In terms of religion, Rome is much diverse and changeable, along with this, religion changed and transformed, along with the rest. The inhabitants of ancient Rome were pagans and idolaters, the worship of the Greek and Etruscan gods was widespread. Over time, the Romans plunged further and more into paganism.
But with the change in the circumstances and goals of the state, in the end, Christianity was chosen as the main religion, which, after the collapse of Rome into the Western Empire and the Eastern, took the form of the current Catholicism. The Gods of Ancient Rome have disappeared. The cult of the ancestors and the land was the basis of the beliefs of pagan Rome.
Beliefs of pagan Rome
All rituals were traditionally performed by the heads of families or communities. Developing, the state developed an official religion for itself and its population, and assumed the responsibilities of the official organization and celebration of the festivities.
The first pantheon of the Romans was dominated by Jupiter, Mars and Quirinus, but over time they were replaced by a more successful combination: Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.
These deities were considered the protectors and patrons of the country, and their sanctuaries became the centers of the state cult of the gods.
With the development of the state, sciences also developed, namely history. Learning about the history of their predecessors, the Greeks, the Romans increasingly identified their gods with the Greeks.
So Jupiter began to be called Zeus, Juno - Hero, Mars - Ares. The myths were also re-read, rethought and altered to match the state. A favorite myth was the myth of "The 12 labors of Hercules", where Hercules began to be called Hercules. In addition to associating their gods with the Greeks, the Romans added to their pantheon those they did not have from Greek and Egyptian cultures.
The borrowing of other deities, not only from Greek culture, begins very early and rather quickly. The goddess Tsaana, the patroness of the feminine principle, a new cycle and a new life, was very much revered. Much later, another Latin goddess, Venus, began to be worshiped. Her patronage, according to legend, extended to nature.
The triple pantheon of the Romans was not the only one. The Romans adopted deities and rituals from neighboring civilizations with great success. So it happened with Saturn. Initially, Saturn was worshiped by people from the Satriya clan, but over time, this cult acquired the outlines of a nationwide one. Saturn was the patron saint of new crops. He was considered the pioneer of the world because according to legend, he gave people food. There was a holiday in his honor.
During this holiday, people forgot about their social status and became equal. An interesting fact is that the Romans did not close their pantheon of deities, and all the time tried to comprehend the meaning of other deities and win them over to their side. This process was especially vividly expressed during the war, when the Romans adopted the gods of their opponents.
Watch the video: Gods of Ancient Rome
In ancient times, the Romans represented the gods in the form of some invisible forces that accompany a person throughout life and even after it.
Gods of Ancient Rome
To systematize knowledge, we will create a list and description of the main gods of Ancient Rome.
During the time of the closer relationship between Rome and Greece, the Roman gods from an inexplicable substance acquired a human image.
Rice. 1. Roman god Jupiter.
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He is the main one among all the gods. Patron of the sky and thunderstorms. He protects the world order, is the supreme deity. An eagle accompanies him, and uses lightning as a weapon. |
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Jupiter's wife and sister. She was the protector of girls, taking care of their marriages and preserving their innocence before joining him. She certainly had a scepter in her hands, and a golden diadem covered her head. |
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Father of Romulus and Remus. Mars guarded the fields, but then transformed into the god of war. The month of March is named in his honor. Shield and spear are his constant weapons. |
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God of sowing and reaping. He taught people agriculture, as well as life in peace and harmony. The festival of Saturnalia was held in his honor. |
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God of winemaking and entertainment. In honor of him, the Romans sang songs and staged performances. |
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He was a god with two heads, looking back and forth at the same time. He was the god of any beginning or undertaking. Temples in his honor were shaped like city gates. They were opened in wartime and closed in peacetime. |
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Mercury |
He was the messenger of the gods. He brought dreams to people and led the dead into the realm of the dead. Mercury patronized thieves and merchants. In his hands he always had a wallet with money and a caduceus wand. |
