Greek Deities in the Roman World

Spread of Greek Culture, Myth, Popularity

started with greek settlers in roman lands, creating colonies known as apoikiai in the 8th century BCE.

southern italy & sicily were known as magna graecia (greater greece).

  • hellenes: native ethnonym of greeks (came from the founder of Greek tribes Hellen, son of Deucalion & Pyrrha)

  • graeci: what romans called greeks (where “greek” comes from)


major ancient roman tribes

  • etruscans - culturally/religiously influential

  • latins - rome’s own people

3rd century BCE, rome conquers magna graecia; greek culture absorbed into roman life.


adoption of popular greek gods in rome

  1. the capitoline triad (rome’s main gods): Jupiter (Zeus), Juno (Hera) & Minerva (Athena); worshipped together in rome’s main temple.

  2. Hercules (Heracles)

represented strength, endurance & heroic struggle (all roman values). some emperors (e.g. Nero, Commodus) tried to be like Hercules.


integration of greek myth in roman art & entertainment

seen as carpet mosaics, wall paintings of private roman houses (e.g. pompeii), garden statues & fountains. myths were also performed dramatically/extremely (e.g. *the flight of daedalus & icarus).

*Daedalus (craftsman & architect of the labyrinth) was imprisoned by King Minos of crete, after helping Theseus escape the labyrinth by providing Ariadne (daughter of Minos; had a ball of thread to navigate, helped defeat the minotaur). to escape, he created wings out of wax and feathers for himself & his son Icarus. Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but Icarus’ hubris led him to do so anyway, melting his wings and causing him to drown in the sea.

Romanized Greek Deities

“Why did Greek mythology take over Rome so easily?”

  1. romans = deeply religious (Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita)

religion was everywhere, romans searched for signs from gods. the city practiced augury (reading bird movements to predict the future) & auspices (interpreting divine approval before political/warfare decisions).

  1. early roman religion = not anthropomorphic*

*abstract forces (not human-like); contrasts greek gods (more interesting).

  1. roman elites = educated in greek culture

figures such as ovid (roman poet) studied greek lit. and reused greek myths in latin works.

  1. syncretism*

*the merging of beliefs/cultures, creating a new tradition; romans merged their italian gods with greek gods (e.g. aphrodite = venus), as well as stories.


Janus

indigenous (originally roman), archaic primacy (ancient & foundational), two-faced (looks forward and backwards).

functions: god of beginnings/transitions, doorways, gates, time (past & future → january = janus)

→ romans values order, transition, control of time; importance of indigenous italian gods.


Jupiter

  • rome’s supreme god [of gods & the sky]

  • state-focused equivalent to Zeus

  • patron of rome (protector of the roman state)

  • capitoline hill temple (rome’s religious center) shared with Juno & Minerva - tied to politics & government

  • lighting = divine communication (expiatory rites* performed)

  • Jupiter’s epithets:

    • jupiter optimus maximus “best and greatest”

    • jupiter latiaris (latin league)

*rituals to “fix” or respond to divine signs


Juno

  • queen of the gods

  • women (matrons*, childbird, female life stages) protector equivalent of Hera

  • Juno’s epithets:

    • juno regina “juno the queen”

    • juno lucina “light” (associated with childbirth)

*married women


Minerva

  • goddess of war strategy, wisdom, laws, crafts

  • skilled labor/craftsmanship equivalent of Athena

  • patroness of artisans & skilled workers

→ Minerva vs. Arachne (Ovid’s Metamorphoses)

Arachne (an extremely talented weaver from lydia in asia minor) claims she’s better than Minerva (hubris) , refusing to credit the goddess for her skill. Minerva disguised as an old woman, warns Arachne, giving her a chance to apologize. Arachne refuses, insults the old woman, demanding Minerva show herself. Minerva reveals her self, and a weaving contest occurs. Arachne wins the contest, angering Minerva (not just at the skill, but the attitude). Minerva punishes her, turning her into a spider that would weave forever.


Vesta

  • goddess of the hearth

  • represents the center of family life (roman value)

  • equivalent of Hestia

  • vestal virgins (vesta’s priestesses):

    • took a vow of chastity, serving for 30 years

    • maintains the sacred fire, performs important rituals for rome’s safety


Mars

  • war god & father of rome

  • respected, foundational equivalent of Ares

→ rome foundational myth:

Aeneas = trojan hero, son of Aphrodite; ancestor of romans. Iulus, son of Aeneas, founds alba longa (ancient mother city of rome). descendants of Iulus = Numitor & Amulius, with the former older, inheriting the throne. wanting power and avoiding Numitor’s descendants, Amulius kills Numitor’s male children, and forces Rhea Silvia (Numitor’s only daughter) to become a vestal virgin. however, Mars impregnates Rhea Silvia, who gives birth to twins Romulus and Remus. the babies are then abandoned by river, and rescued by Lupa (she-wolf) who raises them. when they grew up, they learned the truth, overthrew Amulius and restored Numitor back to the throne. during the building process of which hill to settle on, Remus mocks Romulus, who kills him. Romulus becomes the founder of rome.

→ Mars & Venus = divine pair, worshipped in lectisternium*

*rituals where gods are symbolically “seated” and offered meals