Roman Mythology

• Roman mythology is a collection of traditional

stories, beliefs and rituals that Romans used to
describe the origin of Roman civilization, culture,
history and religion. Romans believed these stories to
be true despite many supernatural events described
in them. The religious part of Roman mythology is
heavily inspired from Greek mythology.
 Religion and Roman Mythology
 Roman mythology plays a very important role in
religion. As the Roman religion was based on rituals,
myths were very important to the adherents of the
Roman religion. Romans believed in ‘specialist gods’
who all had a different specialty and affected the lives
of Romans in different ways. Roman mythology
explained the background, history and powers of all
these gods. Jupiter was considered king of gods and
god of thunder and lightning. He was also patron god
of Rome and was the Roman version of Greek god
Zeus.
Roman Mythology Architecture
 Interesting Stories in Roman
Mythology
 Romulus and Remus

According to Roman mythology, the story of these twin

brothers tells of the origins of Rome. They were the
children of Mars and Rhea Silvia and according to Virgil
and many other writers, their adventures were
inextricably linked to the foundation of Rome.
 History of Aeneas

Aeneas is the mythological hero of both Rome and Troy. Homer mentions him in the
Illiad as the first cousin of King Priam and Troy. In the Aeneid, Virgil describes him as a
hero and the ancestor of Romulus and Remus. The Aeneid tells that Aeneas was one
among the few Trojans who were neither killed nor enslaved after Troy was defeated.
After gathering a group and being commanded by the gods to flee, he traveled to Italy to
become the progenitor of the Romans. This team was called the Aeneads. He carried
with him the statues of Trojan gods and planted them in Italy. They wandered for six years
and finally settled in Carthage. Here Aeneas and the queen of Carthage, Dido, had a year-
long love affair after which Dido proposed to him so that they could reign over both the
Trojans and the Carthaginians together. Aphrodite (the Roman version of Venus and the
mother of Aeneas), with the help of Jupiter, made Aeneas realize his true motives which
caused him to leave the place secretly. The pain of his leaving led Dido to utter a curse of
enmity over Rome. Afterwards, she stabbed herself with the sword that she had given to
Aeneas during their first meeting.
 Myth of Jupiter and Bee

Roman legends have always been successful in teaching life lessons. One such
myth of sweetness and vengeance is the myth of Jupiter and the bee. The story
delivers the moral of how revenge can have dire consequences.
One fine day after being irritated by the mortals taking away her honey, the
queen of the hive decided to visit Jupiter. After reaching Olympus, she offered
fresh honey to Jupiter. Delighted by the taste of it, Jupiter promised to fulfil one
of her wishes. She asked: “Give me, I pray thee, a sting, which if any mortal
approaches to take my honey, I may kill him.” Displeased by her request because
of his love for the human race he did grant her wish but at the risk of her own
life. He said: “For if you use your sting, it shall remain in the wound you make,
and then you will die from the loss of it.”
 Story of Apollo and Cassandra

Apollo is one of the most prominent gods of the Greek and Roman pantheon.
He is the only god who appears in both Greek and Roman mythology. The myth
of Apollo and Cassandra was behind the fall of Troy because Cassandra was the
most beautiful daughter of King Priam. Apollo was in love with her, and to make
his love reach fruition he promised Cassandra the power of prophecy on her
agreement to comply with his wishes. She agreed to his conditions and received
the gift of prophecy. After getting what she wanted she refused to form a union
with him causing Apollo to burst into flames. He then cursed her so that no one
would believe her prophecies no matter what. As a result, people began to
consider her a liar and a mad woman, and she was imprisoned in a citadel by her
own father. Despite several warnings to the Trojans about the Greeks, no one
believed her words and Troy was ultimately destroyed.
 The Myth of Jupiter and Io

The priestess Io was one of the mortal lovers of Jupiter who was known for his
Casanova-like behavior. Jupiter fell in love with Io and changed himself into a black
cloud so that he could live closer to her while hiding from his wife, Juno. However, Juno
was not a woman to be fooled. She noticed the black cloud and easily recognized it as
her husband. The very moment Juno arrived on Earth, Jupiter changed Io into a white
cow so as to protect her from his wife’s wrath. Despite several attempts to conceal Io,
Juno found the white cow and put it under the surveillance of Argus who had a
hundred eyes which were hardly ever closed.
In order to free Io, Jupiter sent his son Mercury to tell stories to Argus until he fell
asleep. Mercury was successful in his task of making Argus sleep, then he killed him and
freed Io. Knowing all this, Juno was so upset that she sent a venomous gadfly to sting Io,
or the white cow, for a lifetime. It was only when Jupiter vowed never to chase Io again
that Juno was set free from imprisonment. Afterwards, she went to Egypt, settled there
and became the first Egyptian goddess.
 Roman Mythology Gods and
Goddesses

Jupiter- King of the gods; son of Saturn, brother to Neptune, Pluto and
Juno (also her husband); god of sky and thunder; patron god of Rome
Juno- Queen of the gods; wife and sister of
Jupiter, daughter of Saturn, sister of Neptune
and Pluto, Mother of Juventas, Mars and Vulcan;
protector of Rome’s women; patron goddess of
Rome
Minerva- Born of the head of Jupiter after he
impregnated his sister Metis, ripped their
daughter from her womb and ate her; goddess of
wisdom, arts, trade and strategy.
Neptune- Brother of Jupiter, Pluto and Juno; god of freshwater
and the sea, earthquakes, hurricanes and horses; often depicted
with his trident.
Venus- Mother of the Roman people; goddess of
love, beauty, fertility, sex, desire and prosperity;
patron of wine.
Mars- Son of Juno (without Jupiter); god of war;
guardian of agriculture; embodiment of virility and
aggression; father of Romulus — founder of Rome.
Apollo- The Archer; son of Jupiter and Latona;
twin of Diana; god of music, healing, light and
truth. Apollo is one of only a few Roman gods
who kept the same name as his Greek
counterpart.
Diana- Daughter of Jupiter and Latona; twin of
Apollo; goddess of the hunt, the moon and birth.
Vulcan- God of fire, volcanoes, metal work and the
forge; maker of the weapons of the gods.
Vesta- The sacred fire of the Vestal Virgins (all
female and Rome’s only full-time priesthood);
daughter of Saturn and Ops; goddess of hearth,
home and family.
Mercury- Son of Maia and Jupiter; god of profit,
trade, eloquence, communication, travel, trickery
and thieves; guide of dead souls to the
underworld.
Ceres- The Eternal Mother; daughter of Saturn and
Ops; goddess of agriculture, grain, women,
motherhood and marriage; the lawgiver.