Articolo scritto in collaborazione con i giornalisti di Eroica Fenice
In the era of antiquity, a fascinating mix of myths and divinities shaped the cultural landscape that goes beyond the borders of Greece and extends to the grandiose Rome. We explore this mythological connection between the two civilizations, an evolution that manifested itself even before the Roman conquest of Greece.
Rome, aware of the ingenuity of the Greek deities , began to reinterpret the protagonists of Greek mythology with Roman names, attributing to them adventures that recalled the deeds of the Hellenic gods. Thus a metamorphosis was born, transforming Greek mythology into a Roman tale through a simple mutation of names.
Zeus, the celestial ruler, became Jupiter , embodying the supreme deity of the ancient Romans. Hera, ancient goddess of fertility, acquired the name Juno. Athena, protector of the arts, was renamed Minerva in honor of an Etruscan deity, Minerva. Artemis transformed into Diana, recalling an ancient lunar goddess of the Italic peoples.
The list of reassignments became a patchwork of mythological adaptations: Hermes , guardian of trade, became Mercury; Ares, god of war, took the name of Mars; Aphrodite was identified as Venus, an ancient Italian deity of spring.
In addition to the major deities, Rome also adopted minor Greek deities, such as the Dioscuri , Castor, and Pollux, who fought on Rome’s behalf in the Battle of Lake Regillus.
The native deities
The Roman tradition, however, did not limit itself to emulating Greece. Divinities originating from Italy emerge, such as Janus, the god of entrances and exits, symbolized with two faces representing the beginning and the end. Saturn, initially god of agriculture, took on the role of Cronus, taking refuge in Lazio after being overthrown by Jupiter.
Italic deities, such as Quirinus, ancient god of war, and Consus, guardian of fertility, enrich the Roman pantheon. Faun, protector of woods and livestock, over time became associated with the Greek Pan.
Pale, a rural deity of the Palatine, stands as the patroness of the most ancient nucleus of Rome. Silvanus, another woodland god, merges with Pan’s essence. Terme, protector of the boundaries of the fields, was assimilated with Hades or Pluto, ruling together with Proserpina.
The spirits of the ancestors
The mythological memory is completed with the spirits of the ancestors, the Mani, the Penates, guardians of the pantry and the hearth, and the Lares, protectors of the house. While the Penates were venerated as true deities, the Lares remained simple geniuses, involved in the family cult that embraced the entire house, including slaves. A fascinating journey through myths and legends that shaped the Roman identity through the recall of ancient eras and divinities.