Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire Faunus Faunus was one of the oldest Roman deities, known as the di indigetes. According to the epic poet Virgil, he was a legendary king of the Latins who came with his people from Arcadia. His shade was consulted as a god of prophecy under the name of Fatuus, with oracles[1] in the sacred grove of Tibur, around the well Albunea, and on the Aventine Hill in ancient Rome itself.[2] Etymology[edit] Faunus is the Latin outcome of a PIE *dhau-no meaning "the strangler" and denotes the wolf. Consorts and family[edit] A Roman imperial bust of Faunus found in 1820 in Vienne (France). Festivals[edit] The Christian writer Justin Martyr identified him as Lupercus ("he who wards off the wolf"), the protector of cattle, following Livy, who named his aspect of Inuus as the god who was originally worshiped at the Lupercalia, celebrated on the anniversary of the founding of his temple, February 15, when his priests (Luperci) wore goat-skins and hit onlookers with goat-skin belts. Equivalence with Pan[edit]
Genius (mythology) Winged genius facing a woman with a tambourine and mirror, from southern Italy, about 320 BC. In ancient Roman religion, the genius was the individual instance of a general divine nature that is present in every individual person, place, or thing.[1] The rational powers and abilities of every human being were attributed to their soul, which was a genius.[2] Each individual place had a genius (genius loci) and so did powerful objects, such as volcanoes. The concept extended to some specifics: the genius of the theatre, of vineyards, and of festivals, which made performances successful, grapes grow, and celebrations succeed, respectively. It was extremely important in the Roman mind to propitiate the appropriate genii for the major undertakings and events of their lives. The juno was worshipped under many titles: Iugalis, "of marriage"Matronalis, "of married women"Pronuba, "of brides"Virginalis, "of virginity" Head of a genius worshipped by Roman soldiers (found at Vindobona, 2nd century CE)
Janus In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus (Latin: Ianus, pronounced [ˈiaː.nus]) is the god of beginnings and transitions,[1] thence also of gates, doors, passages, endings and time. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past. The Romans named the month of January (Ianuarius) in his honor. Janus presided over the beginning and ending of conflict, and hence war and peace. Janus had no flamen or specialized priest (sacerdos) assigned to him, but the King of the Sacred Rites (rex sacrorum) himself carried out his ceremonies. The ancient Greeks had no equivalent to Janus, whom the Romans claimed as distinctively their own. Etymology[edit] Three etymologies were proposed by ancient erudites, each of them bearing implications about the nature of the god.[2] The first one is based on the definition of Chaos given by Paul the Deacon: hiantem, hiare, be open, from which word Ianus would derive by loss of the initial aspirate. Solar god theory[edit]
Lares Lares (/ˈlɑːriːz/, singular Lar), archaically Lases, were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been hero-ancestors, guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries or fruitfulness, or an amalgam of these. Lares were believed to observe, protect and influence all that happened within the boundaries of their location or function. The statues of domestic Lares were placed at table during family meals; their presence, cult and blessing seem to have been required at all important family events. Compared to Rome's major deities Lares had limited scope and potency but archaeological and literary evidence attests to their central role in Roman identity and religious life. Origins and development[edit] Lares and their domains[edit] Inscription to the Lares Viales, the Lares of the roads Domestic Lares[edit] Lararium[edit] Domestic Lararia were also used as a sacred, protective depository for commonplace symbols of family change and continuity.
List of Roman deities A vast number of ancient Roman deities are known by name. The most familiar today are those the Romans identified with Greek counterparts (see interpretatio graeca), integrating Greek myths, iconography, and sometimes religious practices into Roman culture, including Latin literature, Roman art, and religious life as it was experienced throughout the Empire. Many of the Romans' own gods remain obscure, known only by name and function, through inscriptions and texts that are often fragmentary—particularly those who belong to the archaic religion of the Romans dating back to the era of kings, the so-called "religion of Numa," perpetuated or revived over the centuries. Some archaic deities have Italic or Etruscan counterparts, as identified both by ancient sources and by modern scholars. Throughout the Empire, the deities of peoples in the provinces were given new theological interpretations in light of functions or attributes they shared with Roman deities. Roman lists[edit] Triads[edit]
Ops In ancient Roman religion, Ops or Opis, (Latin: "Plenty") was a fertility deity and earth-goddess of Sabine origin. Mythology[edit] In Latin writings of the time, the singular}). The Latin word ops means "riches, goods, abundance, gifts, munificence, plenty". The word is also related to opus, which means "work", particularly in the sense of "working the earth, ploughing, sowing". According to Roman tradition, the cult of Opis was instituted by Titus Tatius, one of the Sabine kings of Rome. References[edit] Primary sources[edit] Livy Ab urbe condita libri XXIX.10.4-11.8, 14.5-14Lactantius, Divinae institutions I.13.2-4, 14.2-5 Secondary sources[edit] This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911).