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Goddess of wisdom, patroness of all Roman cities. She is the protector of poets, teachers, actors and writers. Her weapons are shield, helmet and spear. A snake or an owl is sure to be near it. |
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Apollo was the overseer of the execution of the will of Jupiter. He struck the mischief-makers with arrows or diseases, and bestowed various benefits on others. He is also the god of predictions and creativity. He was depicted with a bow in his hands and a quiver of arrows behind his back or in the form of a singer holding a lyre. |
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This is the god of the aquatic world. He controls storms and sends calm. His rage knows no bounds. His weapon is a trident. |
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He is the god of the underworld and the owner of enormous underground riches. |
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He was the god of blacksmithing and fire. He protected people from fire and was the patron saint of blacksmiths. Lived in the depths of the Sicilian volcano Etna. |
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The beauty queen. Patroness of spouses and an unusually beautiful woman. Was considered a distant ancestor of Julius Caesar |
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Cupid (Cupid) |
A young man in charge of affairs of love. With his bow and arrows, he struck the souls of lonely people, kindling in them love for each other. It is also capable of killing love between a man and a woman. |
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She was responsible for agriculture and grain yield. She was depicted with a sheaf of grain ears in her hand. |
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Victoria |
Goddess of victory among the Romans. |
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Goddess of the hearth and the flame within it. Vesta had her own ministers in the temple - the Vestals. They worshiped only her and kept their innocence throughout their lives. |
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Patroness of the forest and its inhabitants. She is a hunter and assistant to pregnant women during childbirth. Protector of plebeians and slaves. Her weapon is a bow, and a doe accompanies her. |
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According to Roman beliefs, Quirinus is Romulus, the founder of the city of Rome. After death, he was reborn, receiving a divine origin. |
Rice. 2. The Roman god Cupid.
The Greek and Roman gods are very similar to each other and have the same functions. They differ only in names. In addition, the legends and myths of Ancient Greece also spread to the Roman religious culture.
The Roman pantheon has many analogs to the ancient Greek gods and goddesses, but it also has its own deities and lower spirits.
The following gods were considered the most famous.
Aurora is the goddess of the morning dawn.
Bacchus is the god of vegetation, wine and fun, the patron saint of viticulture and winemaking.
Venus is the goddess of love and beauty, identical to the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Vesta is the goddess of hearth and fire.
Diana is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, fertility and procreation, the patroness of wild animals. Diana was identified with the ancient Greek goddess Artemis.
Cupid is the god of love, the son of Venus.
Mars is the ancient Italian god of war and fertility. Mars was identified with the ancient Greek god Ares.
Mercury is the god of cattle breeding and trade, the patron saint of travelers, the messenger of the gods. Mercury was depicted with wings on its legs, with a rod and with a money bag on its side.
Minerva is the goddess of wisdom, the patroness of sciences, arts, crafts. Under the tutelage of Minerva were teachers, doctors, actors, artisans. Minerva was identified with the ancient Greek goddess Athena.
Neptune is the god of the seas, identified with the ancient Greek god Poseidon. Neptune was considered the patron saint of horse breeding and equestrian competitions.
The term is the god of boundaries and boundary boundary signs: pillars, stones, etc.
Flora is the Italian goddess of flowers and youth. In ancient art, Flora was portrayed as a young woman holding flowers.
Fortune is the goddess of happiness, chance and luck. Fortune was portrayed as a woman with a bandage over her eyes, with a cornucopia in her hands, pouring coins with a bandage over her eyes.
Juno is the queen of the gods, the wife of Jupiter, the patroness of marriage and birth. Juno was identified with the ancient Greek goddess Hero. Juno was portrayed as a stately woman wearing a crown.
Jupiter is the supreme god, the lord of gods and people, identified with the Greek Zeus. Sometimes the statues of Jupiter in Rome were given the appearance of the reigning emperor.
Janus is an ancient Italian deity; God:
- - inputs and outputs;
- - all beginnings;
- - the creator of all life on earth;
- - patron saint of roads and travelers, etc.
Janus was portrayed as a man with two faces looking in opposite directions. Janus's attributes were keys and a staff.
