were the gods of Ancient Rome? What legends and real events were associated with the deities? You can find answers to all these questions in this article, find out...

From Masterweb

06.05.2018 23:00

Ancient culture has always attracted humanity. After the dark period of the Middle Ages, people turned to the achievements of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, trying to comprehend their art and attitude to life. The era following the Middle Ages began to be called the Renaissance (Renaissance). Cultural and artistic figures also turned to antiquity during the Enlightenment. This can be said about almost every historical period of human existence. So what attracts us so much to ancient Greece and Rome? Most of all, we know myths and legends that contain deep foundations of morality. The heroes of myths are people, fantastic creatures and, of course, gods.

Ancient gods of Rome

The ancient Roman gods are very similar to the ancient Greek ones. This is no coincidence: the two civilizations were nearby, and when the Roman Empire began to conquer other states, it included foreign gods in its pantheon.

Although the pantheon of gods of Ancient Rome grew significantly as a result, the main ones remained 12 gods - 6 men and 6 women - the so-called Council of Gods. Besides this, there are other gods that are worshiped.

Saturn

One of the most important ancient gods of Rome. Saturn was not part of the Council of Gods, but was highly revered. The question arises: Saturn - the god of what in Ancient Rome? Corresponding to the ancient Greek Cronus, Saturn is the patron of vital forces and agriculture. Of course, agriculture played an important role in antiquity, so the veneration of this god is quite natural.

Jupiter - god of lightning

Jupiter was one of the most revered gods in Ancient Rome. It was associated with lightning and thunder, which were considered signs or punishments. It is interesting that the places struck by lightning were sacred, they were surrounded by fences and sacrifices were made next to them. Any Roman commander, going on a campaign and returning with victory, prayed to Jupiter. One of the most significant temples to Jupiter was in the Capitol, which was founded by Tarquinius Gordius.

Juno - goddess of family

Juno is the patroness of family and marriage. Her temple, like that of Jupiter, was located on Capitol Hill (not many gods were given such an honor). The goddess was given many epithets, among which there is also Coin - giving advice. Its appearance is associated with an interesting legend.

In the 5th century BC, a war broke out between the Romans and Etruscans, which lasted 10 years. From the captured city of Veio they brought a statue of the goddess Juno, who appeared to one of the soldiers and blessed. It was in honor of this event that a temple was built on Capitol Hill, where geese were sacrificed. When, much later, in 390 BC. e., enemies surrounded the fortress of the Capitol, the geese woke up the leader of the fortress, and Rome was saved. It was believed that this was a sign from the goddess giving advice.

In the 3rd century BC, a mint was founded in the Temple of Juno.

Neptune - ruler of the seas

Brother of Jupiter and patron of the sea, Neptune was the second most powerful god of Rome. According to legend, Neptune had a luxurious palace at the bottom of the sea.

An amazing fact about the god of the sea: it was he who gave man the first horse!

Neptune is depicted with a trident, a powerful weapon that can smash anything into pieces.

Ceres - goddess of fertility

The ancient Roman goddess of fertility and motherhood was revered in the pantheon of gods of Ancient Rome. Farmers treated Ceres with special respect: holidays in honor of the goddess lasted several days.

The Romans made unique sacrifices to the goddess. Instead of the traditional killing of animals, Ceres was given half of the property of a husband who, without any reason, separated from his wife. In addition, she was considered the protector of the rural community and crops from robbers.

Minerva - goddess of wisdom

Minerva was considered the goddess of wisdom, knowledge and just war; she was the patroness of sciences and crafts. The goddess is often depicted armed, with an olive tree and an owl - a symbol of wisdom. Minerva was part of the Capitoline triad, considered equal to Jupiter and Juno.

She was especially revered in Rome for her warlike character.

Apollo - god of music and arts

Apollo is considered one of the most beautiful gods, with a bright solar disk above his head. God is considered the patron of music and the arts. His father, Jupiter, was dissatisfied with Apollo's willfulness and even forced him to serve people!

Diana - goddess-hunter

Diana was considered a huntress goddess in Ancient Rome. While her brother Apollo represented the sun, Diana was associated with the moon. In Rome she patronized the lower classes. The traditions of rituals associated with Diana were sometimes cruel - there were human sacrifices. The priest of the temple, for example, the first one erected on the Aventine Hill, was necessarily a runaway slave. The priest bore the name Rex (King), and in order to become a priest of the goddess, he had to kill his predecessor.

Mars - god of war

There is no doubt that the Roman Empire was a powerful power, constantly expanding through war. In the ancient world, nothing could be accomplished without the help of the gods. Therefore, Mars, the god of war in Ancient Rome, always had enough admirers. It is curious that according to legend, it was Mars who was the father of Romulus and Remus, who founded Rome. In this regard, he was revered above other gods, which the Greek Ares could not boast of.

Venus - goddess of love

The beautiful goddess of love, fertility, eternal spring and life, Venus had amazing abilities. Not only people, but even gods, with the exception of a few, obeyed her power. Venus was the most revered goddess among women. Its symbol is an apple. A Sicilian temple was built in honor of Venus; she was the patroness of the descendants of Aeneas, the son of Venus, and all Romans. One of the greatest Roman commanders, Gaius Julius Caesar, considered Aeneas his ancestor, so he greatly respected the goddess.

Vulcan - blacksmith god

Unlike Apollo, who was famous for his beauty, Vulcan was lame and ugly. But this did not stop him from becoming a talented blacksmith. According to legend, it was Vulcan who forged Jupiter his formidable weapon - lightning. It is impossible to forge a sword without fire, so Vulcan was also considered the patron of this formidable element. Every year on August 23, the inhabitants of the Empire celebrated Vulcania.

And the following fact can no longer be completely attributed to legend. In 79 BC, on August 24, the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius occurred, which became the last for the city of Pompeii. Perhaps the inhabitants angered God by not knowing that Mount Vesuvius is a volcano?

Mercury - god of trade

The messenger's rod and winged sandals... It's easy to guess that we are talking about the messenger of the gods - Mercury. He was considered the patron of trade, intelligence, eloquence and even... theft! It was he, according to legend, who invented the alphabet, units of measurement, and then bestowed this knowledge on people.

The rod of Mercury was called the caduceus; it was entwined with two snakes. There is a myth that when Mercury received a rod capable of pacifying anyone, he placed it between two snakes, who at that moment were fighting each other. They wrapped themselves around the staff and became part of it.

Vesta - goddess of the hearth

Vesta in Ancient Rome was the goddess of the hearth and family. In Rome, a temple was dedicated to her, in which a fire was constantly maintained. The flames were watched over by special priestesses - vestals. The morals and customs of ancient civilizations were sometimes cruel, and priestesses were required to remain celibate for 30 years. If the unfortunate woman violated the ban, she was buried alive.

You can list the gods of Ancient Rome ad infinitum - there are very, very many of them. The most significant ones are listed above. It’s amazing how much connects the ancient Roman gods and our modernity. In honor of some of them, planets were named - Venus, Mars, Uranus, Jupiter. We know the month June, named after Juno.

As can be seen from the description of the gods, they were not harmless, they could fend for themselves, many were associated with military affairs. Who knows, maybe it really was the gods who helped the Romans found one of the most powerful empires in human history.

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