Flora (Flōra) was a goddess of flowers and the season of spring. Being one
among several fertility goddesses her association with the spring gave her
particular importance at the coming of springtime. Her festival, the Flora was
held between April 28 and May 3 and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life,
drinking, and flowers. The festival was first instituted in 240 B.C.E but on the
advice of the Sibylline books she was given another temple in 238 B.C.E. Flora was married to Favonius, the
wind god, and floras companion was Hercules.
among several fertility goddesses her association with the spring gave her
particular importance at the coming of springtime. Her festival, the Flora was
held between April 28 and May 3 and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life,
drinking, and flowers. The festival was first instituted in 240 B.C.E but on the
advice of the Sibylline books she was given another temple in 238 B.C.E. Flora was married to Favonius, the
wind god, and floras companion was Hercules.
Saturn (Cronos) is the god of time. The Romans had a mid-winter festival in owner of
Saturn. Saturn is the father of Jupiter,Pluto,and Neptune. Saturn is a complex figure
because of his multiple associations and long history. He was the first god of the
Capitol, known since the most ancient times as Saturnius Mons, and was seen as a god
of generation, dissolution, plenty, wealth, agriculture, periodic renewal and liberation. In
later developmints he came to be also a god of time. His reign was depicted as a golden
age of plenty and peace. The temple of Saturn in the roman forum housed the state
treasury. In December, he was celebrated at what is perhaps the most famous of the
roman festivals, the Saternalia a time of feasting, role reversals, free speech, and gift giving
Saturn. Saturn is the father of Jupiter,Pluto,and Neptune. Saturn is a complex figure
because of his multiple associations and long history. He was the first god of the
Capitol, known since the most ancient times as Saturnius Mons, and was seen as a god
of generation, dissolution, plenty, wealth, agriculture, periodic renewal and liberation. In
later developmints he came to be also a god of time. His reign was depicted as a golden
age of plenty and peace. The temple of Saturn in the roman forum housed the state
treasury. In December, he was celebrated at what is perhaps the most famous of the
roman festivals, the Saternalia a time of feasting, role reversals, free speech, and gift giving
Proserpina was the Roman goddess of the Underworld. The mythology relating to the
abduction of the daughter of the goddess Ceres was taken from Greek legend. It is
this story that Proserpina is most famous. Proserpina was abducted by Pluto whilst
she was picking flowers. In revenge for this act Ceres cast a curse on earth causing a
great famine. Ceres refused to lift the curse until she saw her daughter again. Jupiter,
the king of the gods and the brother of Ceres, intervened and sent Mercury to the
Underworld to ask Pluto to return Proserpina. However, Proserpina had eaten part of a
pomegranate whilst she was with Pluto. The pomegranate was known as the "fruit of
the dead", and anyone who ate the food of the dead had to stay in the underworld. A compromise was reached and
Proserpina could only be given back to her mother for part of each year. For two-thirds of the year she was allowed to
live with her mother and the remainder of the time she was obliged to stay with Pluto as queen of the Underworld. The
ancients believed that when Proserpina made her yearly visits to the mortal world she brought spring with her and when
the time came that she must return to Pluto the bleak winter followed. Refer to the mythical stories of Proserpine and
Ceres and Proserpine.
abduction of the daughter of the goddess Ceres was taken from Greek legend. It is
this story that Proserpina is most famous. Proserpina was abducted by Pluto whilst
she was picking flowers. In revenge for this act Ceres cast a curse on earth causing a
great famine. Ceres refused to lift the curse until she saw her daughter again. Jupiter,
the king of the gods and the brother of Ceres, intervened and sent Mercury to the
Underworld to ask Pluto to return Proserpina. However, Proserpina had eaten part of a
pomegranate whilst she was with Pluto. The pomegranate was known as the "fruit of
the dead", and anyone who ate the food of the dead had to stay in the underworld. A compromise was reached and
Proserpina could only be given back to her mother for part of each year. For two-thirds of the year she was allowed to
live with her mother and the remainder of the time she was obliged to stay with Pluto as queen of the Underworld. The
ancients believed that when Proserpina made her yearly visits to the mortal world she brought spring with her and when
the time came that she must return to Pluto the bleak winter followed. Refer to the mythical stories of Proserpine and
Ceres and Proserpine.
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Vulcan (Latin: Vulcanus) is the god of both beneficial and hindering fire,
including the fire of volcanoes, and the manufacturer of art, arms, iron, and armor for gods and heroes. His
forge was believed to be situated underneath Mount Aetna in Sicily. Vulcan is often depicted with
a blacksmith's hammer.
The Romans identified Vulcan with the Greek smith-god Hephaestus, and he became associated
like his Greek counterpart with the constructive use of fire in metalworking.
A fragment of a Greek pot showing
Hephaestus found at the Volcanal has been dated to the 6th century BC, suggesting that the two
gods were already associated at this date.
However, Vulcan had a stronger association than Hephaestus with fire's
destructive capacity, and a major concern of his worshippers was to encourage the god to avert harmful fires.
His festival, the Vulcanalia, was celebrated on August 23 each year, when the summer heat
placed crops and granaries most at risk of burning.
During the festival bonfires were created in honor of the god, into which live
fish or small animals were thrown as a sacrifice, to be consumed in the place of humans. Vulcan was among
the gods placated after the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. In response to the same fire, Domitian (emperor 81-
96) established a new altar to Vulcan on the Quirinal Hill. At the same time a red bull-calf and red boar were
added to the sacrifices made on the Vulcanalia, at least in that region of the city. In addition to the Volcanalia on
August 23, the date May 23, which was the second of the two annual Tubilustria or ceremonies for the
purification of trumpets, was sacred to Vulcan. He is also called Mulciber ("softener") in Roman mythology and
Sethlans in Etruscan mythology. Vulcan belonged to the most ancient platform of Roman religion. The word v
olcano is derived from the name of Vulcano, a volcanic island in the Aeolian Islands of Italy whose
name in turn originates from Vulcan.
including the fire of volcanoes, and the manufacturer of art, arms, iron, and armor for gods and heroes. His
forge was believed to be situated underneath Mount Aetna in Sicily. Vulcan is often depicted with
a blacksmith's hammer.
The Romans identified Vulcan with the Greek smith-god Hephaestus, and he became associated
like his Greek counterpart with the constructive use of fire in metalworking.
A fragment of a Greek pot showing
Hephaestus found at the Volcanal has been dated to the 6th century BC, suggesting that the two
gods were already associated at this date.
However, Vulcan had a stronger association than Hephaestus with fire's
destructive capacity, and a major concern of his worshippers was to encourage the god to avert harmful fires.
His festival, the Vulcanalia, was celebrated on August 23 each year, when the summer heat
placed crops and granaries most at risk of burning.
During the festival bonfires were created in honor of the god, into which live
fish or small animals were thrown as a sacrifice, to be consumed in the place of humans. Vulcan was among
the gods placated after the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. In response to the same fire, Domitian (emperor 81-
96) established a new altar to Vulcan on the Quirinal Hill. At the same time a red bull-calf and red boar were
added to the sacrifices made on the Vulcanalia, at least in that region of the city. In addition to the Volcanalia on
August 23, the date May 23, which was the second of the two annual Tubilustria or ceremonies for the
purification of trumpets, was sacred to Vulcan. He is also called Mulciber ("softener") in Roman mythology and
Sethlans in Etruscan mythology. Vulcan belonged to the most ancient platform of Roman religion. The word v
olcano is derived from the name of Vulcano, a volcanic island in the Aeolian Islands of Italy whose
name in turn originates from Vulcan.