Like any other polytheistic faith, Roman paganism did not have a clear organization. In fact, this is a collection of a large number of ancient cults. But, despite this, the triad of the gods of Ancient Rome clearly stands out: Jupiter, Mars and Quirin.
Jupimter (lat. Iuppiter) - in ancient Roman mythology, the god of the sky, daylight, thunderstorms, the father of the gods, the supreme deity of the Romans. Spouse of the goddess Juno. Corresponds to the Greek Zeus. God Jupiter was worshiped on the heights, the tops of mountains in the form of a stone. The days of the full moon - ida are dedicated to him.
As the supreme god, Jupiter had a council of gods with him and decided all earthly affairs through the augurs, sending them signs of his will. Jupiter was the god of the entire Roman state, its power and power. The cities subordinate to Rome made sacrifices to him on the Capitol and erected temples in them. Jupiter was the patron saint of emperors. The most important acts of state life (sacrifices, the oath of new consuls, the first meeting of the year of the Senate) took place in the Capitoline Temple of Jupiter.
The cult of Jupiter was widespread in all Roman provinces and in the army. Many local supreme gods in the countries of Syria and Asia Minor were identified with him.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the names of Jupiter and Zeus began to be used almost without distinction. Jupiter, like Zeus, was portrayed as full of dignity, with a beard, often on a throne, with an eagle, lightning and a scepter.
Mars is one of the oldest Roman gods. Initially, he was considered the ancestor and guardian of Rome. In ancient Italy, Mars was the god of fertility; it was believed that he could either send the loss of crops or the death of livestock, or turn them away. In his honor, the first month of the Roman year, in which the rite of expulsion of winter was performed, was named March. Later, Mars was identified with the Greek Ares and became the god of war. The Temple of Mars, already as the god of war, was built on the Champ de Mars outside the city walls, since the armed army was not supposed to enter the territory of the city.
From Mars, the vestal Rhea Sylvia gave birth to twins Romulus and Remus. As the father of Romulus, Mars was the ancestor and guardian of Rome.
Quirinus (Sabinsk. Quirinus - spear-bearing) is one of the most ancient Italian and Roman gods.
Quirinus is the oldest Roman deity, patronizing the life-giving forces of nature, and later - military actions. Quirinus was especially revered in the early times of Roman history, even when scattered tribes lived on the Apennine Peninsula: Sabines, Latins, Oscans, Umbras, etc.
The gods of Ancient Rome, whose list includes more than 50 different creatures, were objects of worship for many centuries - only the degree of influence of each of them on the consciousness of the people changed.
In ancient Rome, as in ancient Greece, religion consisted of the cults of various gods. At the same time, the Roman pantheon had many deities similar to the Greek ones. That is, here we can talk about borrowing. This happened because Greek mythology was more ancient than Roman. The Greeks created colonies on the territory of Italy, when Rome did not even think about greatness. The inhabitants of these colonies spread Greek culture and religion to nearby lands, and therefore the Romans became the successors of Greek traditions, but interpreted them taking into account local conditions.
The most significant and revered in ancient Rome was the so-called council of the gods, corresponding to the Olympian gods of ancient Greece. The father of Roman poetry, Quintus Ennius (239 - 169 BC) systematized the deities of Ancient Rome and introduced six men and six women to this council. He gave them their Greek equivalents. This list was later confirmed by the Roman historian Titus Livy (59 BC - 17 AD). Below is a list of this council of celestials, with Greek counterparts in parentheses.
Jupiter(Zeus) - the king of the gods, the god of the sky and thunder, the son of Saturn and Opa. The main deity of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. The rulers of Rome took an oath to Jupiter and venerated him annually in September on the Capitol Hill. He was personified with law, order and justice. There were 2 temples in Rome dedicated to Jupiter. One was built in 294 BC. e., and the second was erected in 146 BC. e. This god was personified by an eagle and an oak tree. Juno was his wife and sister.
