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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Apollo

"Shining"; god of the Sun. He used the bow and lyre with skill. His arrows brought illness or death He was bisexual, pointing to the possibility that originally he may have been a goddess. he drove a four-hours chariot (quadriga through the sky. He first came to Rome in the fifth century BC following an outbreak of plague. He represented lawful punishment of crime, not revenge; justified revenge. God of prophesy, music, healing, medicine, oracles, reason, inspiration, the arts, magick.

Asklepios

Similar to the Greek Aesculapius; god of healing; son of Apollo.

B

Bacchus/Liber/Liber Pater

Similar to Dionysus; consort of Libera. Called the Liberator, he carried a pine cone tipped thyrsusand sometimes rode a panther. He was shown accompanied by goat-foot satyrs, centaurs, and crazed female Bacchantes. He was honored on March 17 in the Liberalia, when boys put on the toga of manhood. At his other festivals people wore masks, sang crude songs, and indulged in unrestrained good times. The ever young god of wine, good times, ecstasy, fertility, wild Nature.

C

Cupid

God of love; son of Venus.

D

Dis Pater

See Pluto

E

F

Fauns

Roman satyrs; Latin rural deities with horns, pointed ears, beards, and tails. The accompanied Bacchus and represented intense sexuality and fertility.

Faunus

Similar to Pan, he was a rustic god, also called Lupercus. "Little God&Quot; Horned God; goat-foot god; the Horned One of Nature; very ancient. On February 15 the Lupercalia honored him with sacrifices of goats. The priests of his temple performed the rites naked. Protector of flocks and agriculture, bee-keeping, fishing, orchards, gardens, animals, fertility, Nature, woodlands, music, dance, farming, medicine, soothsaying; the positive Life Force of the world. He also had Pan's dark side, seizing men and animals with wild and unreasoning terror in high and lonely places.

G

H

Hercules

A deified hero, demigod, culture hero, symbolizing strength and courage, wine, women, superhuman strength; he protected travelers.

I

J

Janus

Essentially a Roman god as he had no counterparts. Called Janus Pater, god of gods, he came before even Jupiter. He was honored on the first day of every month; Junarius was named for him. He was pictured as a bearded older man with two faces or heads, each looking in opposite directions. His two faces represented past wisdom and future knowledge, all thing which had a sense of beginning and ending. God of good beginnings, doorways, journeys, public gates, departure and return, harbors, communications, navigation, daybreak, victory, endings, success, the seasons.

Jupiter

"The smiter"; "Best and greatest"; "Stayer"; Supreme God; Great God; Lord of the Heavens;sky god. He was invoked before any military actions, and prions of war booty were given to him. A warrior god but protector of youth. Protector of the laws, justice and the weak. Lord of all high things, clouds, rain, thunder, mountain tops, lightning. God of the Elements, agriculture, honor, riches, friendships, health, luck, the heart's desires, protection, light.

K

L

Liber/Liber Pater

See Bacchus/Liber/Liber Pater

Lupercus

See Faunus

M

Mars

God of war and agriculture; god of spring. Originally Mars was an Etruscan fertility-savior Maris; he was worshipped at the shrine in the Apennines. He was pictured as bearded with a cuirass and helmet. He was considered important because he was the father of Romulus and Remus. Sacrifices to him took place in his month of March, thus making it a dangerous time of the year. Sacred to him were the woodpecker, horse, wolf, oak, laurel, dogwood, and the bean. War, terror, anger, revenge, courage.

Mercury/Mercurius

As the messenger of the gods, he carried the caduceus and wore a broad hat and winged sandals; he also carried a purse in one hand. He invented the lyre, boxing, and racing. Commerce, transport, thievery, cunning, success, magick, travel, profits, gambling, mischief, crossroads, athletes, eloquence, merchants, messages.

N

Neptune

Sea god; protector against drought. On July 23 he was honored in the Neptunalia. He carried a trident and whip. The sea, ships, earthquakes, horses, bulls, lakes, storms, rivers, fishermen.

O

P

Pluto/Dis Pater

The Etruscans called him Februus; February was named for him. God of death and the Underworld. Altars to him were rare although he was also a god of riches

Q

R

S

Saturn

Old God; similar to Cronus. Father Time; the Old King; Father of the Gods; the Great Lesson-Giver; Ruler of the Golden Age. His Saturnalia, beginning December 17 and lasting seven days, was a period of unrestrained festivities. he was pictured with a half-bare chest and a sickle or ears of corn in his hand; his consort was the goddess Ops. God of abundance and agriculture, Earth's riches, prosperity, karmic lesson-learning, vines.

Satyr

Youthful male companion of Bacchus with pointed ears but a human figure. Dressed in panther skins and carried a flute. Sometimes pictured with goat feet.

T

U

V

Vertumnus

God of the returning seasons and Earth fertility. "Changer"; shapeshifter. He was venerated with the god of the Tiber because he altered the course of the river. Fruit trees, fertility, changes.

Vulcan/Volcanus

The Divine Smith; a tough practical craftsman. He was worshipped outside the City on August 23 during the Vulcanalia, on August 17 at the festival of the Portunalia, and again on August 27 at the Volturnalia. Shown as bearded with a short tunic and hat, he was the consort of Maia, mother of springs and an Earth goddess. Near him he kept a hammer, tongs, and anvil. God of the Sun, thunderbolt, fire, battles, blacksmiths, thunder, volcanoes, craftsmen, jewelry making, mechanics. A magician of metal and gems.

W

X

Y

Z

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