By: Iris

ANCIENT ROMAN RELIGION

BELIEFS• Religion was polytheistic

and it was influenced by Hellenistic Greece.

( Hellenistic Greece - period between 323 BC and 146 BC )

• Believed in many gods.

• Romans were/are highly religious and maintained good relations with their gods & goddesses.

GODS

1. Jupiter – king of the gods. Manipulated lightning & thunder.

2. Neptune – often moody. Controlled the oceans and the seas.

3. Pluto – king of the underworld and the dead.

4. Mars – god of war. No one liked him.

5. Mercury – messenger of the Gods.

6. Apollo – god of the sun

7. Bacchus – god of wine.

8. Vulcan – the smith god.

GODDESSES

1. Juno – queen of the gods. She watched over women.

2. Diana – goddess of the hunt and the moon. Dogs liked her.

3. Minerva – goddess of wisdom and battle strategy. She can’t marry.

4. Vesta – goddess of the home and hearth.

5. Ceres – goddess of the Earth, seasons and harvest.

6. Venus – goddess of the beauty and love.

THE GODS & GODDESSES

MARS• Mars, the god of war, is

regarded as the father of the Roman people because his son is Romulus. Romulus is the founder of Rome.

• Because of Mars, Romans are known to be violent and find fighting to be entertainment. Social Status is also very important in Rome.

• In order to thank Mars, Romans made him an altar, a temple, and they have festivals in March for him.

• Roman myths about their gods and goddesses were based off on the Greek gods and goddesses.

• Roman mythology came 1000 years after Greek mythology.

• Even though they were based off of the Greek myths, there are differences. Personal differences, traits, appearances.

• Roman myths were found in the book Aeneid by Virgil.

Ex. In Greek myths, Zeus was worshipped the most. In Roman myths, Mars was worshipped the most.

THE ORIGINS OF ROMAN MYTHS

GREEK ROMAN JOBAphrodite Venus Love & Beauty

Ares Mars War

Artemis Diana The hunt, moon, wilderness

Athena Minerva Wisdom

Poseidon Neptune Seas, ocean, water

Hades Pluto Underworld king, riches and the dead

Hephaestus Vulcan Hepaestus: Fire and the Forge

Vulcan: Smith God

Hermes Mercury Messenger God

Hera Juno Queen of the gods, women

Demeter Ceres Seasons, Earth, Crops

Apollo Apollo/Phoebus Apollo: Light, arts, music

Phoebus/Apollo: Sun

Dionysus Bacchus Wine

• Most gods tend to fall for mortal women

• Usually gods/goddesses are born by nature, but they can be born normally.

• Most known and successful heroes are demigods, born from a god and a mortal.

1. Titan + Woman = God/Goddess

2. God + Woman = Demigod

3. Demigod + Woman = Warrior

4. Warrior + Woman = Man

( This also works vise versa )

OFFSPRINGS

• Roman myths were based off of Greek

Myths.

They came _______ years after Greek

Mythology.

• Who is the founder of Rome? Who is his father?

QUESTIONS

SOURCES• Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_ancient_Rome

• Ancient Roman Gods - http://rome.mrdonn.org/romangods/

• Julia

• Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/pin/379006124860438787/

• Romans VS Greeks - http://www.diffen.com/difference/Greek_Gods_vs_Roman_Gods

• Aeneid - http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/classroom_resources/curricula/mythology/background.html