Roman Gods and Goddesses

During the pagan era, religion was and worship of supernatural forces and deities was woven into the fabric of every day Roman life. Each house had its household gods, and the State had its official religion. The emoeror was also the chief priest, who together with other high officials was responsible for the proper worship of the gods and the observance of ritual to ensure propserity and military success. Even the Emperor would eventually become a god, worshipped (usually after his death but sometimes in life) as a divine being.

Aurora	Goddess of the Dawn. She is the complete opposite of Nox, the goddess of night.
Bacchus	God of wine. He was known for his ecstatic followers and could bring joy and revelry but also misery.
Cerberus	Guardian of the gates of Hades, the dismal underworld of the ancient pagans..
Ceres	Goddess of the earth, grain (hence the word cereal) and of harvests.
Coelus	God of Heaven.
Cupid	God of Love. Cupid is one of the few pagan gods that is still well known today.
Diana	Goddess of hunting, the moon, and of nature. She was a virgin goddess.
Dis	God of the underworld.
Faunus	God of fields and shepherds.
Flora	Goddess of flowers. (Hence the words flora, florist.)
Janus	God of of beginnings. He was resposible for the New Year and the Seasons. Contrast with the god Termini, god of boundaries. Janus had two faces, looking in opposite directions.
Juno	Queen of the gods and the wife of Jupiter. Jupiter was not a very faithful god-husband; his romantic adventures were legendery and he sired many children with human women.
Jupiter	The Supreme God and the ruler of Heaven.
Liber	Another name for Bacchus, the god of Wine.
Luna	Goddess of the moon.
Mars	The God of War.
Mercury	The messenger of the gods.
Mors	God of Death (note the derivation: mortitian, mortify).
Neptune	God of the Seas

Nox	Goddess of Night
Orcus	God of the underworld.
Picus	God of fortunetelling, and foreseeing the future.
Pomona	Goddess of gardens and fruit trees.
Proserpina	Goddess of the underworld.
Psyche	Goddess of the soul. She was united with Cupid.
Salacia	Goddess of the oceans.
Saturn	Roman equivalent of the Greek god Cronus.
Somnus	God of sleep.
Venus	Goddess of love and beauty.
Vesta	Goddess of the hearth. The Vestal Virgins were dedicated to this goddess.
Victoria	Goddess of Victory.

Fall of the Roman Empire

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Failure and Grandeur of Roman Civilization