The Roman Gods Written and Illustrated by Phillip Martin

The Roman Gods Jupiter Jupiter was king of the Roman gods. He was the god of thunder and sky. One of his symbols was the eagle which became a symbol for the Roman Empire.

The Roman Gods Juno Juno was the queen of the gods, both sister and wife of Jupiter. She was the goddess of women and marriage. She was the patron goddess of Rome as well as the Roman Empire.

The Roman Gods Neptune Neptune, Jupiter’s brother, was the god of the oceans but that included seas, rivers and springs as well. He tamed horses, caused earthquakes as well as storms, and carried a trident.

The Roman Gods Ceres Ceres was the goddess of the harvest. From her name we have the word cereal. She was a sister of Jupiter as well as the mother of Proserpina. Her symbols were wheat, the cornucopia and bread.

The Roman Gods Minerva Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, poetry, magic and medicine. Her main symbol and sacred creature was the wise old owl. She is believed to be the inventor of numbers and musical instruments.

The Roman Gods Apollo Apollo was the god of light, the sun, poetry, medicine and prophecy. He is often seen holding a lyre, a gift from Mercury. His other symbols included the snake, laurel and hyacinth.

The Roman Gods Diana Diana, the twin sister of Apollo, was the goddess of wild animals, the moon and the hunt. She had the power to talk to as well as control animals.

The Roman Gods Mars Mars, the god of war, represented all the destruction of battle. He was a protector of Rome and honored by its citizens. In Roman mythology, he was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.

The Roman Gods Venus Venus was the Roman goddess of love, beauty, fertility and prosperity. She was the mother of Cupid, the god of love. Julius Caesar claimed that he was one of her descendants.

The Roman Gods Vulcan Vulcan was the god of blacksmiths, fire and volcanoes. It was believed that he made the weapons for the gods at his forge under Mt. Etna in Sicily. (Good choice to use Europe’s most active volcano.)

The Roman Gods Mercury Mercury was the messenger of the gods. He was also the god of thieves, travelers, merchants and sport. He carried a herald’s wand, called a caduceus, which was a gift from Apollo.

The Roman Gods Vesta Vesta was the goddess of the hearth, domesticity and family. She almost never left home. Vesta is closely linked with hearth fires. So, she became the patron goddess of bakers.

The Roman Gods Bacchus Bacchus was the god of the grape harvest, wine, fertility and theater. Bacchus celebrations in Rome got so out of hand that the Senate banned them in 186 BCE.

The Roman Gods Pluto Pluto was the god of the underworld and judge of the dead. He fell in love with Proserpina and kidnapped her. But, it was all because Cupid shot him with an arrow.

The Roman Gods To learn more about the Romans, continue on to the presentation on Ancient Rome.

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