Roman Gods and Goddesses

Jupiter:

• primarily associated with the sky - god of thunder, lightning and weather in general 
• Worshipped on teh Capitoline Hill 
• The temple of Jupiter was the most important religious building in a Roman town 
• Jupiter's priest was held very high status 
• represented with a lightning bolt or an eagle
• sometimeshold a septre to signify his role as ruler of the Gods 

Neptune:

• The Roman God fo the sea 
• Suppossed to start earthquakes by striking the earth with his trident 
• God of theh horses = chariot racing 
• represented with a trident and a dolphin 
• shown bearded 

Mars:

• God of fertility and war 
• Associated with horses 
• Believed to have been the father of Romulus - founder of Rome 
• represented armed 
• shown both with a beard and without one 

Mercury:

• Messenger of the Gods 
• Associated with trade and travel 
• shown with wings on either side of his hat or sandals 
• shown as a traveler wearing a cloak and/or a wide brimmed hat 
• carries a staff known as the caduceus 

Pluto (Hades):

• God of the Underworld 
• lived in his kingdom in Hades 
• Shown bearded like his brothers, Jupiter and Neptune 
• Sometimes holds a spetre
• ocassionally shown with his wife, Persphone, his watch dog Cerberus and sometimes holding a pomegranate 

Apollo: 

• God of music, health, prophecy, archery and the sun 
• represented as a young man without a beard 
• shown with a bow and arrow and sometimes a tripod (signifying prophecy)
• occassionally seen with rays coming out his head

Juno: 

• wife of Jupiter
• Goddess of fertility and childbirth and connected with marraige 
• shown with a septre
• sometimes with a child or at a wedding 

Venus:

• Godess of love and beauty 
• special conection with Rome 
• Represented nude and caring for herself
• symbol = shell as she was born off the coast of Cyprus 

Minerva:

• Goddess of handicarfts 
• represented with armour and connected with military tactics adn wisdom 
• gorgon on her brestplate 
• Shown holding an owl 

Diana: 

• Virgin Goddess of hunting and the moon
• represented as a huntress with bows and arrows and dogs