Juno(Hera) is the daughter of Saturn and Opa, the wife and sister of Jupiter, the queen of the gods. She was the mother of Mars and Vulcan. She was a defender of marriage, motherhood, family traditions. It is in her honor that the month of June is named. She was a member of the Capitoline Triad along with Jupiter and Minerva. There is a statue of this goddess in the Vatican. She is depicted in a helmet and shell. Not only mere mortals, but all the gods of Ancient Rome revered and respected Juno.
Neptune(Poseidon) - the god of the sea and fresh water. Brother of Jupiter and Pluto. The Romans also worshiped Neptune as the god of horses. He was the patron saint of horse racing. In Rome, one temple was erected to this god. It was located near the Flaminia circus in the southern part of the Champ de Mars. The circus had a small hippodrome. All these structures were built in 221 BC. e. Neptune is an extremely ancient deity. He was a domestic god even among the Etruscans, and then migrated to the Romans.
Ceres(Demeter) - goddess of harvest, fertility, agriculture. She was the daughter of Saturn and Ope and sister to Jupiter. She had an only daughter, Proserpine (goddess of the underworld) from her relationship with Jupiter. It was believed that Ceres could not see hungry children. This put her in a state of grief. Therefore, she always took care of orphans, surrounded them with care and attention. Every year in April there was a festival dedicated to this goddess. It lasted 7 days. She was also mentioned during marriages and ceremonies associated with the harvest.
Minerva(Athena) - goddess of wisdom, patroness of art, medicine, trade, military strategy. Often gladiator battles were held in her honor. She was considered a virgin. She was often depicted with an owl (Minerva's owl), which symbolized wisdom and knowledge. Long before the Romans, this goddess was worshiped by the Etruscans. Celebrations in her honor were held from March 19 to 23. This goddess was worshiped on the Esquiline Hill (one of the seven hills of Rome). The Temple of Minerva was erected there.
Apollo(Apollo) is one of the main gods of Greek and Roman mythology. This is the god of the sun, light, music, prophecy, healing, art, poetry. It should be said that the Romans in relation to this god took the traditions of the ancient Greeks as a basis and, practically, did not change them. Apparently they seemed extremely successful to them, and therefore they did not change anything, so as not to spoil the beautiful legends about this god.
Diana(Artemis) - the goddess of hunting, nature, fertility. She, like Minerva, was a virgin. In total, the gods of Ancient Rome had 3 goddesses who took a vow of celibacy - these are Diana, Minerva and Vesta. They were called maiden goddesses. Diana was the daughter of Jupiter and Latona, and was born with her twin brother Apollo. Since she patronized the hunt, she wore a short tunic and hunting boots. She always had a bow, a quiver and a crescent-shaped diadem. The goddess was accompanied by deer or hunting dogs. The Temple of Diana in Rome was erected on the Aventine Hill.
Mars(Ares) - God of war and protector of agricultural fields during the early Roman period. He was considered the second most important god (after Jupiter) in the Roman army. Unlike Ares, who was treated with disgust, Mars was respected and loved. Under the first Roman emperor Augustus, a temple to Mars was built in Rome. During the Roman Empire, this deity was considered the guarantor of military power and peace and was never mentioned as a conqueror.
Venus(Aphrodite) - the goddess of beauty, love, prosperity, victory, fertility and desires. The Roman people considered her to be their mother through the son of Aeneas. He survived the fall of Troy and fled to Italy. Julius Caesar claimed to be the ancestor of this goddess. Subsequently, in Europe, Venus became the most popular deity of Roman mythology. She was personified with sexuality and love. The symbols of Venus were the dove and the hare, and of the plants, the rose and the poppy. The planet Venus is named after this goddess.
Volcano(Hephaestus) - the god of fire and the patron saint of blacksmiths. He was often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer. This is one of the most ancient Roman deities. In Rome, there was a Vulcan temple or Vulcanal, built in the VIII century BC. e. at the site of the future Roman Forum at the foot of the Capitol Hill. A festival dedicated to the Volcano was celebrated every year in the second half of August. It was this god who forged lightning for Jupiter. He also made armor and weapons for other celestials. He set up his forge in the mouth of Mount Etna in Sicily. And golden women, whom God himself created, helped him in his work.
