Roman Pantheon - the Gods and Goddesses of Rome

Roman Gods - They were an important part of everyday life

The Roman gods and goddesses were originally the spirits of nature with no physical form; it was later Etruscan and Greek influences that gave the gods human form. Collectively they were known as the Roman Pantheon and they exercised their will through natural phenomena (events), which the Roman holy people considered to be omens and sought to interpret. Religious ceremony was an important aspect of Roman culture and influenced daily life at all levels. It was common for the Romans to adopt gods and goddesses from other cultures and incorporate them into their own; the cult of Mithras, the Persian god of light, originated in the east and was popular amongst army officers.

Roman Gods and Goddesses
Jupiter		King of all the Gods
Juno		Jupiter's Wife, Queen of the Gods
Neptune		God of the Sea
Pluto		God of Death
Apollo		God of the Sun
Mars		God of War
Venus		Goddess of Love
Dianna		Goddess of the Moon
Mercury		Messenger of the Gods
Cupid		God of Love
Minerva		Goddess of Wisdom
Vulcan		God of Smith's
Bacchus		God of Wine
Saturn		God of Time (father of Jupiter)
Uranus		Father of Saturn

Jupiter

Jupiter was the son of Saturn and had two brothers, Neptune and Pluto. Between they ruled the Earth: Jupiter was the God of the Air, Neptune was the God of the Sea and Pluto was the God of the underworld, where the dead lived.

Jupiter was the king of all the Gods. In Latin Jupiter means Father Jove and the Romans thought he was their patron and that he guarded Rome and protected them.

Jupiter's weapon was a Thunderbolt.

Juno

Juno was the Jupiter's wife and the Queen of the Gods. She was the goddess of Women and marriage.

Neptune

Neptune was the god of the sea and carried a trident ( a spear with three points). He was one of Jupiter's brothers and also god of earthquakes.

Pluto

Pluto was god of the dead and was one of Jupiter's brothers. When somebody died they had to cross the river Styx and pass by Cerberus to get to Pluto's realm of the underworld. Charon was the ferryman over the Styx and everyone was buried with a coin to pay him. Cerberus was a three headed dog and would only let the dead pass.

Apollo

Apollo was the god of the sun and the god of healing. He would drive his chariot, pulled by fiery horses, across the sky each day to give the Earth lights.

Mars

Mars was the god of war and the Romans thought he was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.

Venus

Venus was the goddess of love. She was born in the sea and first came to shore at the island of Cyprus.

Dianna

Dianna was the god of the moon and she helped women in childbirth.. Dianna was one of Jupiter's daughters and the twin sister of Apollo.

Mercury

Mercury was the messenger of the gods. He had a winged hat and sandals so that he could fly; he also carried a staff with two snakes winding around it

Cupid

Cupid was the god of love. To make people fall in love he would fire an arrow at them from his bow.

Minerva

Minerva was the goddess of wisdom. She was a daughter of Jupiter and was said to have been born when Vulcan split open Jupiter's head to cure a headache; and out popped Minerva complete with armour and shield. Minerva had an owl for a pet.

Vulcan

Vulcan was a smith and made thunderbolts for Jupiter. His forge was a volcano called mount Etna on the island of Sicily.

Bacchus

Bacchus was the god of wine and the theatre.

Saturn

Saturn was the god of time and carried a scythe. He was Jupiter's father and ruled the gods before him. He is also known as Old Father Time.

Uranus

Uranus is the sky, the father of Saturn and came right at the beginning. Uranus had an argument with his wife Gaea, who was the earth, and they split up. Ever since the Earth and the Sky have been separated.

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Roman Pantheon - Gods and Goddesses of Romen