Priapus For the ancient city in Asia Minor, see Karabiga. In Greek mythology, Priapus or Priapos (Ancient Greek: Πρίαπος), was a minor rustic fertility god, protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens and male genitalia. Priapus is marked by his absurdly oversized, permanent erection, which gave rise to the medical term priapism. He became a popular figure in Roman erotic art and Latin literature, and is the subject of the often humorously obscene collection of verse called the Priapeia. Relationship with other deities[edit] Worship and attributes[edit] The first extant mention of Priapus is in the eponymous comedy Priapus, written in the 4th century BC by Xenarchus. This god is worshipped where goats and sheep pasture or there are swarms of bees; but by the people of Lampsacus he is more revered than any other god, being called by them a son of Dionysus and Aphrodite.[11] In later antiquity, his worship meant little more than a cult of sophisticated pornography.[12] In the 1980s, D. T.S.
Proverbs, Quotes, and Sayings of Ancient Rome There are many sayings used in the Roman world which are interesting and fun to know. Many reflect the attitude of the culture at that time, and of the person who was quoted. Knowing these quotes can assist in getting immersed in the culture of a game, and for those interested, in role playing. Greetings and Goodbyes This is fairly simple to remember. The most common of Roman greetings was “Salve!” Goodbye was often said as “Vade en pace” which means “go in peace”, though that was a bit lengthy and formal. Proverbs of the time The people of the time of the Roman republic and empire had a gift with words. "Deos fortioribus adesse." - Meaning "The gods are on the side of the stronger", translate it to mean you should make your own fortune." Famous Quotes of The Time "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" - by Horace, meaning "It is a sweet and seemly thing to die for ones country". Comment about this article in our forums!
Quirinus In Roman mythology and religion, Quirinus is an early god of the Roman state. In Augustan Rome, Quirinus was also an epithet of Janus, as Janus Quirinus.[2] His name may be derived from the Sabine word quiris "spear." Etymology[edit] Quirinus is probably an adjective meaning "wielder of the spear" (Quiris, cf. History[edit] Quirinus was originally most likely a Sabine god of war. Religious historian A. The identity of Quirinus and Romulus would find a further point of support in the parallel with Vofionos, the third god in the triad of the Grabovian gods of Iguvium. Depiction[edit] In earlier Roman art, he was portrayed as a bearded man with religious and military clothing. Festivals[edit] His festival was the Quirinalia, held on February 17. Legacy[edit] In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the antagonist's name is Quirinus Quirrell, named for the epithet of Janus, who is a two-faced god, similar to Quirrel, who shared his body with Lord Voldemort. Notes[edit] References[edit]
Slavery In Ancient Rome Background: What is slavery? According to (Grant 118) slavery is an institution of the common law of peoples by which a person is put into the ownership of somebody else, contrary to the natural order". Slavery was commonly practiced throughout all ancient history, but no other people in history owned so many slaves and depended on them so much as the Romans. Many Romans had slaves do their dirty and hard work for them. slaves on farms slaves on business slaves on public buildings good treatments of slaves Saturnalia festival What were the tasks of slaves? In the Roman system of slavery, the tasks of slaves, such as farming, businesses, and public buildings all contributed to the wealth of the Roman economy. Slaves on Farms On the farms, slaves produced the food and other materials on which the cities depended. Slaves on Business Not only were the slaves working on the farms and households, they were also involved in business, such as shops and public buildings. Slaves on public buildings
Spartacus and class struggle in ancient Rome Spartacus and class struggle in ancient Rome Graham Stevenson Roman agriculture was originally dominated by free peasants, each cultivating land for their own family needs. But, as Rome expanded its territory, the peasants were increasingly drawn away from the land for the army and huge estates created out of the individual smallholdings. In the process, some great fortunes were made. It was not so much that slavery was necessarily the dominant means of production in the heyday of Rome; it may well in fact have been overshadowed to some extent in societal terms by a combination of small scale subsistence farming and by artisanal production. Intrinsically linked to the use of slavery as an economic tool was the need for constant territorial expansion. With the peasant away at the wars, more and more prisoners of war were sent back to Rome as slaves with more and more victories. Slave rebellion before Spartacus Crucifixion was originally a form of execution first used by Carthage.