Mercury(Hermes) - the patron saint of trade, finance, eloquence, travel, good luck. He also acted as a guide of souls to the underworld. Son of Jupiter and Maya. In Rome, the temple to this god was located in the circus located between the Avetian and Palatine hills. It was built in 495 BC. e. A festival dedicated to this god took place in mid-May. But he was not as magnificent as for other gods, since Mercury was not considered one of the main deities of Rome. The planet Mercury was named in his honor.
Vesta(Hestia) is an extremely revered goddess among the ancient Romans. She was the sister of Jupiter and was identified with the goddess of the home and family hearth. In her temples, a sacred fire always burned, and the priestesses of the goddess - virgin vestals - supported it. It was a whole staff of women priestesses in ancient Rome, enjoying undeniable authority. They were taken from wealthy families and had to be celibate for 30 years. If one of the Vestals broke this oath, then such a woman was buried in the ground alive. Celebrations dedicated to this goddess were held annually from June 7 to 15.
In the second chapter of the "One Pantheon" series, we will compare the pagan gods of the ancient Slavs and the pagan gods of the ancient Romans. Once again, you can make sure that all the pagan beliefs of the world are very similar to each other, which means that they originally originated from the same belief that existed in those days when all peoples were united. I want to say right away that this material will be quite similar to the previous article, since the Greek and Roman gods are very similar to each other and often differ only in names. However, this material will become useful for some of you, and in order not to search for tons of information on the World Wide Web later - who does our Veles or Perun correspond to in the Roman pantheon, you can simply use this article.
Roman mythology is believed to have its origins in Greek mythology. The influence of Greek paganism on the Roman began around the 6th-5th century BC. Since the Roman and Greek cultures were in close contact, Greek mythology, already at that time incredibly developed, structured and detailed, began to influence Roman paganism. This is not to say that Roman culture simply abandoned its gods in place of the Greek ones. Most likely, the beliefs of the Romans, which were already similar to the Greeks, began to acquire new myths, new qualities began to appear in the gods, becoming equal in strength and power to the Greek. Also, new Greek gods began to enter the Roman pantheon, which before that simply did not exist in their beliefs. Thus, ancient Rome showed cunning, attracting the gods themselves and the peoples worshiping them to its side.
Correspondences of Slavic and Roman gods
Lada- the goddess of spring, love and marriage among the Slavs. It is considered one of the goddesses-women in labor. She is the mother of the goddess Lelya and the god Lelya. In Roman mythology, Lada corresponds to a goddess. Latona corresponds to the ancient Greek titanide Leto. The Greek goddess Leto is the mother of Apollo and Artemis. The Roman goddess Latona is the mother of Apollo and Diana. In the Slavic Lada, we know the daughter Lelya (Diana-Artemis) and the son - Lelya (Apollo), which we will talk about further.
Lelya- the goddess of spring, beauty, youth, fertility. In Roman mythology, the daughter of Lada Lele corresponds to the goddess Diana who is Latona's daughter. Diana is the goddess of femininity, fertility, the patroness of the animal and plant world, and is also considered the goddess of the moon. In ancient times, when the influence of Greek mythology was not yet so strong, the spirits of the forest or the mistresses of the forest were revered under the name of Diana, and in this they have just as much in common with Lelya, since Lelya, the patroness of spring and fertility, was the goddess of forest lands, of all kinds. herbs and animals.
Lel- the son of the goddess Lada, brother of the goddess Leli. He is the patron saint of love, passion and marriage. Often depicted playing the pipe in a field or at the edge of a forest. As the patron saint of love, he is similar to the ancient Roman Cupid (the god of love and love attraction), but if you follow the correspondences of the gods in different cultures, then Lel is more similar to the Greek and Roman god Apollo. Apollo corresponds to our Lelyu not only in his kinship with Latona (Lada) and Diana (Lelei), but also with the fact that he is the patron saint of arts, the patron saint of music, is a god of divination and a god-healer, the god of light, warmth and sun. It is surprising that in Roman culture Apollo eventually became identified with the sun god Helios. Helios is the all-seeing eye of the Sun. Also, Helios is the giver of light and warmth, which corresponds to Apollo, who is the patron saint of light. In this sense, the god Apollo-Helios is similar to our Dazhdbog - the god who gives light and warmth to people, the god of the Sun and sunlight. Whether in these intricacies there is any connection with our gods, or this is an ordinary confusion that occurred at a time when the Roman and Greek gods began to actively replace each other, is unknown, but there is certainly a reason to think about it.
