Major Gods & Goddesses You'll Learn About In Rome

The Roman Empire (before it converted to Christianity) was a polytheistic world that worshipped many gods and goddesses. The Roman deities most familiar today are those that the Romans identified with their Greek counterparts. The Romans integrated Greek myths, iconography, and even religious practices into their own and it was disseminated throughout the Empire.

Knowing about the Roman pantheon of deities is critical in being able to appreciate temples, statues, and shrines when visiting the former Roman Empire. Understanding helps people appreciate attractions like the Temple of Venus and Roma - the largest temple of Rome and the Pantheon - one of the most exquisitely preserved temples today (now a church).

Ancient Pre-Greek-Influenced Deities

Many of the native Roman gods are obscure today with some only known by name and function through fragmentary inscriptions. The deities that belonged to the archaic religion of Roman the era of the kings (called the religion of Numa) are particularly fragmentary today.

A couple of famous examples include Janus - a god that presided over beginnings after with the month of January is named after, and Tiberinus - the god of the river Tiber that flows through the city of Rome.

Pre-Greek Gods: Janus and Tiberinus

The deities of Rome were also believed to have influenced the founding of Rome. The famous mythical founders were Romulus and Remus - they were the twins of Mars (the god of war) and Rhea Silvia (a Vestal Virgin).

Name of Rome: Named After Romulus

What To Know About The Roman View Of The Gods

Rome existed for centuries and conquered much of the known world, during that time their understanding of their goddess also changed. The Romans also had an Imperial cult of deified Roman emperors.

The Romans believed that their deities had served a role in the founding of the Roman civilization and that they played a role in the day-to-day lives of people.

The Roman pantheon was integral to life in the Roman Empire. The Romans built large temples for their gods and were careful to follow the rituals to honor and celebrate them. Fortune and misfortune were attributed to the mood of particular gods and so people would need to give thanks or attempt to appease them.

In the Roman world, the gods were not loving and caring like in many monotheistic regions. Instead, they were mainly concerned about being honored and paid tribute through specified rituals.

Moods: The Gods Were More Self-Centered And Wanted To Be Worshipped - They Also Had Good and Bad Moods

As the Romans came into the Greek world, the gods and goddesses of Greek culture significantly influenced the development of their own. As the Romans adopted many aspects of Greek culture, they adapted them slightly to suit their own needs. While the Romans incorporated many of the Greek deities, they renamed and re-branded them to make them Roman.

Some Of the Main Greek-influenced Deities

According to National Geographic, the main gods and goddesses in the Roman world were Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Together these made up the three Roman deities in the Capitoline Triad.

Jupiter: Jupiter was one of the main gods of the Roman pantheon and the counterpart to the Greek god Zeus. He was the sky god who the Romans thought oversaw all aspects of their lives. He was also thought of as a god that protected the Roman state and military commanders would pay homage to Jupiter after victory.

Juno: Both the wife and sister of Jupiter, Juno was similar to the Greek goddesses Hera and Athena. She was the goddess who watched over women and all aspects of their lives. She watched over school kids as well as craftsmen like carpenters and stonemasons. She was the goddess of wisdom and craft.

She resembled Hera in that she watched over women and is generally thought of as the counterpart to her. But resembled Athena in that she was the goddess of wisdom and was warlike.

Minerva: Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, law, victory, and more. Unlike Mars, she was not a patron of violence but only of defensive war. She was also equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was a virgin goddess of things like music, poetry, and medicine and was the most important Roman goddess.

Other Gods and Goddesses: