Religion Flashcards
Jupiter
The mighty king of the gods. Roman God of the Sky, thunderstorms, lightning, weather and air. Also god of law, order, justice, governance and strength. Most important god of the Romans and usually had the highest divine authority over other gods.
Neptune
One of the brothers of Jupiter, one of the prime gods and ruler of the seas. The patron of sailors and the protector of ships.
Juno
Queen of the Gods and wife of Jupiter. Goddess of Marriage and Women. Protector and Counsellor of Rome.
Mars
God of War, Spring and Justice. Patron of the Roman Legions and divine father of Romulus and Remus.
Venus
Goddess of Love and consort of Mars. Divine mother of Aeneas, ancestor of the Romans.
Bellona
Goddess of War, Conquest and Peace.
Minerva
Goddess of Wisdom, Divine Counsel, Useful Arts, Crafts and Later War.
Janus
God of Beginnings, Endings, Transition, Doorways and Keys
Vesta
Goddess of the Home and the Hearth. Patron of Rome.
Pluto
God of death
Apollo
God of the sun
Diana
Goddess of the moon and the hunt
Cupid
God of love.
Mercury
Messenger of the Gods
Ceres
Earth goddess
Proserpine
Goddess of the underworld
Bacchus
God of wine
Saturn
God of time
Uranus and Gaia
Parents of Saturn
Maia
Goddess of growth
Flora
Goddess of flowers
Plutus
Goddess of wealth
Private Worship
Main Household Gods were Janus (God of doors) and Vesta (Goddess of hearths).
Every day prayers would be said to Vesta. During meals some food might be set aside and passed into the fire as an offering to the goddess.
The lares were the spirits of the family’s ancestors, represented by little figurines.
The penates were the spirits of the larder, and their figurines were placed on the table during mealtimes.
Public Worship
Public religion was much more organised than private.
In public, Gods were worshipped by colleges of priests who performed religious rituals, where as the pater familias would be in charge of these at home.
Public worship was controlled by pontifices.
Priests
Augures: preists that read and interpreted signs from the Gods.
Haruspices: read the entrails of sacrificed animals.
Pontifices: Determined festival dates, assisted the emperor and determined which days were legal for conducting business.
Pontifices maximus: Chief priest, later always the emperor.
Vestal Virgins: Six virgins that tended the sacred fire and made sacrifices to Vesta in Rome. Served for thirty years.