Veles- one of the most revered gods in Slavic paganism. Veles is the patron saint of forests and domestic animals, the patron saint of wealth and creative people. In Roman paganism, Veles corresponds to the god of trade, the god of wealth, Mercury. Interesting that Mercury in ancient times was considered the patron saint of grain business, harvest and livestock. However, much later, when the commercial business began to develop actively, and bread and meat for the most part became the object of sale and earnings, Mercury also became the patron god of wealth. It is possible that exactly the same story happened to our Veles in ancient times, when from the patron saint of fields, breads and domestic animals, he turned into the patron saint of wealth, and then, due to the erroneous interpretation of the term "cattle" (property, wealth), became the patron saint of livestock.
Makosh- one of the most ancient goddesses of the ancient Slavs. Judging by the research of numerous historians, in ancient times it was this goddess who occupied the leading role in the pagan pantheon. Makosh is the patroness of fertility, rain, women in labor, handicrafts, women's affairs and, in general, all women. Makosh is the patroness of fate. There is also a version that Makosh is the personification of the Earth. In Roman mythology, Makoshi corresponds to a goddess. Ceres is the goddess of harvest, fertility and agriculture. In the article on the correspondence of the Slavic and Greek gods, we already talked about Makosh and the Greek Demeter, who was the personification of the Earth for the Greeks. Ceres is the exact match for Demeter. The Roman goddess, like the Greek, has a daughter - Proserpine - the goddess of the underworld, which corresponds to our Moran, Marena or Mara. Although there is no exact evidence that the ancient Slavs could consider Morana the daughter of Makosha, such amazing similarities that are observed in Slavic, Greek and Roman deities may indicate that this could well be possible.
Morana- the goddess of death and winter, the mistress of the underworld of the dead. In Greek mythology, it corresponds to Persephone, and in Roman - Proserpine... Proserpine is the daughter of Ceres (Makoshi) and Jupiter (Perun), which speaks of another amazing kinship of the gods. She spends half a year in the world of the dead, being the queen of the underworld, and spends half a year on Earth, turning at this time into the patroness of fertility and harvest.
Perun- God the Thunderer among the Slavs. God of thunder and lightning, patron saint of warriors. Corresponds to the Scandinavian Torah, Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter. In ancient Roman mythology, he is the god of the sky, the god of daylight, the god of thunder and lightning. Jupiter was the supreme god of the Romans. Like Perun in ancient Russia, Jupiter was the god of the Roman state, the patron saint of emperors, their power, power and military strength. Historians believe that the name "Jupiter" goes back to Proto-Indo-European mythology, where it meant "god-father".
Chernobog- Slavic king of the world of the dead, god of the underworld. The Romans called this god - Pluto... Pluto received the underworld in his lot, where the souls of the dead live. It was believed that Pluto appears on the surface only to take another "victim" to itself, that is, each death was considered a sortie of Pluto from the underworld. Once he kidnapped the goddess of plants and fertility Proserpina (Morana), after which she became his underground queen and since then has spent exactly six months in the world of the dead.
Svarog- the god-blacksmith, the god of the sky, the god who fettered the Earth, the god who taught people to mine metal and create tools of labor from metal. In Roman paganism, Svarog corresponds to the god of fire and the patron saint of blacksmithing - Volcano... Vulcan is the son of the god Jupiter and the goddess Juno. Vulcan created armor and weapons for both gods and heroes on Earth. Also created lightning for Jupiter (Perun). The Vulcan Forge was located in the mouth of Mount Etna in Sicily.
Horse- the sun god among the Slavs. In Roman mythology, he corresponds to the sun god Sol... The god Sol was portrayed as a rider who gallops across the sky in a golden chariot drawn by winged horses. Surprisingly, this is how the Slavs imagined the daytime journey of the Sun across the sky - in a chariot and harnessed horses. It is for this reason that the heads of horses have become a protective symbol for the Slavs, even, in a way, a solar symbol.
Yarilo- the god of spring, spring fertility, love passion. In Roman mythology, Yarila corresponds to the god of vegetation, spring fertility, the god of inspiration, the god of winemaking -. Bacchus, like the Greek Dionysus, underwent rather unsightly changes and was practically "blackened" by descendants who simply did not understand the essence of Dionysus-Bacchus. Today Dionysus and Bacchus are considered the patrons of drunkards, gods of wine, unrestrained fun, orgies, and so on. However, all this is far from the truth. Bacchus and Dionysus (Yarilo) are the gods of fertility and harvest. The rich harvest of grapes and other crops was celebrated by the ancient Greeks and Romans, respectively, by large-scale fun with the use of wine, with dances and festive performances in honor of the god who gave this harvest. From the sight of these feasts, the opinion was born among those who replaced paganism that Bacchus or Dionysus is the patron saint of drunkenness and debauchery, although this is far from being a mistaken opinion.
Zarya, Dawn, Zarya-Zaryanitsa - the goddess of the morning dawn. Under the goddess Zarya, the ancient Slavs understood the planet Venus, which is visible with the naked eye shortly before dawn, as well as after sunset. It is believed that Zarya-Zaryanitsa prepares the Sun's exit from the sky, harnesses its chariot and gives the first light to people, promising a bright sunny day. In Roman mythology, the Slavic Zorka corresponds to the goddess Aurora... Aurora is the ancient Roman goddess of the dawn, bringing daylight to gods and people.
Mermaids, pitchforks, beregini- the spirits of ancestors. In Roman mythology, they were called - Mana... Mana are the souls of the dead or the shadows of the dead. Mans were considered good spirits. Holidays were held in their honor. Treats were brought to cemeteries especially for these spirits. Mans were considered protectors of humans and guardians of tombs.
Lizard- the god of the underwater kingdom among the ancient Slavs. In ancient Rome, the Lizard corresponded Neptune... Neptune is the god of the seas and streams. The sea god was especially revered by sailors and fishermen, whose lives largely depended on the favor of the sea patron. Also, the sea god Neptune was asked for rain and drought prevention.
Brownies- spirits living in the house, protecting the house and its owners. Roman brownies were Penates... Penates are the guardian gods of the home and home. In the days of Roman paganism, all Romans believed that two Penates live in every house at once. Usually in each house there were images (small idols) of two house-penates, which were kept in a cabinet by the hearth. The Penates were not only home patrons, but even patrons of the entire Roman people. In honor of them, the State Cult of the Penates was created with its high priest. The center of the cult of the Penates was located in the temple of Vesta - the patroness of the family hearth and sacrificial fire. It is from the name of the Roman brownies that the expression "return to their penates", which is used in the meaning of "returning home", has gone.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the Slavic and Roman goddesses of fate. In Slavic mythology, the goddesses of fate, who weave a thread for each person, are called Dolya and Nedolya (Srecha and Nesrecha). Since Dolya and Nedolya are working on fate together with the mistress of fate Mokosh herself, we can say that in Slavic mythology, the spinning goddesses are Makosh, Share and Nedolya... In Roman mythology, the three goddesses of fate - Parks... Nona's first parka pulls the yarn, creating the thread of human life. The second park Decima reels a tow not a spindle, distributing fate. Morta's third park cuts the thread, ending a person's life. If we compare them with the already named Slavic goddesses, then we can say that Makosh (according to Roman theory) pulls yarn, Share winds a tow (it is believed that Share spins a good fate), and Nedolya cuts the thread of life (it is believed that Nedolya spins problems and failures ).
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